Repeatedly charged full price on discounted products. Sell…read moreexpired alcohol, e.g. beer (several months) at full price. Dodgy. On plus side the range is OK.

It's so handy having this Vintage Cellars nearby in ChinaTown. You can swing past on your way to…read moreone of the many BYO places in ChinaTown and pick up a bottle of wine or beers from here. The store has Chinese translations for most signage in and outside the store (It is in ChinaTown after all), but most of all provides a great range of beers, ciders, wines and spirits. The beverages in here are quite cheap, they always have a range that are stocked up in the aisle and presented with a great price. You can find a bottle of red or white for around %10, and usually have spirits 2 for $60. The staff are outstanding here, all very friendly and happy to help with any recommendations. Quite frequently there's a chipper young blonde behind the counter who has a laugh or two in her.

Whenever my friends and I are heading off camping or to a BYO music festival, our first stop is…read morealways McCoppins. Here you will find ENDLESS supplies of beers in cans - perfect for a 'no glass' music festival or if you are headed to the bush for a weekend. They bring in more stock over busy weekends such as Easter or before Meredith Music Festival and stock more than just Melbourne Bitter. You'll find heaps of delicious imported and craft beer in cans. They also have an extensive wine area but really, it's all about the beer. Sure, McCoppins isn't as cheap as, say, Dan Murphys, but you'll find a way better selection here (and for only a couple of coins more, it's worth it.)

McCoppins is the biggest bottle shop in the area by quite a long way. It can be fairly expensive…read morefor beers as other reviewers have pointed out. One of the best beers they do value wise is the Mexican Lager Tecate. You can get a slab of cans for around $40. It's refreshing, tasty and way cheaper than other beers. The level of choice is what sets McCoppins apart from other bottle shops. The space is massive and you can get a huge range of boutique beers. Their selection of wines is also very large and the prices are not that expensive. The dudes that you always see at McCoppins are very relaxed and make it an extremely friendly shop to be in.

Good place for a cheeky 6 pack or bottle of wine on your way to a Fitzroy house party. They are…read moresurprisingly cheap (carlsburg 6 packs were on sale for $14!) and have a nice range of imported and craft beers - really something to suit everyone. The staff really don't care that much and who can blame them because they get a lot of crazy customers being on smith st but whoever orders their stock knows their stuff! Fast and convienient

Smith Street Cellars may not be the biggest bottle shop I've seen, but it…read moremakes the most of catering to most needs, with a good selection of beers ciders and wines. Sure there's still the cheap stuff, and the longneck range isn't that great, but there's still some great finds for pretty good cash monies. A four pack of mountain goat in cans is $16. otherwise the pricing is average for Melbourne. They stock an interesting range of lesser known and boutique products. Given the area and location, I'm sure it attracts all kinds of attention, but usually seems to be okay. Even with their extended opening hours until 10pm, which is really quite handy. All in all, probably the best destination in the near by area, if you're needing to pick up some byo alcohol for an event, or want a traveller.

After you've visited one of Fitzroy's many trendy restaurants you might be wondering where you can…read morebuy the bottle of wine you just had. If this is the case then pay a visit to the brand new Blackhearts & Sparrows on Smith Street. There's loads of interesting wines to choose from, including a massive selection of pre-chilled whites in the fridge. The selection is curated for "drink me now" moments rather than "put this away forever" which is just what you need when you've got a table at a BYO restaurant or want to buy something on the way home from work. There's also a massive craft beer selection, and a tidy collection of spirits if you're after something stiffer.

This shop has been on my radar for quite some time, and I was shocked when I found out how close in…read moreproximity I've been to it for so long! It's smack on Smith Street, walking distance from Forester's Beer Hall. It's like the ideal place for a craft beer to take home after drinking and tasting different ones. The girl working at Blackhearts & Sparrows was super friendly. We were greeted walking in, further asked for help, and further recommended that when you buy a mix and match to make a 6 pack of beers, it's 10% off. Do I want a free beer? Heck YES. It's that spending to save, but we grabbed four beers to begin with, so two just sounded like extra awesome to take home. They specialize in boutique wine too. And if you are after something specific, they can track it down and order it for you. My first visit was for beer, my next will be for a delectable wine. And so I left Blackhearts & Sparrows, perfectly smitten with their variety that you can't find in the norm.

This little no-frills venue can be easily overlooked with the choice of bottle shops that abound on…read moreBrunswick St. These cellars used to have the market cornered at this end of the street until recent years. There is a decent selection of Australian wines and also a few imported. The beer selection is simple but is deep enough to cater for the eclectic tastes of the area. The single fronted shop front doesn't have a huge floor space but the creative staff use it well to always have a display of specials or new releases. The shelf price isn't the cheapest on the street but there are always decent specials to get people in the door. There is a constant price battle along the street, where advertising the cheapest CUB six pack price seems to be the popular trend.

This tiny booze outlet on busy Brunswick Street fits into its surrounds perfectly. Charming yet a…read morelittle rough around the edges. Its competitive pricing knocks the socks off the copy cat stores that come and go nearby. The ones that stick around keep it honest for customers as everyone likes to be the best value on the busy shopping strip. The staff know their liquor and are happy to help you with your selection. They genuinely seem to enjoy their role as gatekeeper to you drinking pleasures. They have a great selection of ready to drink options and they keep up to date with new products and are happy to share their thoughts. While not the biggest liquor store in the area it is the perfect antidote to big barn like liquor retailers! For a no-frills yet super friendly alcohol purchasing experience in Fitzroy get to Brunswick Street Cellars.

AWESOME local bottle shop!!! The owner is a super knowledgeable, friendly man who obviously loves…read morehis wine. He (his name is Awesome Phil.. ok, i added the awesome) but loves thai food and gave me great suggestions and options for my bday Thai dinner night and even gave me a discount of my 4 bottles!! I had also told him I was going to Heathcote for the weekend and he gave me some great places to check out and even had this wine bible and leafed through the pages effortlessly to tell me where to go and which were his favs :) Many options and even some rare bottles (I saw one from McClaren Vale that I got!). Lots of price rages too from good $10 to some fancy ones. Very reasonably priced - I remember the Moet & Chandon he had was always $75 when it was on sale only recently @ BWS for $70. He is so welcoming and usually has a bottle already open and will offer you a (generous!) glass to try some! Good hours and really a great place to pop by when you are in the area. This type of local foodie experience is consistently fantastic there - Definitely would recommend it!!

Gertrude Street Minimart is open at odd hours, often late, which is really handy, particularly…read morebecause it has a bottle shop section. Don't bother shopping here for fresh produce, though, as there is only a fridge stocked with some rather sad looking and overpriced vegetables. It does have an okay Asian produce section, with a variety of good sauces and marinades. Otherwise, it's all pretty standard 7-Eleven type stock.

Awful service. Buying multiple bottles and they don't have shopping bags, not even paid for…read morereusable tote bags or similar. And the attitude of the salesperson just awful. Went and spent my $400 next door.

Truth: I haven't picked up a newspaper here in Melbourne for any reason but the weekly Wednesday…read morealcohol deals. Dan Murphy's usually has a good deal or two per week which works well for me since I love beer and can't afford to pay for 40 dollar slabs. Though I used to be a regular, I've stopped going to Dan Murphy's recently. The reason is due to their inconsistency. As an exchange student, I rarely need to have my passport on me but too many times have I come to Dan's and had issues. I'll be in on a Monday and not even get id'd but come Tuesday, I come in with my mates and none of us can buy alcohol because I don't have a proper Id on me. This is the most ridiculous situation to be put in when shopping for grog so I've just stopped giving them my business. They've got a pretty fabulous selection though and even free tastings sometimes. Just be sure to bring your passport with you if you're an international to ensure no hassles.