Slowbeer Fitzroy arrived at the tail end of 2016, seven years after its big brother in Richmond (since closed).
The format here is almost identical: the fridges and shelves are stocked with more than 1500 bottled beers from around the world, which you can drink in or take home. Most regions and styles are represented in one way or another, from American IPAs and Aussie pale ales to Berliner Weisse and Trappist ales from Belgium. Five rotating draught taps offer even more choice.
The taps also do something the bottles can’t – fill growlers. The reusable 1.89-litre bottles were pioneered in the US, and Slowbeer was one of the first to bring them to Australia. You can take home a full one for about $40, then return and have it filled with a different beer the next time.
Fitzroy is two storeys, making it a bit larger than Richmond. Head upstairs to find a dimly lit lounge of velvet couches, woven rugs, ferns, desk lamps and a pool table. With the huge selection, it’s easy to pass a few hours here sampling beers and matching with the small menu of artisan cheeses and charcuterie.
