Independent breweries are opening at a rapid pace all around Australia, but Sydney’s inner west – Marrickville in particular – has well and truly established itself as the country’s beer capital. Add in the numerous farther-flung breweries such as Modus Operandi in Mona Vale and Riverside in Parramatta, and it’s clear just how good we have it in this city. Throw in the typical relaxed warehouse vibe, pizzas or other snacks, and these are great places to lose an entire afternoon.
The Nightcruiser Brewery Tours are popluar and many times are combined with a Birthday, Hens Party, Bucks Party or just Party Transport.
11-13 Brompton Street, Marrickville
Hours: Fri-Sat 2pm-6pm
Here is something different.
Wildflower Brewing and Blending collates a mix of wild yeast, brewer’s yeast and foraged bacteria from New South Wales, giving there brews a truly localised flavour. The Australian wild ales are ever changing, so there is always something new to try with this unique little micro brewery.
This microbrewery has everything you’d want in new craft beers. Located in Sydney’s inner west, Source Brewing Co is now open to the public and welcoming patrons to try out new special batches. They offer a range of ales and lagers like Hop sauce – the flagship pale ale offers hints of tropical and stone fruits, perfect for summer – to an ever-changing array of IPA’s, sours and darks..
2/43-45 E Esplanade, Manly
Hours: 11am till late
4 Pines BrewPub in Manly is a full brewery experience. Check out the original Brewpub upstairs where the entire range is available for sampling or take a brewery tour or the original Manly Brewpub. Get down on a Monday for a free pint with any meal.
44 Sydenham Road, Marrickville NSW
Hours: 44 Sydenham Road, Marrickville NSW
You’ll find Batch Brewing Co beer in many of Sydney’s restaurants and bars but going to the brewery and drinking from the tap offers so much more. The core range includes American pales ales and IPAs but it constantly rotates to the latest tastiest batches. Food trucks can be found on site so you can grab a bite to eat with your beer.
5 Sydenham Road, Brookvale
Hours: Thurs 12pm-6pm, Fri 12pm-8pm, Sat-Sun 12pm-6pm
Marrying techniques and styles from around the world with the best Australian native ingredients is a recipe for some of the best craft beer Sydney has ever seen. Nomad Brewing Co offers pacific style pale ales, IPAs, sour ales, spiced beer and more on their 11 taps that are constantly rotating new and exciting tastes.
1/391 Enmore Road, Marrickville
Hours: Mon-Thurs 4pm-9pm,
Fri-Sat 12pm-10pm,
Sun 12pm-8pm
If you’re after a unique and highly drinkable beer, then The Grifter Brewing Co is not a bad choice. The brewery serves up it’s whole range on tap and in takeaway squealers including staples like pale ales and IPAs but where they really shine is the special batches and experimental brews. Try the C-Boogie, a cucumber kolsch or the Sperpent’s Miss, a watermelon pilsner.
14 Harkeith Street, Mona Vale
Hours: Wed-Sun 12pm-10pm
After spending months in the USA, and cultivating a deep understanding of the brewing method, Modus Operandi Brewing was born. Live yeast from the USA, malts and hops from all corners of the globe, this craft brewery is putting the beer first.
75a Burrows Road, Alexandria NSW
Hours: Wed-Sat 12pm-12am, Sun 12pm-10pm
Yulli’s Brews offers craft beer that can stand its own in the everyday pub but can also accompany fine dining. Each beer is brewed with a focus on getting the balance just right. Try the Seabass Mediterranean lager, light and dry with spicy floral notes or for something more adventurous try the Amanda mandarin IPA.
76 Wilford St, Newtown NSW
Hours: Midday to 7pm
Young Henrys offers its own brews straight from the tap and is one of the best spots to sample some craft beer in Sydney. With a rock’n’roll vibe, this isn’t your everyday pub. Patrons can sit and look directly at the brewing process happening right before their eyes. Brewery tours can be taken with a reservation and six taps are available for the latest offerings.
3 Gehrig Lane, Camperdown NSW
Hours: Mon 4pm-9pm,
Thurs-Fri 2pm-10pm,
Sat 12pm-10pm,
Sun 11am-8pm
This craft beer Sydney brewery is, ironically enough, set up in an old winery. Wayward Brewing Co started brewing all over the place but settled in its current home back in 2015. It core line up includes India pale ale and red ale, lager, sour ale, Keller bier and also delivers a tasty range of seasonal beers.
Precinct 75, Suite 202, 75 Mary Street, St Peters NSW
Wed 3pm-8pm, Thurs 3pm-7pm, Fri 12pm-9pm, Sat 10am-7pm, Sun 12pm-7pm
At Willie the Boatman it’s all about beer with character. Just like its name, derived from the legend of a convict boatman, the brews all have a story of their own. The nautical themed bar offers a boat load of atmosphere for sampling beers at the tasting bar. The beers are all named after real people and include briny pale ales, XPAs, IPAs, dark ales and more.
The Cannery, 6/61-71 Mentmore Avenue, Rosebery NSW
Hours: Tues-Thurs 12–10pm, Fri-Sat 12–11pm
Beer and Gastronomy, what could be better and Frenchies Bistro and Brewery offer just that. Pairing your beer with a meal is a treat and everything you eat or drink here is brewed and prepared in house. No additives and unpasteurised, Frenchies offer French beer styles to fit French cuisine and it definitely something to experience.
17 Kent Street, The Rocks Sydney NSW
Hours: Mon-Sat 11am-11pm, Sun Noon-10pm
Housed in a beautiful 19th century building, Lord Nelson Brewery Hotel is one of the longest running pub breweries in Sydney. Six on site brews are on offer with summer ales, bitters and a caramel infused English ale. It’s style is like the old English pubs and has some pretty scenic harbour views too making it one of the best micro breweries Sydney has to offer.
Unit 3, 2 North Rocks Road, North Parramatta Sydney NSW
Hours: Fri-Sat 2pm-6pm
Riverside Brewing Company are dedicated to brewing pure, natural hand crafted beers with a focus on quality not quantity. A true aussie beer, the Sixty Nine Summer ale is a proud beer brewed with 100% Australian barley and hops. Their line up also includes a robust porter, India pale ale and American Amber. Head to this Sydney brewery where you can sample all the beers fresh at the source.
22 The Promenade, King Street Wharf Sydney, NSW
Hours: Sun-Wed 11am-11pm, Thurs-Sat 11am-12am
One of the best micro-breweries Sydney has to offer, All Hands Brewing House is one for the win. The Brewhouse features a beer garden southern inspired soul food menu to pair with your beer, like buffalo wings, fried chicken and pig skin tacos. Eight house beers are on offer including a bitter ale, stout and cream pale ale.
25 Cadogan Street, Marrickville
Hours: Wed-Thurs 5pm-10pm,
Fri-Sat 12pm-11pm,
Sun 12pm-10pm
Stockade Brew Co has already won over 60 awards since it’s foundation in 2015 including world’s best imperial stout at the World Beer Awards. Core beers include your well known pale ales, IPAs and lagers but where they really shine is the seasonal batches. Ever tried maple syrup beer or Roly smoked Jalapeno porter? For those looking for something different Stockade is the place to be.
28 Albion Street, Surry Hills NSW
Hours: Mon-Sun 12pm-12am
Surry Hills pils, Pyrmont Rye IPA, Lovedale lager, try your own suburb in beer form! Sydney Brewery celebrate all the makes Sydney unique and wonderful. Even the beers are named after its most famous suburbs, each with their own character and uniqueness. The award winning micro brewery also has your typical pub grub and live music.
9-13 Winbourne Road, Brookvale NSW
Hours: Mon-Friday 4pm-10pm, Saturday 12pm-10pm, Sunday 12pm-8pm
Have you ever wanted to be served a beer off a truck? For a touch of whimsy, check out Brookvale Brewery Truckbar. Brewing and bottling is all done on site while the bar is built on a 1960 Dodge pickup and serves up 21 different beers fresh out the tap including the core range of pale ales, kolsch, apple cider and a hefeweizen.
39 Argyle Street, The Rocks Sydney NSW
Hours: Mon-Sat 11am-11:45pm,
Sun 11am-10pm
Endeavour Brewing Co began with three mates and a love of beer. Using nothing but Australian ingredients, the beers are perfected by embracing subtle flavour variations provided by Mother Nature. You’ll find pale ales, fresh lagers, XPA, plus a seasonal range to immerse you in each season with IPA’s and red ales.
4-8 Grose Street, Glebe NSW
Hours: Wed 4pm-10pm, Thurs-Fri 4pm-12am, Sat 12pm-12am, Sun 2pm-10pm
Staves Brewery comes from the sheer will of one Englishman, looking to follow his big dreams of opening a proper English brewery and it’s paid off tenfold as the brewery has gone from strength to strength. Offering up a core range of IPAs, pale ales, stout and even a spicy Belgian ale, you’ll be spoilt for choice at one of the best micro breweries Sydney’s got to offer.
201 Clarence Street, Sydney NSW
Hours: Mon-Sun 12pm till late
This small independent craft beer Sydney brewery offers up local brews to suit any taste with over 20 different tap and bottled beers. Redoak Restaruant, Bar and Brewery offers organic pale ales, Irish stouts, Flanders sour beer, pommy bitters and so much more. Redoak encourages pairing with meals and offers a whole menu dedicated to food pairings and combinations.
Cnr, Playfair & Argyle St The Rocks, Sydney
Hours: Mon – Fri 10 AM – 12 AM
Sat-Sun 9 AM – 12 AM
Festive beer hall with live music, serving imported beers and German dishes like pork schnitzel.
Ideal to visit during your Birthday or Celebration Party Tour or 2-way Function Transport in Party Mode with a Nightcruiser Party Tour.
4-8 Grose Street, Glebe
Hours:
Staves is an independent family brewery, urban beer garden and live performance space. A hidden gem in a city back alley.
Tantra
169 Oxford St, Sydney, NSW
The Argyle Sydney
18 Argyle St, Sydney, NSW
The Cross
24 Darlinghurst Rd, Sydney, NSW
UN Nightclub
1/33 Oxford St., Sydney, NSW
Bank, The
129 Pitt St, Sydney, NSW
Bar Broadway (Level 2)
Cnr Regent Street and Broadway, Sydney, NSW
Brianna’s Cabaret
12 Good St, Sydney, NSW
Cargo Sydney
52-60 The Promenade, King Street, Sydney, NSW
Castles On Castlereagh
114 Castlereagh St, Sydney, NSW
Soho Bar & Lounge Sydney
171 Victoria St Darlinghurst, Sydney, NSW
Unit 1-3 Gehrig Lane, Camperdown
Open: Thu – Fri 2 PM – 10 PM
Sat 12pm – 10 pm
Sun 12 pm – 8 PM
The Cellar taproom is a meeting place more than anything else, a spot for conversation and armchair adventure while sharing great craft beer with friends.
Hidden down a Camperdown laneway, The Cellar is housed deep inside the roots of the former winery that occupied the site nearly a century ago. The wax-lined wine vats have been converted to rooms, retaining the red-wine soaked walls. The upcycled beer keg lamps hang from the ceiling, casting a warm glow and giving an underground, speak-easy feel to the covert laneway.