Camperdown Cellars (Parramatta Rd)

First visit in around a year after hearing from Danieelol about what they were stocking. About 5 years ago this place was the best in Sydney for range, but seemed to tread water while the imported beer range took off.

Very clean, well presented shop with timber flooring, giant walls of relatively new fridges, with 95% of beer refrigerated. Huge wine and whisky (bourbon especially) selection as well. Stock was neatly laid out, sorted by country and there was plenty of stock in the fridges, both in numbers of lines and how deep they were stocked.

Selection has really changed and moved with the times now. Full range of the legit Bear Republic, Brooklyn and Green Flash. Plenty of Dieu du Ciel, some Mikkeller and a good deal of seemingly ever-changing British ales. Australian range has pretty well everything you would seek out. I wouldn't hesitate to say that this has regained its spot as having the best range in Sydney. Good breadth and pure numbers as well as plenty of quality offerings.

Prices are high for singles, particularly small bottles. However a 10% discount for 4 or more imports helps. Also got thrown in a recylable shopping bag with dividers which was nice.

Service was pleasant and friendly, no need to inquire about the range as it was all on show and it seems they were stocking all the latest releases.

Recommended if in Sydney, the best for range and while it may lack the service of Platinum when you strike Adam working, it is well worth dropping in.

This is the best of the Camperdown Cellars I've been to. It's got a good selection of Belgians, English beers, and recently some more interesting stuff like Brewdog, Dieu Du ciel, and I noticed some Sierra Nevada products (pale ale, stout, porter) which seemed to sell out really quickly (they were pretty exorbitantly priced though). Edit: $8.40 for a single bottle of SNPA! Isn't that more than a six-pack costs in the US, even with the exchange rate taken into account? Um...pass.

Also a good selection of Australian micros around the side. I usually find the international stuff offers better value actually.

The pricing is quite variable. Some things are really very expensive, while you can get some quite reasonable value if you happen to buy the right things.

The staff also, in my experience, try their best to help you.

This is a must-visit every time I revisit Sydney Uni. The range, first of all, is outstanding, neatly arranged into country of origin with some very special larger bottles up the top shelves for when you really feel like splurging. The fact that they keep their imported beers in the fridges with door frontage and tuck their Australian beers out of plain sight around the corner is worth many, many marks.

The range also seems to rotate often enough to find something new every time. My brother was delighted to find Saison Dupont among its numbers last time - which had been reordered when I visited last night along with two other Dupont brews. My last visit yielded Unibroue's Raftman which I'm kicking myself for not hoarding at the time. I'm yet to find Sierra Nevada Pale there though, which is my mark of a truly outstanding bottle shop in Sydney,

The store does has a real supermarket feel to it, due in part to the interconnecting convenience store. It strikes me sometimes as a smaller and better-stocked Dan Murphy's, and the staff are all very get-you-in, get-you-out fast.

Don't get me wrong, the people who work here are generally quite friendly, but for a store that stocks such an excellent range of beer they generally aren't interested in chatting to me about beer, or maybe I just don't get served by the right people, or if I asked them for help with my selection they might yield more knowledge.

I've put this on the pricey side, I don't think it's unreasonable, but last night I bought five beers (including a large Dupont) and paid just under $50. Considering I bought eight beers of a similar quality, alcoholic content and imported nature from Leura Cellars for just OVER $50 I mark this as quite expensive. It could just be in the choice of brews though.

Seriously, it's a Sydney must-visit for the range of beer.