The Gateway is a great place to gather with friends and family for some food and drink, but we’re also proud to support not just the Mildura community, but all over the greater Victoria area.
Melbourne is home to some of the best breweries and craft beers in Australia. Whether you’re looking for something cosy and relaxed, or feeling a bit more adventurous, there’s a brewery in Melbourne to satisfy every taste. Below is a list of some of our favourite local beers and breweries in and around Melbourne, and even some we would dub the best breweries in Victoria.
Westside Ale Works
Westside Ale Works is a popular craft beer brewery in Melbourne that started in 2016 with just six home-brewed options on tap. Since that time, they’ve expanded to become one of the most popular breweries in South Melbourne, with 31 taps of their own brew, plus 10 more guest taps from breweries around the world.
They describe themselves as a comfortable, family-friendly environment that’s open to “beer nerds and novices alike” With names like, “House of Learned Doctors,” “Electric Socks,” and “Dan’s Self-Doubt Stout 2021,” they’re sure to have something for everyone.
Westside Ale also features a menu of fresh and made-to-order pizzas, so you can enjoy some tasty food while sampling one of the best breweries in Victoria.
Stomping Ground Brewery & Beer Hall
Stomping Ground is a century-old brewery that started in Collingwood and now has three locations, making it one of the biggest breweries in Melbourne, and hosting events including brewery tours and the annual Lagerland Festival.
Stomping Ground is also one of the most prolific craft breweries in Melbourne, with over 60 different beers, including their popular ‘Stripe’ series, which features Stomping Ground Pale Ale, IPA, Lager, and Park Ale. They also produce a number of other popular series of beers, including their fruit-packed ‘Smash’ series, the barrel-aged ‘Into The ‘Wood,’ series, the small-batch ‘Home Ground’ series, and more.
In addition to their three locations, Stomping Ground beers can be found on-tap and in outlets around Melbourne and some country Victoria and interstate locations as well.
The Mill Brewery
The Mill Brewery was started by homebrewer Merik Aldridge out of a converted mechanics’ garage in Collingwood in 2016. Their beer menu features nine taps, including one reserved for nitro-poured beers, which produces a creamy, foamy head.
The Mill Brewery currently boasts 12 different beers on tap, including their “Core” beers (Lager, Pale Ales, and IPA), “Specialty” beers including Wheat Beer and Pilsner, and three IPA’s under their “Currently Brewing” list.
Despite the smaller size of their beer menu, The Mill Brewery is one of the most popular breweries in Melbourne due to its quality beers and comfy atmosphere.
Moon Dog Craft Brewery
Moon Dog Craft Brewery offers two breweries in Melbourne – Moon Dog OG in Abbotsford and Moon Dog World in Preston.
Moon Dog pride themselves on their rule-bending approach to brewing. According to their website, “We’ll put pretty much anything into a beer if we think it will taste good,” so be sure to keep an open mind when checking out their far-reaching menu.
While you will find more traditional beers like pale ales and lagers at Moon Dog, you’ll also find unorthodox brews to sample, including “Jumping The Shark,” which is their cherry, chocolate, and coconut rum barrel-aged imperial stout, as well as the “Splice of Heaven,” which is their mango ice cream IPA.
While their menu may be a bit far-out for the more conservative beer purist, Moon Dog’s popularity proves that they’re clearly doing something right.
Molly Rose Brewery
Named after the two grandmothers of founder and brewer Nic Sandery, Molly Rose describes itself as a small and creative beer brewery in Melbourne whose goal is to brew and serve a diverse range of beers to as many people as possible.
Their current beer menu includes popular Radlers (low alcohol beer mixed with fruit soda) like Lime and Jalapeno Lager and Very Mandarin Lager. Their menu also boasts a number of sour beers including “Sour Tom,” (sour strawberry ale), “Summer Holidays,” (apricot sour), and raspberry farmhouse ale, “Raspy-Berries.”
Molly Rose Brewery is known for its relaxed, family-and-dog-friendly atmosphere, excellent service, and snack menu with veggie, vegan, and gluten-free options to keep everyone happy.
Hop Nation Brewing Co.
2016 was clearly the year to start a brewery in Melbourne, and you can add Hop Nation Brewing Co. to the burgeoning list. Based in Footscray, Hop Nation, offers a wide variety of craft beers in a relaxing, two-level warehouse location. Their selection includes organic lagers, pilsners, brown ales, and IPA’s, so there’s sure to be something here to accommodate everyone’s tastes.
Hop Nation was founded by former winemakers, so there’s an impressive list of site wines, not to mention seltzers, gins, and mixed-fermentation brews as well.
Fixation Brewing Co.
Fixation Brewing Co. is unique when it comes to Melbourne craft breweries in that they are completely dedicated – fixated, you might say – to the art of brewing India Pale Ale.
Operating out of their brewery called The Incubator, Fixation Brewing Co. brews their selection of IPA’s on-site, and you can sample it right out of the tanks. Some of their IPA’s include their “Airing of Grievances,” hazy IPA, “Pink Guava,” fruited IPA, and “The Fix,” double IPA.
Fixation offers a number of year-round favourites, including “Freshly-Hatched,” along with limited releases and Incubator-only brews. Although they don’t have a kitchen on-site, they do allow you to bring whatever food you’d like inside, while neighbouring Red Sparrow Pizza will deliver a wood-fired pizza straight to your table.
Bandicoot Brewing
Located in Echuca, Bandicoot Brewing is 100% family-owned, and is one of the best breweries in Victoria.
Their wide-reaching beer menu includes pale ales, mild ales, black IPA’s, and Russian imperial stout. You can sample their craft beers with their eight-beer tasting paddle, and also offer cocktails for the non-beer drinker.
Our Other Options on Tap from Some Customer Favourites
Cascade
Offering some of the best flavours flowing out of the Tasmanian brewing industry, Cascade has proven a favourite to Aussies for nearly two centuries. Their premium lager is 100% Australia, with summer hops included to deliver an unmistakable spice in the wider taste.
XXXX Gold
Another Aussie staple, XXXX Gold is one of the nation’s most popular beverages. Ideal for quenching your thirst on a sunny afternoon, this lager can deliver a smooth, balanced flavour, offering up both a mild sweetness and bitterness thanks to the extra inclusion of malt in its makeup.
Great Northern
A relatively new entrant into the sphere, but equally as beloved, the Great Northern Brewing Co. has made a significant impact on many thirsty Australians. Hailing from – you guessed it – Northern QLD, this beer goes down a treat, dancing with golden hues and fruity scents that travel to refresh any palate.
Furphy
Ask any Victorian and they will tell you that Furphy is a beer made for them by true locals. Utilising only the finest Victorians hops & malts, you can easily be mistaken to think this is a craft beer, those enjoying a pint may be transported to the clean, crisp and aromatic flavours found in the German Kolsh style of ale.
Carlton Dry
Who hasn’t enjoyed at least one Carlton Dry? It’s the go-to; the favourite; the one you know will never disappoint you. Made with refreshment in mind, this modern lager delivers greater drinkability thanks to its minimised bitterness and fruity touches.
Carlton Draught
Although lauded in its home state of Victoria, Carlton Draught is enjoyed in pubs, bars, taverns and restaurants across Australia. Why is it so good? Because it knows how to do the basics; a full-strength lager that captures that ‘brewery fresh’ taste, offering the right amount of hop bitterness that is balanced with a dry finish.
Explore a Variety of the Best These Breweries Have to Offer & More at The Gateway
Looking for a location where you can sample some craft beers from the best breweries in Melbourne and wider Victoria? Be sure to visit The Gateway’s Club Bar, or even our bottleshop, to find your new favourite!
