When Craig Purvis launched Purvis Cellars in 2001, craft beer was barely on the map. WA’s Little Creatures was hard to find on the east coast, and Mountain Goat – Victoria’s second independent brewery since the Second World War – had only opened four years prior.
Still, the shop made a name for itself. It held a large assortment of wine; classic beers from England, Germany and Belgium; and what independent Australian beer was available at the time.
Sister shop Purvis Beer arrived almost a decade later, into a transformed market. As the name implies, it’s devoted solely to beer. Local breweries such as Moon Dog, Two Birds and Boatrocker are all strongly represented here. So too for interstate operations such as 4 Pines, Young Henrys and Feral Brewing; and large internationals such as Sierra Nevada and Brooklyn Brewing.
In total there are about 1000 varieties of beer on the shelves, ranging from clean, summery lagers to funky Belgian lambics. If a style exists, it’s probably sold here.
Most importantly, the staff knows its stuff and can help you navigate the sometimes overwhelming selection. If by some crazy chance you can’t find a beer you like, Slowbeer is just up the road.
