ROBERT Price and Helen Del Din wanted to a create a place in Melbourne's northern suburbs where beer connoisseurs could try a selection of Victoria's finest craft and microbrewery labels at an affordable price.

Somewhere the music is relaxed and punters can drink speciality beer on tap, or if they want the full experience, fragrant brews served in stemmed glasses and local handcrafted ciders in French ceramic bowls.

Ruby Nolan was asked to leave when she took her baby to Preston's Raccoon Club. Owner Robert Price stands by the venue's ban on children. Credit:Angela Wylie

But in the 16 months since the Raccoon Club in Preston opened, the biggest thing brewing has not been the beer but a debate over the owners' rule to ban children, including babies, from entering.

The blanket kid ban at the bar has sparked the ire of some local mums and dads, who can not see the harm in having the odd family in there on a sunny afternoon. Ill feeling has shown itself in a string of confrontations where the owners have forced parents to leave, a few times from booked functions to which they were invited.