Penny Blue

A little craft-heavy gem hiding in a laneway beside two of Melbourne CBD's biggest shopping precincts.

Inside it's deliberately gloomy, with mismatched retro-vibed furnishings and secluded chairs, couches and sofas. There are also a number of tables in the laneway and a big open-aired bench running along the wall facing the lane. This place has craft beer written all over it.

The bar is up the back corner, and quite small in area, but behind it is a fridge chock-full of Australian craft goodies and a reasonable selection of mainly Belgian bottles but also other international crafty beers.

The beer list is pretty damn good, covering the full spectrum of craft styles, with a list that's kept pretty up to date on Untappd. That last bit is just as well as there are no menus or boards to help with your selection. I imagine most of the clientele in this place is on Untappd anyway, so no big deal.

Service can be a little bit meh; I've often had the feeling I'm an impost while standing at the bar perusing the fridge or just plain ordering a beer. This is the only slight on the place and one that could be easily fixed by hiring some knowledgable but also friendly staff (like me!) to stand behind the bar.

Food is good, standard bar fare.

Absolutely recommend this place if you're in Melbourne and looking for a beer!

Cheers!