Visiting Australia in February

Sydney:

Royal Albert Hotel
Bitter Phew

Within walking distance of each other in the Sydney CBD and both must-visits

Depending on your schedule you could also check out

KB Hotel (close to first two)
Local Taphouse (also close to first two)
Forest Lodge Hotel (in inner west rather than city but still a good place)
Modus Operandi (remote venue in the Northern Beaches but some of the best beers in NSW)

and a number of other places I'm sure others can suggest

 

In Melbourne,

Northside:
Terminus Hotel in Clifton Hill (not Abbotsford) http://nowtapped.com/theterminushotel
Carwyn Cellars in Thornbury http://nowtapped.com/carwyncellars
Moondog in abbotsford http://nowtapped.com/moondogbrewery
Slowbeer in richmond http://nowtapped.com/slowbeer

Southside:
Not nearly as much, plenty of good bars with some decent beers, for someone into good beer I would recommend
The Local Taphouse in East St. Kilda (disclosure, I work for them) http://nowtapped.com/thelocaltaphousestk

Other places worth checking out in no particular order
The Royston http://nowtapped.com/theroyston
Mountain Goat
Temple Brewing
The Great Northern Hotel http://nowtapped.com/greatnorthernhotel
Foresters Beer Hall http://nowtapped.com/forestershall

Also, check http://nowtapped.com/ as most good melbourne venues list there taplists on it. I've added them now

 

Just up from Sydney airport, send us a note and come in for a beer [email protected]

 

I would also check-out Redoak in Sydney http://www.redoak.com.au/ and two row bar in Melbourne http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/71/1823692/restaurant/Melbourne/Two-Row-Bar-Fitzroy

 

Catfish bar in Fitzroy is a favourite of mine. Good selection of craft beer, live music upstairs and kick ass phillie cheesesteaks

 

Mate hit the northern beaches. Good way to have a working holiday.
4 pines
Yardarm Taphouse
Dee why hotel
Nomads brewing in Manly
Modus is worth drinking at but the best venue up there is the Newport Arms. Great view but no craft at all. DJ would love the company at Modus
Go to the home of craft in NSW. Newcastle.
The Grain Store and Warners at the bay.

 

And yet know one has mentioned the infamous 2 words .... Frankies Pizza ...

 

Where Sydney brewers go to jerk themselves off on plastic cups and sub 5% beers. Give the rev a good hand job

 

Mate, seems my pool room is gunna be re-wallpapered really quick at this point. Keep the laughs coming!