The ambient buzz of small planes flying over this brewery and taproom near Moorabbin Airport is referenced in the mural by Melbourne artist Marcos Diaz (AKA Digable Goods) brightening the beer garden. But first, pause to admire the 15 hectolitre, three‐vessel brewhouse, built with hard work and community spirit by owners Scotty and Renae McKinnon and their mates. Sixteen rotating taps of small batch beers range from smashable lagers to a salted caramel s’mores milk stout. And food, you ask? The super beer-friendly menu is all about burgers, pulled-pork tacos and other pub-style fare produced in the on-site food truck. 39 De Havilland Rd, Mordialloc; wolfofthewillows.com.au

Family-friendly, dog-welcoming (well, except at the airport) and proudly born and bred in Melbourne, Stomping Ground Brewing Co is the standard bearer for the local craft beer scene. Despite being immense in size, their bustling brewpubs perfectly capture the city’s creative vibe, both in their venues’ gloriously eclectic fitouts and their range of brews. The prodigious output is on tap, from crisp lagers and refreshing pale ales to lush IPAs and rich stouts, while limited seasonal releases – think watermelon and passionfruit smash sours and the modern thirst-quenching redux of the shandy – keep beer lovers coming back to see what’s new. Multiple locations; stompingground.beer

Across its four venues, Moon Dog is a vibe. Choose your flavour, whether it’s the Tex-Mex wild west stylings of Footscray – hello, mechanical bull and boot scootin’ – Preston’s tropical lagoon complete with waterfall and separate tiki bar, Frankston’s Bahamas-esque beach club or a jungle theme at ‘Doglands’ (AKA Docklands). Whatever your location, the craft beer behemoth’s prodigious output is on display across a battalion of taps that no mortal could get through in one session, but they’re not above catering to the crowds with cocktail buckets and thematically triaged pub food. Cue howling good times and truly great beer. Multiple locations; moondog.com.au

A venue on the Pinterest moodboard for aspiring brewpub owners, Hop Nation’s starburst neon-lit former factory with its soaring red brick walls and gleaming stainless steel kit (imagine Fritz Lang decided to go into the brewing game) puts it on the inner west’s hit list, then adds a bunch more reasons to pop along for a pot or two. The core range – which includes the Footscray draft and Melbourne Fog hazy pale – is bolstered by seasonal releases; they all co-exist happily with the self-explanatory excellence of Good Pizza, run by former Figlia and Arbory Afloat chef Alex Addams Williams. Unit 6/107-109 Whitehall St, Footscray; hopnation.com.au

It’s pretty hard to miss this brewpub housed in a former auto LPG conversion centre – just look for the crowd spilling onto the street near the Victoria Station underpass. The unofficial headquarters of Hipsterville, AKA Abbotsford, Bodriggy Brewing radiates Melbourne cool from its roller doors to its film noir toilets (believe us, they’re worth checking out), which set the stage for an experience that’s both industrial and inviting. Their beer line-up covers all bases, from hazy IPAs and zesty sours to complex stouts, and the Latin American-inspired food menu is muy simpatico with the program. There’s live music as well. 245 Johnston St, Abbotsford; bodriggy.beer