Boothby Staff
Welcome to the 2025 instalment of Wait, wait — how much does a cocktail cost?
The cost of drinks has been front of mind of late, thanks to the twice-annual tax increase levied upon alcohol by the federal government. It’s something I’ve written about — you can see that piece here — and the focus of a concerted campaign by the NTIA and leading bar operators like Dre Walters of Old Mate’s Place and Old Love’s in Sydney, and Pasan Wijesena of Earl’s Juke Joint, Jacoby’s Tiki Bar, and The Magpie.
A cut (not a freeze, in my opinion) in the excise rate as it applies to on-premise businesses would do great things to encourage small business in our cities, and make our nightlife more vibrant, diverse, and safer.
That’s the background in which our (now) annual look at cocktail prices in the best bars in Australia arrives, and this week we’re beginning with some cocktail list research in Victoria.
Do you want to know the average price of a cocktail in the best bars in Melbourne and the wider Victorian state? Then read on below.
Behind the login wall below, you’ll find:
- the results from surveying 482 cocktails from across 42 lists drawn from the 50 best bars in Victoria (according to bartenders);
- the average size of a cocktail list at these bars;
- the average price of a cocktail in Melbourne;
- the top 20 brands with the most listings;
- the Australian brands with the most listings;
- the top 11 spirits suppliers with the most listings in Victoria’s best bars;
- a breakdown of which spirit categories are most often represented on cocktail lists across Victoria in 2025.
Now is also a good time to let you know that the fourth issue of Boothby in print is available now. Subscribing is the best way to support Boothby and the work we do, and every subscription helps — you can get the print magazine here.
Okay, let’s get into the results below.