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

Fantastic light ambience, terrific service by Hannah and Nick, and delicious crunchy hot chips,…read moreburgers , steaks and pizzas. Great for families, groups and even just a couple for a lazy afternoon. Tours occur on both Saturday and Sunday at 3:00 sharp.

One thing is for sure, Stomping Ground has definitely improved since they first opened…read more I first checked them out when they just had opened up, and I couldn't believe it, but I was disappointed. In the beer options and the choice of food available. Nothing said this is a place for craft beer. Lucky thing that since then, the times have changed. Stomping Ground grew up and learned how to 'Walk this Way.' On my most recent visit, I was flabbergasted to look over the menu. Wow now there are food options that are perfect to compliment their tasty beer. And which beer you may think? That's okay, they have two pre-set paddle choices. One for a beer snob, the other for a beer-beginner. Both provide you with a good introduction to the beers of Stomping Ground. It's always been a great space. It's open, there are shared tables and a high ceiling- giving you those industrial feels. There's also bar side, with even more tables under a glass ceiling- it opens up during summer time and is the place to go and enjoy the beer and the atmosphere. And (if this applies to you) there's a play house area for the kiddies to muck around. The owners are the guys who put on GABS -so they know a thing or two about beer. You should also check out their St. Kilda pub, The Local Taphouse.

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.

I do really like my craft beers, but it does turn out that not all craft beer breweries are the…read moresame. This place is case in point because I have to admit that the selection wasn't all that great. The thing was that the menu wasn't all that great. Look, the beers that they produce tend to be good, but unfortunately not many of the ones that they had here were all that great. I guess the problem was that the menu wasn't all that easy to read. It was nice, but not the great.

Moon Dog has a very cool, eclectic and relaxed vibe that I really enjoyed. You feel like you're…read morejust hanging out in someone's garage. It's hidden down a side industrial road and most times they have a wood-fired pizza food truck outside. We came on a weeknight close to closing and the place was bustling! We had to wait in line to order a drink at the bar but then were able to grab some seats on the worn-in couches and cozy chairs. The tap list had a wide variety of interesting brews. I think I went with some sort of IPA and wasn't disappointed. This was a great find with an unpretentious crowd and away from all the tourist areas.

I'm glad we decided it to take the tram across town to this brewpub. The beer listings were…read moreplentiful with great varied choices of their own beer and that of guest taps. Pizza is the main thing mostly on the menu, and we were delighted about the pizza we ordered. The fillings were plentiful and the crushed was nice and chewy. This is a small taproom setting, but it felt very comfortable and the bartender were all very helpful and nice.

Great craft beers in a comfy setting in South Melbourne. The Electric Socks Pale Ale was crisp and…read morehoppy, and the Red Roo IPA was full and fruity. Get the tasting board and try a bunch.

Always a pleasure to dine here. Staff are awesome, food is delicious and cider is the best in the…read morecountry (hit up the seasonal ciders or the rose cider.) Cocktails are a firm favourite (hello Fuzzy Leprechaun). Highly recommend.

All of the ciders that we tried where beautiful, sadly they did not have the mojito cider in sock,…read morewhich is what we where looking forward to most. I heard it is one of there house favourites. The bees-knees cider and apple crumble cider was unlike anything I have tried before and it was a refreshing change. Good value for money with the size of the meals, there parma one of the better I have had I just wish the chicken was a little thicker. Overall all we did not leave hungry or sober.

Good food, enjoyable craft brews, but not great service. It's a one man show. Same person serving…read moreyour drinks at the bar is also taking orders and serving your food. He should stick to tending bar because he is not a great waiter. A lot of weekday specials and drink gimmicks like check in on Facebook for a $5 house brew. Unfortunately the bar tender/waiter struggled with this promotion and we never received our $5 dollar house brew as advertised.