The Best Craft Beer Bars in Melbourne

Housed in a former 19^th-century boarding house, Catfish is just about the best place in Melbourne to drink local craft beer. The list changes weekly, all the music is on vinyl and a Philly cheesesteak joint (Sparrow's) is wedged into the bar's kitchen. In other words, you'll find everything you need to turn a pit stop into an afternoon affair.

Cookie is a Melbourne institution and a great first stop for visitors wanting to jump right in and get a taste of the Melbourne scene. Located on the first floor of the historic Curtain House in the middle of the Central Business District (where you’ll also find the live music venue, Toff), this beer hall and restaurant is home to a constantly rotating line-up of European and Australian craft beers. It’s always busy and, as unlikely as it might sound, it also sports one of the best Thai menus in town.

The team behind The Terminus Hotel and The Royston recently opened this Collingwood mash-up of a craft beer bar, live music venue and dance hall. With a huge space complete with the largest selection of craft beers on tap in Australia and a license to stay open late, Forester's is the beer nerd’s answer to clubbing.

The guys at The Local Taphouse were championing craft beer long before it was cool. This St. Kilda den, complete with dark wood and vintage couches, has 100-plus bottles and 20 taps, which constantly rotate between local and international dunkels, saisons and IPAs. If you're hungry, head upstairs to the bistro room for beer-battered chips and other beer-soaking (and soaked) food, as well as a rooftop garden with a big open fire during the winter.

Started by two brothers and a friend—who had to live in the warehouse until they could afford rent on proper rooms—this makeshift brewery is now open to the public, serving their own suggestively named brews in a space decorated like a permanent garage sale. If you get hungry there's a rotating cast of food trucks that park out front each night.