Organise a Sunday Session at one of These 5 Breweries in Victoria

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Two Birds Brewing

The name of this establishment isn’t a reference to the wildlife you’ll spot in inner city Melbourne – it, in fact, refers to Australia’s first female-owned brewing company. Opened in 2014 by Danielle Allen and Jayne Lewis (after several years of experimentation off site), it specialises in “approachable” beers made for sharing with friends over a summer barbecue. Visit “The Nest” for a tour, a taste and to tuck into a chicken schnitty with melted American cheese or a spicy corned beef cheese steak.

136 Hall Street, Spotswood; (03) 9762 0000

Five Victorian Breweries You Should Visit This Summer

Bridge Road Brewers

This brewery is worth the road trip. Nestled near the NSW-Victorian border (it’s approximately a 45-minute drive from Albury-Wodonga) in a former gold-mining town, Bridge Road Brewers proves that country towns have the goods, too. The beers here are made in a two-vessel brew house, minus the pastuerisation or preservatives. They’re also done in small batches to ensure each bottle is unique. Tours are held every Saturday morning at 11am ($15 per person, including a four-beer tasting paddle), which is perfect timing to order a hot pepperoni pizza from the adjoining pizzeria for lunch afterwards.

Old Coach House Brewers Lane, 50 Ford Street, Beechworth; (03) 5728 2703

The Craft & Co

The Craft & Co isn’t only dedicated to crafting its own beers but it also helps budding brewers create their own concoctions. As well as partnering with small breweries to create one-off recipes, the brewery/cellar door/distillery/café also hosts popular “Brewing for Beginners” classes. Order a six-part beer flight to find your favourite flavour over lunch and then pick up a six-pack to take home – go traditional with a classic pale ale or branch out and pick up a caramel-ly Mocha ESB. Not a beer drinker? The site also boasts a distillery, cellar door and shop so there’s plenty to keep you entertained.

390 Smith Street, Collingwood; (03) 9417 4755

Bad Shepherd Brewing Co

Visit for the American pale ale, stay for the saucy smoked pork ribs. Hidden in an otherwise industrial stretch of Cheltenam, Bad Shepherd draws regular crowds thirsty for its experimental brews – think a bright-red raspberry wheat ale made with 150 kilos of raspberry purée or a dark Russian imperial stout – and hungry for the American-style, meat-laden menu (though there are vego items on the menu).

386 Reserve Road, Cheltenam; (03) 8555 3175

Henry St Brewhouse

All the beers at this brewpub are created by “Blue Billy the Rainmaker”. That’s not the name of a redheaded owner (their names are Phil and Zack) but the moniker of the 100-litre vessel the team built from scratch when they embarked on their brewing journey. The recipes for the five core beers have been carefully honed over time, including the Hefeweizen and the Weekend Warrior, with specials appearing seasonally or for momentous occasions.

5/38 Barrett Street, Kensington; 0490 753 993