God bless Victoria. No matter where you are, there's always a craft beer brewery nearby. In this…read morecase it was in the bush in the middle of Red Hill. And I mean true-blue bush - tractors, a shed and a lot of blokes talking shop. While I am not certain that you can actually do a brewery tour here (there doesn't seem to be many staff) the bar area of the Red Hill Brewery is a lovely place to stop for a paddle or two. I tried a paddle of four of their freshly brewed beers and with the exception of one (their Temptation golden ale was a bit too fruity for my palate) loved all of them. We sat out on their lovely deck, admired the giant smoker on the side and cheekily eavesdropped on some of the local conversations. We left and couldn't help ourselves... we bought a bunch of takeaways. Their Cherry Saison is currently chilling in my fridge and I plan to sip on it in just a few short hours. This would be a fun place to get rowdy with the locals on a Saturday night and if you're in the area, it would be very silly of you to not stop by.

Red Hill Brewery's beers are some of our favourite hand crafted ales. I love them all from the…read moreBelgian style to more Germanic brews, to stout. And one of the things I like about coming here is that in addition to their usual delicious range are seasonal speciality brews. If you're interested in trying a selection of their beers, try a tasting paddle. The brewery is a small operation run by husband and wife team David and Karen Golding. It's an added bonus that their hop garden and bar are located in a beautiful part of the Mornington Peninsula, surrounded by wineries and farms. This makes a visit even more of a pleasure. You don't have to be a beer lover to stop in here, the cafe food is beer friendly and not typical of peninsula venues, featuring interesting locally sourced food, from snacks to grazing plates or something more substantial. If you prefer wine or cider to beer you're still bound to find something to please. Sit out on the deck and unwind or at certain times of the year you can also take one of their beer appreciation sessions/brewery tours. When we were there last a small wedding party dropped in late afternoon while the bride and groom were having their photos taken nearby - what a great idea! The cafe can get really popular for lunch in Summer so be prepared to wait if you are a large group with kids, they'll do their best but it's not a huge venue. I don't live nearby, but thankfully their beer is also available at selected venues in Melbourne. So coming to Red Hill Brewery still remains a special treat for me.

I have been to the Bellarine Brewing site a few times, usually with good result (hence the rating)…read morebut I made the mistake of trying to have a romantic lunch on a 'special occasion' day... wow, talk about overwhelmed ! Our very friendly waiter did her best to reassure us that our meals would be coming soon, several times, when we could get her attention from the other diners who were asking similar questions ! To rub salt into the wound, I purchased a bottle of their wine at the cellar door to take away and the staff had trouble accounting for it in their till, with all of the back and forth and several staff becomming involved, I discovered when I got home that they had actually sold me a different wine to the one I had been charged for (I had paid top dollar for a lesser wine !) ... oh well, I know they can do a good meal and delicious wine here but it is probably best to avoid busy periods !

This is your new favourite brewery! This local little secret is a cosy little brewery tucked away…read morein Ferntree Gully brewing delicious beers! Specialising in Belgium style Sour Beers with the option of adding their homemade fruit syrups...Even non-beer drinkers love their beer :) The owners/brewers are all lovely, welcoming and make the place an extra special experience! Definitely head down for some lovely fresh craft beer!!!

There is a new resident in the Little Creatures complex, and it has been welcomed with open arms!…read moreWhite Rabbit Brewery is the 'adult venue' as I like to call it (Little creatures is very family friendly). White Rabbit has a really nice, relaxed, yet fancy vibe. It has a pretty impressive entrance hall- walking past massive beer vats to the right, a wall of wine barrels to the left. There is also an open fireplace to set the mood. I'm no massive beer fan, but I tried the white ale here (because when in Rome?) and I loved it!! I may be converted. The food menu is mainly for grazing, there aren't many substantial meals here. It quietens up around 9:30pm on a Saturday night, but you can always jump next door to Little Creatures! Plenty of gifts, beer and bits and pieces to buy to take home with you.

Outside its getting chilly. Inside we're surrounded by the vats yet it's still warm from the fire…read moreplace. Delicious boards of prosciutto, bread & cheese. Super cool place

Well, this was quite a pleasant surprise, particularly since I did happen to have some time to kill…read moreup in Croydon. Well, visiting the local brewery was definitely going to be on the cards, especially since I discovered that it was just a short trip from the railway station. Well, that short trip certainly turned out to be for the best because I have to say that this brewery was awesome. Not only did they happen to have some great staff, but the beers were great. In fact, they went beyond great. Yep, this is definitely a place I would recommend checking out.

Great ambiance with easy parking. Great staff, delicious food and top notch beers. Highly recommend…read morepopping on down with your crew. Gorgeous open fire too

What an amazing host and place to chill with friends. The staff are brilliant and encompassing- the…read morebeers are tasty and a selection for all- the food was delicious and a perfect accompaniment to our beers. For the non beer lover there is a most delicious cider! Great place- highly recommend.

From the owner: Good beer. Good place to drink good beer.read more

I have to admit that this place was actually pretty cool, but then again it is a brewery, and I do…read morelike breweries, especially if they happen to be ones that are small and independent, like this one. Not surprisingly they have a good range of beers to try, and on top of that they do spirits as well, though I only came for the beer. Yeah, there is definitely some charm attached to this place, and the beers aren't bad either.

Things I love about Melbourne: Breweries are popping up in every suburb. What a time to be alive!…read moreCase in point: Mornington Peninsula Brewery. Now your casual beach weekend can be accompanied by awesome beer and pizza. Winner! We popped in on a Saturday around 12pm before a family lunch at D.O.C. and were surprised to find it jam-packed. There were clearly a few bucks parties in swing as well as some family get-togethers - it was an interesting crowd, to say the least. The beers aren't overly experimental, but they certainly are delicious and a great session beer. Behind the bar is the brewery so be warned, you will be surrounded by the smell of brewing hops and barley - there's no escaping it. While I didn't try the food, it looked like you classic brewery fare - woodfired pizzas and hot chips. What else do you need with a refreshing ale?

Only a few months old at time of writing, Napoleone Ciderhouse seemingly sprung up from nowhere -…read moredespite frequent visits to the Valley it simply wasn't on my radar. We were headed to Punt Road Wines to sample some Napoleone Cider, so you can imagine our surprise to find they've spun off with a great place of their own next door. We must have been the last to find out about this place though, as it was packed on a pretty dreary and rainy summer weekday for lunch. We had just eaten (and cursed ourselves for that!) but set up at the bar with a tasting paddle - important to note they do many delicious beers as well as their fantastically crisp and dry ciders. Will become a must-stop for every future trip out to the Valley I'd say!

Tired of just wine tasting in the Yarra Valley? Then you have to check out Naoleone Brewery and…read moreCiderhouse where you can do both cIder and beer tasting. Good variety to try and definitely some very different tastes. Didn't try the food at the restaurant but I'd hazard that it would be delish.

Hidden in an industrial estate in Braeside, miles from anywhere, is this hidden gem. The brewery…read morebar serving their beers brewed across the road has plenty of tap and bottled beers on offer. I went for the Hop Bomb, a great west coast US style IPA and a delicious spiced dark saison. Unfortunately I was driving so could only sample the 2 pots but would have loved to try the barrel aged stout. Just means I'll have to come back! The bar is only open from 4pm on Fridays and from midday on the weekends. I'm surprised they don't at lunchtime on Fridays as it was very busy at 4.30 when I visited. They have a smoker or barbecue out front which looked tempting. There is food available but I didn't try any during my fleeting visit. Loved the vibe of the place; very laid back. Bar staff friendly and knowledgeable about their beers. The place has beer barrels on racks against the wall and makes you feel like you're in a brewery setting and not just a bar. Will definitely be going back!

Where is Braeside? This is the question people are going to ask if you invite them to meet you at…read moreBoatrocker Brewery. The answer is probably a $50 Uber ride from wherever you are, but it is indeed worth it. A converted workshop lined with all manner of oak barrels, it's really not a place you go for ambience. Instead, it is a place to go get unique, unusual beers served by friendly brewers who will chat you up about beer, BBQ, and pretzels. What more could you possibly want? As I am partial to sours, farmhouse ales, and saisons, this place is seriously my beat. But, they also offer some whisky barrel aged stouts, which could come in handy over the long Melbourne winters. Their IPAs and pale ales are also of a pretty high standard. There is not a lot on offer food-wise, except some excellent german-style pretzels (served cold, unfortunately) and a cheese board. But, seeing as how BBQ is both standard beer food and super trendy right now, they will have the smoker up and running soon. Hey boys, I really think you should give tri-tip a go. Certainly, I will be back. That was never in question.