Wine, Gin & Beer Experiences in Melbourne's Inner North

Choosing a Tasting Experience

Spirits lead the tasting options in the inner north, split between a gin distillery in North Melbourne and a cocktail bar in Fitzroy. Here's Looking at You, Kid distils on Errol St with a Casablanca theme and native botanicals; Polly Bar on Brunswick Street pours whisky flights and absinthe in red-velvet surrounds. Picking between them:

Hands-on: blend your own gin on a mini copper still at the Errol St distillery
Pour and talk: The Spirit Guide, a hosted tasting of the house spirits for five to 35
Whisky: a flight at Polly Bar, finished with an old fashioned
Absinthe: served the traditional way at Polly, with iced water and sugar
Starting prices: from $95 per person at Here's Looking at You, Kid, from $85 per person at Polly Bar

The gin sessions are adults only in every format, while Polly's group bookings have ranged from couples to 70.

Inner North Wine, Gin & Beer Experiences

Masterclass 500: two to 10 people, each running a personal recipe and leaving with a custom-labelled 500ml bottle, over two and a half to three hours
Masterclass 200: 10 to 35 guests in pairs or threes on a shared recipe, each taking home 200ml
Packages bring a G&T on arrival, a cheese and fruit platter, grazing boards and beer, wine and soft drinks
Up to 30 sit comfortably; smaller parties may be slotted into a shared class or a weekend public session

Tasting at Polly Bar in Fitzroy

The whisky flight and absinthe tasting sit alongside Polly's cocktail classes and Mad Men session
Groups of 20–35 can take an exclusive bar area of their own
The upstairs room with exposed brick takes 30–65
Catering or pizzas can be arranged, and bucks nights have drinks packages

Common Questions About Tasting Experiences

Do we take gin home from a distillery session?

On both masterclasses – a 500ml bottle each on the smaller one, 200ml each on the group version. The Spirit Guide is a tasting only.

Is there a whisky tasting in the inner north?

Polly Bar in Fitzroy runs a whisky flight with an old fashioned, and also an absinthe tasting.

Can under-18s come along?

Not at Here's Looking at You, Kid, where every format is adults only. Polly Bar runs an alcohol-free version of its cocktail class that younger guests can join if a parent or guardian comes too.

When can a group book a gin session?

Private sessions are by request across weekdays, weeknights and weekends, and public masterclasses run on Saturdays and Sundays.

Wine, Gin & Beer Experiences in Inner North

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