Along with being a great day out, taking brewery tours in Sydney is a fun way to see the city, learn more about craft brewing and find new beers to try from the most interesting breweries in Sydney. They are also great for get together with friends or for a buck’s party.

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Discover the best local breweries in Sydney

When you start hunting down craft brews in Sydney you quickly learn that while the breweries are spread out across the city there is a shortlist of areas that have attracted a large concentration of brewmasters.

We encourage you to visit small brewery outfits far and wide in search of the best beer tastings, however visits to the brewing hotspots of the Inner West and the Northern Beaches are a must for any beer lover wanting to do some Sydney beer tasting.

There are so many breweries in the inner west you can even join walking brewery tours!

Some of the most popular breweries in the inner west include:

• Batch Brewing – Batch Brewery in Sydenham opened in 2013 and now has bars in Darling Square and Petersham.
  
• Young Henry’s – One of the best known the brewery which brewed its first drop in 2012 features on many beer tours. Their laid back bar is a great choice for visitors thanks to nearby bus stops! There is plenty of street art surrounding the brewery so allow some time to check it out on the way.

• Willie the Boatman – This brewery in St Peters boasts a beer named after the Prime Minister! Great service and great food make this a popular choice with locals and a fun place to spend a few hours.
  
• Sauce Brewing Co. – Another Marrickville favourite with a great kid and dog friendly outdoor space.
  
• Wayward Brewing Company – Camperdown’s favourite brewery has been selling its popular brews since 2015.
  
• Grifter Brewing Co. – Marrickville began life in 2012 and is now a strong local favourite.
  

On the northern Beaches these breweries are among the most popular:

• Four Pines – this Manly institution now has 3 outlets on the northern beaches and ten more across the country.
  
• Nomad – This family owned business uses native ingredients give Nomad’s brews a distinctly local flavour. The Argentinean BBQ gives the taste buds an extra work out too! Family and dog friendly.
  
• Modus Operendi – a feature stop on many beer tours this brewery in Mona Vale which opened way back in 2014 now has an outpost in Newcastle’s Merewether. The brewery offers great mid week meal deals.

What you need to know about brewery tours Sydney before you choose

Is a beer tour right for you?

A brewery tour is a great way to improve your beer knowledge, hang out with fellow beer lovers, and see first hand how the magic happens behind the scenes.

Along with beer tasting sessions, you will meet passionate brewmasters and perhaps even discover some hidden gems.

They are the modern day pub crawl and a great idea for a bucks party or get together with your best mates for a drink on the weekend.

What is included in a Sydney beer tasting tour?

A typical brewery experience will include a guided tour of at least one of the brewery stops you visit, a tasting paddle or small samples of the brewery’s signature craft beer, and a chance to chat to the owners or staff about their work.

Are brewery tours only for adults?

Yes, most beer tours are only open to those aged 18 and over, due to licensing regulations. Some places are family-friendly but if you are trvelling with kids you are probably better off just picking a brewery and heading in for a visit rather than booking a tour.

How long do Sydney brewery tours usually last?

Brewery tours usually run for around 3-5 hours. Some breweries offer longer tours that include food and beer tastings and pairings.

Do I need to book a brewery tour in Sydney in advance?

If you are planning on attending with a group of friends, it’s a good idea to book a weekend brewery tour a few weeks before you want to go. It can be easier to find a spot for solo traveller or on weekday tours.

The 5 Best Beer tasting and Brewery tours in Sydney

Marrickville Brewery Tour

Duration: 3 hours | Stops: 3 | Tour dates: Thurs, Fri, Sun

This half day tour brewery tour will allow you to get a taste of what is going on in Marrickville’s beer scene. Labeled the Golden Triangle breweries this is where Sydney’s craft beer scene was first took root and is still a popular location for start ups. .

On this experience, you will visit three of the areas most popular brewers to enjoy a beer tasting session. It’s a great choice for anyone who wants to learn more about beer with an introduction to the brewing process and a bit of a history of beer.

As you tour the breweries you will have plenty of time to ask questions and sample several styles of beer.

Find out more & see the list of places that may be included on the Marrickville Brewery tour.

Dave’s Tours – Northern Exposure Brewery Tour

Duration: 8 hours | Stops: 3 at least | Tour dates: Sat& Sun

On this full day brewery tour you will taste a variety of beer and learn about the process used. Starting from Surry Hills or late morning from Manly, this tour on the Northern Beaches will take in a 2-3 craft breweries and perhaps even distillery tour

Enjoy a brewery lunch sampling local produce, and get picked up and dropped off at the 4 Pines Brew Pub in Manly. Tours start at 11.00 am and ends at 5.00 pm.

Brookvale has earned the nickname Brewvale thanks to its increasing supply of good craft beer and distillery options.

At each stop you will do a behind the scenes tour and spend enough time to really experience the place. The breweries visited depending on the day of the week you visit. However they alwways provide a mix of places, people, and craft beers styles.

See the list of breweries and distilleries you may visit here

Sydney Hipsters and Hops

Duration: 6 hours | Stops: 3 | Tour dates: Sat & Sun

If you are keen to visit some of the city’s best known breweries then this Hipsters and Hops tour is a great choice.

This full day experience draws its stops from a list of inner west breweries that includes Willie the Boatman, Wayward, Batch, Grifter brewing and Young Henrys.

Your expert guide lives and breathes craft beer and will help you learn about flavour profiles used to create the craft beers you sample today. You will visit three local breweries, learn about their specialty brews and brewing processes, do beer tasting, and enjoy a pub-style lunch

This experience start and ends at Surry Hill’s Keg & Brew Hotel. This Sydney brewery tour will offer a mix of breweries and beer styles to create the best experience depending on the day you visit.

See our list of possible breweries and dates for the Hipster and Hops Tour

If you are not set on just visiting breweries or your know your friends will like a bit more variety this next tour is worth thinking about and a great option for trying a bit of everything

Sydney Vins, Gins & Tins

Duration: 3.5 hours | Stops: 3 | Tour dates: Thur-Sun

This behind the scenes tour is a great choice for people who want to sample more than just beer. You will get a chance to taste some fabulous Australia wines, some locally produced spirits and also visit a craft brewery. It’s a great choice for couples or groups where one or more are not beer fans.

You begin the day in Surry Hills within walking distance of Central station making this a good choice for people visiting Sydney.

You will sample local wines, spirits, and craft beers and learn about the production process. Enjoy drinks at an urban winery, a distillery and a craft brewery in the inner city as you learn pick up some tips that will have you sounding like a connoisseur in no time!

Your tour includes a taste the finished products at each stop.

See the list of venues that may be included on this tour and check the dates.

Rounding out the five we have another completely different option, a beer and Aussie history tour wrapped up in one nice package

The Rocks Historical Pub Tour

Duration: 2.5 hours | Stops: 4 | Tour dates: almost every day

The Rocks Pub Walking tour is a great way to explore some of the historic pubs in the city. They offer a guided tour that takes you to some of the best pubs in The Rocks neighborhood, and you get to sample some great beers along the way.

An organised pub crawl through the Rocks you will visit four of Sydney’s oldest pubs (link) and learn about the people who drank at them from the convicts and underworld figures of colonial sydney to the locals who have lived over the last 100 years.

You will discover which of these places fight it out for title of Sydney’s oldest Pub, the effects of the Rum Rebellion and the Bubonic Plague and how the Rocks was saved from developers.

You will now be armed with all the information you need to plan your own big night and impress your family and friends with facts and trivia about craft beer.

Check dates and stops on this Rocks Pub Tour

Want to taste more Australian drinks? Why not head to the Hunter Valley and explore the local wine industry. You might also like to uncover some of the historic pubs in the Rocks.

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