Drink Victorian Is the New Initiative Championing Local Booze and Revamping the City's Drinks Lists

Last year's lockdowns left little opportunity for scouting out fresh, exciting local booze. But there's a new campaign that promises to help rekindle your appreciation for homegrown tipples, and get your 2022 drinking habits off to a much more adventurous start. Brainchild of the Victorian Drinks Alliance (VDA), Drink Victorian launched last month as a six-month pilot program, aimed at celebrating — and improving access to — the state's finest booze creations.

Supported by the Victorian Government, the initiative has seen the VDA team up with 100 leading Melbourne restaurants, bars and pubs, shaking up their drinks lists to showcase even more great Victorian wine, beer, cider and spirits. And in the process, to give customers more opportunity to get acquainted with top-notch local drinks talent.

Drink Victorian's aim is to remind drinkers of the diversity of world-class drops being made here in our own backyard, and to encourage the city's drinks lists to champion locality as much as its food menus currently do.

Blackhearts & Sparrows' Smith Street store

To that end, prepare to see a wealth of fresh local talent heroed on the menu next time you visit any of the participating venues — whether it's for memorable cocktails at Byrdi, Ugly Duckling or Capitano; some tasty brews at Beer Deluxe or Hopscotch; or a wine-sipping session at the likes of The Moon, Marion or Congress.

Also onboard is Melbourne-born indie drinks retailer Blackhearts & Sparrows, which is leading its own push to encourage customers to buy local when it comes to wine, beer, cider and spirits. Drink Victorian will also run a series of industry events and tastings aimed at growing the relationships between local drinks producers and the venues pouring them.

The program will run on a trial basis until May this year, when it'll wrap up with a huge two-day drinks showcase held as part of the 2022 Melbourne Food & Wine Festival. More on that to come.

Drink Victorian started in December 2021 and runs until May 2022, involving 100 participating venues across the city. For more details and to see which venues are taking part, head to the initiative's website.

Top image: Carmen Zammit.