Beverages

Bee Rescue – Heidi Honey Hurstbridge
Products:
Raw honey, creamed honey and honeycomb. Hay fever, sinus and pollen asthma remedy. Chai tea and bees wax candles.
Local outlets:
Farm gate honesty box (during daylight hours only)
Township/suburb:
Hurstbridge
Municipality:
Nillumbik
Notes (in their own words):

Their honey is unheated and is without added rice or corn syrup. Seasonal varieties may include Grey Box, Messmate, Yellow Box, Red Gum and Manna Gum. The honey comes from hives which are migrated from Eltham and around the Green Belt, Yarra Valley to central Victoria, plus honey from rescued hives across Melbourne.

They also offer creamed honey, honeycomb, and a highly sought after local honey remedy for hay fever, sinus and pollen related asthma (see testimonials). Plus chai tea and bees wax candles.

Finally, as Bee Rescue, they also rescue bees across Melbourne from pest controllers.

Botanikos
Name:
Products:
Botanically infused simple syrups and shrubs
Local outlets:
Local outlets:
Heidi Makers Market
Township/suburb:
Wonga Park
Municipality:
Manningham
Notes (in their own words):

Botanikos makes a wide range of botanically-infused simple syrups and shrubs as cocktail or mocktail mixers. Each is made with fresh, local or Australian ingredients and each is infused with the flavours and aromas of various plants and herbs.

The simple syrup flavours include rosemary, thyme, lavender, bergamot, hibiscus, rose garden, lemon, lime, bitter orange, marmalade, indigo, chocola, salty pete, passionfruit and dragonfruit.

Shrubs are sour drink mixers made from apple cider vinegar, spring water, sugar, fruit and indigenous herbs (such as strawberry gum, lemon myrtle, pepperberry, anise myrtle, cinnamon myrtle and rivermint).

The business has a commitment to sustainability. Ingredients are local where possible, as are the bottles, labels and packaging. They minimise waste and any remaining waste products are composted.

Craftwork Roasting Company
Products:
Coffee
Local outlets:
Own shop (Monday-Friday, 7am-2pm; Saturday, 8am-2pm)
Township/suburb:
Eltham
Municipality:
Nillumbik
Notes (in their own words):

Craftwork Roasting Company roast coffee, which they then sell in bags online and at their shop. There are 9 choices across espresso and filter at any one time, including 6 single origins, sourced through select merchants who work ethically and sustainably with coffee producers.

Their cafe (aka brew bar) and retail space has windows looking into the roasting and production area. Customers can browse brewing equipment, ceramic cups and Craftwork beans while they wait for their takeaway coffee. Or they can sit down to drink their coffee together with house baked pastries, cakes and bread.

Imbue Distillery
Products:
Gin
Local outlets:
Own tasting and boutique bottleshop (Wander North, 13/149 Upper Heidelberg Road, Ivanhoe), open on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, each midday-8pm.
Fitzroy Cellars
Hop and Vine, Warrandyte
Liquorologist, Balwyn North
Lower Plenty Liquor
Northcote Bottleshop
Second Home, Eltham

Venues: Bowerbird Bar, Richmond; Craft Kitchen and Bar, Eltham; Fondata 1872, Kangaroo Ground; Jock & Eddie, Eltham; Little Black Pig & Sons, Heidelberg; Little Drop of Poison, Eltham; Mercer’s Restaurant, Eltham; Next Door Warrandyte Bar and Eatery; Platform 3095, Eltham; The Grace Darling Hotel, Collingwood
Township/suburb:
Research
Municipality:
Nillumbik
Notes (in their own words):

Imbue Distillery are a husband and wife team that make hand-crafted gins and gin liquers imbued with stories (and flavours) relating to where they live (Nillumbik). They are not afraid to play with flavours and, for example, their first product was gin infused with dandelion, prickly pear, blackberry and fennel, all foraged from the local area. Over time, they plan to expand to other spirits and liqueurs. Together, founders Mel and Mick Sheard share 30 years’ experience in Melbourne’s food industry.

In January 2020, Judy Vizzari interviewed Mick and Mel Sheard from Imbue Distillery. Read her writeup of the interview.

Juanita’s Kitchen
Products:
Mexican and West African sauces. Also, selected beverages.
Local outlets:
Own shop
Casa Iberica Deli, Alphington
Casa Iberica Deli, Fitzroy
Leo’s Fine Food & Wine, Heidelberg
Leo’s Fine Food & Wine, Kew
Township/suburb:
Preston
Municipality:
Darebin
Notes (in their own words):

All of Juanita’s products are vegan, with no preservatives, dairy, gluten or sugar. They include a range of Mexican sauces & salsas, West African sauces & marinades, and beverages (chai, hibiscus tea and a smoothie mix). Her aim is to share flavours and ingredient combinations that she has discovered, stumbled accross and loved over the years, producing products that are as close to home cooking as they can be.

Juanita also operates a cafe, the menu of which is designed around, and uses, the Juanita’s Kitchen products.

Kellybrook Winery
Products:
Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernets, Chardonnay, Gewurztraminer, Pinot Noir, Rosé, Shiraz, Apple Brandy and Tawny Port. Also, cider and beer.
Local outlets:
Cellar door – Thursday to Monday, 10am-5pm (closed on Thursdays in Winter).
Call them (9722 1304) to find out if any sellers near you.
Local brands sold:
Cunliffe & Waters
Stone and Crow Cheese Company
Township/suburb:
Wonga Park
Municipality:
Manningham
Notes (in their own words):

Kellybrook produces a range of wines, ciders (branded Kelly Brothers) and beers (branded Riders Brew Co.). Their wines include Shiraz, Cabernets, Pinot Noir, Rosé, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon and Gewurztraminer, as well as Apple Brandy and Tawny Port. Their ciders include Sparkling, Apple and Pear. Their beers include Golden / Summer Ale, American Pale Ale and Porter.

Darren and Farley Kelly founded Kellybrook Winery in 1962, starting with cider and then moving onto wine in the 1970s. It was the first winery in the Yarra Valley to receive it’s Vigneron Licence and Cellar Door licence (1969) and it is one of the few wineries in the Yarra Valley still owned by the original family. Set amongst lush vineyards and historic gardens, the winery offers an authentic Yarra Valley tasting and working farm experience. A large range of wines, beers, ciders and local produce are available for tasting and sale. Picnics and grazing plates featuring local produce are also available all day. The gardens feature a 125-year-old oak tree which is listed with the National Trust, as well as roses, salvias and bulbs.

On the last Sunday of each month, ‘Sunday Sessions’ are held with live, local music from 1.30-4pm and hot food from the kitchen. Over the first weekend in May, there is the annual Kellybrook Cider Festival, soon to be in its 30th year.

Kooinda Boutique Brewery
Products:
A range of beers
Bottlemart Ivanhoe
Bottlemart Macleod Cellars
Cardamone Gourmet Supermarket, Fairfield
East Ivanhoe Grocers – Foodworks
Leo’s Fine Food & Wine, Kew
Lower Plenty Hotel Bottleshop
Lower Plenty IGA
Rosanna IGA
Sir Henry Barkly Hotel, Heidelberg
Southern Road Cellars, Heidelberg Heights
The Merri Clan, Preston
The Old Fire Station Cafe Gallery, Preston
The Olympic Hotel, Preston
Township/suburb:
Heidelberg West
Municipality:
Banyule
Notes (in their own words):

Kooinda (an Aboriginal word meaning “happy place”) is a boutique brewery producing natural, unfiltered, unpasteurised, quality ales. After starting out as the first ever residentially-licensed brewery in Australia, it has recently expanded into a commercial brewery (using a production line apparatus once belonging to Mountain Goat) and now sells 8 different beers all-year round.

Love Is Coffee
Products:
Four different coffees
Certified Organic ingredients
Local outlets:
Township/suburb:
Diamond Creek
Municipality:
Nillumbik
Notes (in their own words):

Love Is Coffee sells four different coffees: Ethiopian, Nicaraguan, Peruvian and Timorean. The coffee can be bought as either roasted beans or as ground coffee. The coffee is roasted on the day of the market using Certified Organic, fair trade coffee beans.

Mixed Bag
Name:
Products:
Chai and hot chocolate blends. Also marshmallows and cookies.
Local outlets:
Township/suburb:
Reservoir
Municipality:
Darebin
Notes (in their own words):

Mixed Bag make chai and hot chocolate blends, which they sell in both pre-packaged bags and, at markets, as freshly made hot drinks. Their flavours include: original chai, coconut blossom vegan chai, chocolate orange spiced chai, original hot chocolate, mint-infused hot chocolate, and chai sprinkles. They also sell marshmallows and cookies.

Paleta Artisan Popsicles
Products:
Icy poles
Mirabella’s of Doncaster
Olympic Village Newsagency, Heidelberg West
Pines Deli, Doncaster East
Township/suburb:
Diamond Creek
Municipality:
Nillumbik
Notes (in their own words):

The word ‘paleta’ comes from the Spanish word for icy pole. It represents a long and old Mexican tradition of tropical and exotic fruit recipes. Paleta’s icy poles are made from authentic Mexican recipes using real fruit. Flavours include strawberry, mango, coconut, lemon, chocolate, raspberry, rockmelon and hibiscus. No artificial flavours, colours or preservatives. What you will find is nothing but the intense rich taste of real fruit.

Quists Coffee
Products:
Coffee
Local outlets:
Own shop
Bitter Sweet Cafe, Ivanhoe East
Cafe Eden, Edendale Farm, Eltham
Hurstbridge Osteopathy
Township/suburb:
Research
Municipality:
Nillumbik
Notes (in their own words):

Quists Coffee brings 75 years of coffee knowledge and a passion for excellence to our roasting and packaging. They are commited to giving their customers exceptional service and have a reputation for quality bean selection, consistent roasting and blending and customer satisfaction. Whilst they import our beans from around the globe, they roast locally and are 100% locally owned and operated.

Shaws Road Winery
Products:
Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and the classic Bordeaux blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Franc and Merlot
Local outlets:
Cellar door – every third Sunday of the month, 11am-5pm or by appointment.
Hurstbridge Liquor
Township/suburb:
Arthurs Creek
Municipality:
Nillumbik
Notes (in their own words):

A small family owned and operated winery in Arthurs Creek. Their philosophy is to produce premium wines from estate-grown fruit ripened to optimum levels and matured in finest quality small oak barrels.

Specialty Coffee Army
Products:
Coffee beans, ground coffee, batch brew and pour over coffee
Local outlets:
Thomastown Trash and Treasure Market
Township/suburb:
Mernda
Municipality:
Whittlesea
Notes (in their own words):

Specialty Coffee Army is a small, specialty coffee roastery who sell both freshly roasted coffee beans and ground coffee. They also have a coffee trailer, which sells batch brew and pour over coffee.

They roast only specialty coffee beans graded at 82+ using a gas roasting machine, following a precise manual roasting method for each batch, creating roasting profiles that match the specific origin of the beans. These profiles cover such subjects as the appropriate grinding methods and the right water temperature using different brewing methods such as batch brew, pour over, gravity press and cold brew.

Their single origin coffees come from a wide variety of places, including Brazil, Colombia, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Honduras, India, Kenya, Mexico, Peru and Yemen.

Their coffees are roasted for both filter and espresso or milk based coffees.

They only source their coffee beans through importers that have followed strict specialty coffee rules, including trading ethically with the producers. To help reduce plastic waste, they use recyclable coffee bags that meet RedCycle’s standards.

As well as www.instagram.com/Toxikbeans, they have another Instagram page at www.instagram.com/SpecialtyCoffeeArmy.

The 3 Ravens Brewing Company
Products:
A range of beers
Dan Murphy’s
Preston Fresh Hood Market
Township/suburb:
Thornbury
Municipality:
Darebin
Notes (in their own words):

Engineered by hand, 3 Ravens beers are the product of a craft brewing process in which traditional methods meet exacting standards. They take care to emphasise quality over quantity and use only the finest natural ingredients. Their beer undergoes a gentle filtration to remove fermenter yeast and the age-old process of bottle conditioning is then started with a small amount of fresh live brewers yeast. This creates a clearer, brighter beer unmasking and enhancing the flavour, aroma and body of their premium natural ingredients.

The Good Brew Company
Products:
Kombucha, kombucha vinegar tonics. Also brewing kits for kombucha, jun and water kefir.
Local outlets:
Alley Hens, Hawthorn
Apples and Sage Organic Wholefoods, Balwyn
Baan Thai, Coburg
BigBang Studio, Northcote
Burger Masters, Collingwood
Cafe Ray, Brunswick
Choukette, Brunswick
Eastfield Natural Foods, Croydon South
Farm Cafe, Abbotsford
Flakes, Brunswick; Food Plus Fuel, Brunswick
Fredericks Local Grocer, Richmond
Great Earth Health Store, Northcote
Green Field, Brunswick
Icecream Social, Thornbury
Inner North Brewing Company, Brunswick
Joes Market Garden, Coburg
Loafer Bread Organic Bakery, Fitzroy North
Los Hermanos, Brunswick
Madera Bar & Cafe, Northcote
Milkwood, Brunswick East
Oasis, Fairfield
Pachamama Wholefoods, Brunswick
Shakahari, Carlton
Summer Healing Yoga, Brunswick
Sushi Wushi, Eltham
Terra Madre, Brunswick
Terra Madre, Northcote
The Source Bulk Foods, Camberwell
The Source Bulk Foods, Collingwood
Tofu Shop International, Richmond
Transformer Fitzroy
Undercover Roasters, Abbotsford
Yarra Valley Smokery, Lilydale
Township/suburb:
Brunswick
Municipality:
Merri-Bek
Notes (in their own words):

The Good Brew Company brew kombucha and also help you do to the same. Their kombucha comes in a wide range of flavours and they also make brewing kits for kombucha, jun and water kefir. They believe that a good brew is a living brew. Local, sustainable and organic suppliers are used where possible. Their glass bottles are made locally from recycled glass and are untainted by glues so they can be easily re-used.

Yarra Coffee
Products:
Coffee and chai
Certified Organic ingredients
Local outlets:
Brunswick Flea Market
Coburg Night Market
Local brands sold:
Cunliffe & Waters
Township/suburb:
Lilydale
Municipality:
Yarra Ranges
Notes (in their own words):

Yarra Coffee have been roasting coffee for more than 20 years using Arabica coffee beans sourced from around the world. Their range includes certified organic and fairtrade coffee, plus a selection of teas. Their products can be purchased either online or at their cafe, where they also serve coffee, tea, light lunches, cakes and biscuits, plus a range of coffee equipment and accessories. At the cafe, they choose a single origin every week to feature.

They also sell cups of coffee, chai and hot chocolate at selected markets. The coffee uses certified organic and fairtrade coffee. The chai that they blend is also made from certified organic ingredients.

Finally, they wholesale their coffee to cafes and restaurants across the Yarra Valley to Melbourne and the Mornington Peninsula.

Yarra Valley Gourmet Foods
Products:
Salad dressings, jams, jellies, mustards, cordials, chutneys, mayonnaise, vinegars, and infused oils
Local outlets:
Abbotsford IGA
Alowyn Gardens, Yarra Glen
Aumanns at Warrandyte
Balgownie Estate, Yarra Glen
Blue Hills Berries and Cherries, Balwyn
Charlie’s Chocolate Bouquets, Croydon
Coburg IGA
Deliland at Northland, Preston
Dench Bakers, Fitzroy North
Farinacci Deli, Preston
Fergusson Winery & Restaurant, Dixons Creek
Frootz on Parade, Fitzroy North
Gervasi Continental Deli, Brunswick
Glenferrie Gourmet Meats, Hawthorn
Heathmont IGA
IGA Blackburn North
IGA Blackburn
Il Cestino, Kew
Jefferies, Croydon Hills
Kuranga Native Nursery, Mount Evelyn
Lavish Abode, Lilydale
Leo’s Fine Food & Wine, Heidelberg
Leo’s Fine Food & Wine, Kew
Made Locally, Ringwood North
Mirabella’s of Doncaster
Miss Gourmet & Co, Hawthorn
Montrose IGA
Northcote IGA
Oakridge Wines, Coldstream
Paul’s SUPA IGA, Ringwood East
Piedimonte’s Supermarket & Liquor, Fitzroy North
Punt Road Winery, Coldstream
Quintons SUPA IGA, Warrandyte
Red Coral Seafood, Bayswater
Renaissance IGA, Hawthorn
Research Fruit Supply, Research
Ritchies SUPA IGA Diamond Creek
Ritchies SUPA IGA Ringwood North
Ritchies SUPA IGA Yarra Glen
Rochford Wines, Coldstream
Templestowe SUPA IGA
The Bosses Boots Cafe, Chirnside Park
The Cellar Door Providore, Ringwood
The Deli Coburg
The Roast Kitchen, Kew
The Yarra Store, Warrandyte
Top Shelf Fruits, Forest Hill
Tunstall Deli, Doncaster East
Wild Wombat Cafe, Hurstbridge
Yarra Farm Fresh, Coldstream
Yering Station Produce Store/Winery, Yarra Glen
various Woolworths
Township/suburb:
Wandin North
Municipality:
Yarra Ranges
Notes (in their own words):

Yarra Valley Gourmet Foods brings together the freshest local produce in a collection of gourmet salad dressings, jams, jellies, mustards, cordials, chutneys, mayonnaise, vinegars, and infused oils. Produced in small batches from the finest ingredients.

Yarra Valley Gourmet Foods’ brands include Yarra Valley Preserves, Yarra Valley Larder and Mad Dog.

Yarra Valley Tea Company
Products:
Tea
Certified Organic
Local outlets:
Abbotsford IGA
Aumanns at Warrandyte
Balgownie Estate, Yarra Glen
Boccaccio SUPA IGA, Balwyn
Brunswick SUPA IGA
Burwood IGA, Camberwell
Chirnside Park Health & Wellbeing
Chocolatte, Camberwell
East Ivanhoe Grocers – Foodworks
Finders Keepers Cafe, Hawthorn
Foodworks Balwyn North
Foodworks Carlton North
Foodworks Croydon
Friendly Grocer Kew East
Go Vita, Doncaster
Go Vita, Forest Hill
Greasy Zoes, Hurstbridge
Hahndorf’s Fine Chocolates, Montrose
Heathmont IGA
IGA Blackburn North
Jefferies, Croydon Hills
Kerrimuir Goodfellows Supermarket, Box Hill North
Lady Bower, Reservoir
Leo’s Fine Food & Wine, Heidelberg
Localized Organic Grocery, Cremorne
Meletos, Coldstream
Mirabella’s of Doncaster
Mr K Deli, Wandin North
Northcote IGA
Nourish on Maling, Canterbury
Piedimonte’s Supermarket & Liquor, Fitzroy North
Renaissance IGA, Hawthorn
Rosanna IGA
Scentsational Flowers, Croydon North
Station Street IGA, Fairfield
Templestowe SUPA IGA
The Hub 3070, Northcote
The Persimmon Tree, Croydon
The Storehouse, Mount Evelyn
The Yarra Store, Warrandyte
Three Locals, Fairfield
TT Mart, Brunswick East
Two Beans and a Farm, Mernda
Wholefood Merchants, Greensborough
Yarra Farm Fresh, Coldstream
Yering Station Produce Store/Winery, Yarra Glen
Township/suburb:
Coldstream
Municipality:
Yarra Ranges
Notes (in their own words):

The Yarra Valley Tea Company specialises in Certified Organic loose leaf teas and tisanes (herbal beverages). Their range is comprehensive, including black (e.g. Earl Grey, English Breakfast), green, herbal (e.g. chamomile, lemongrass), chai, and functional blends. Each line is hand sorted and blended. They source their tea from both Australian growers and Fairtrade tea estates, including locally grown green tea.

Their factory, although small, produces up to 3,000,000 pyramid bags per year and 5 tonnes of tea service lines supplying Melbourne metropolitan and Australia-wide, together with exports.

They invite you to visit them at their factory in Coldstream or at one of the many festivals and trade shows that they attend.