Wednesday 1st of June 2011 10:00:10 PM

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Along with it's sister location in St Kilda this is the best craft beer bar in the country. With twenty taps of craft beer goodness on three levels, each with their own ambiance and character, this place has something for everyone.

Apart from the Trumer Pils tap, there's a constantly changing lineup of craft beer. The beers are largely from Australia but there's usually a couple of foreign beers as well.

The pub itself use to be the Palace Hotel (from memory) and while it was a bit of dump it had character. Thankfully it remains a delight for those of us who were left underwhelmed by the steel and glass makeovers that started in the 1990's. Yellow tiles and wooden floors are the way pubs are meant to look. An early twentieth century fit out overlays the remnants of the Palace and works well. The more recent open air rooftop addition adds another layer to this already great bar.

Numerous beer events are held on regular occasions. The quarterly Spectapulars are a must - showcasing beers from various parts of the world. Other events include the AleStars (beer appreciation/education sessions), Brewshare (home brew meet), Beerista, and beer and food nights. Management's dedication to promoting craft beer in Australia is commendable.

They do food as well and while there's not a huge variety, what they do have is done well.

If you're visiting from the west coast of the USA this place is not a Brouwer's, Toronado, Beer Revolution or Hamilton's - Australia's craft beer scene isn't as advanced but with bars like this, the gap is closing.