Margaret River Breweries, Cideries & Distilleries (Top 5 Must Visits)

Margaret River Breweries

While Margaret River is home to some of the Western Australia’s most famous vineyards, we are also home to a small, but growing, colony of outstanding Margaret River breweries, cideries, and distilleries.

Our beer industry is young, unique, and locally owned and operated. Besides being able to enhance the dining and drinking pleasure for the local residents, our breweries have quickly become a main feature for tourists and vacationers. Our beer and cider establishments are open to the public on a daily basis, and can be accessed by private vehicles or as part of a guided tour.

Seasoned beer connoisseurs may know which variety of beer sits best on their tongues, but they are in for a surprise when sampling the innovative tweaks on basic favorites that our breweries offer. For those who are occasional beer drinkers and for those who want to sample some local spins on favourite classic varieties, we offer the following beer tips and terms before you dash out to grab that pint, enjoy a paddle of brews, or purchase a takeaway six pack.

Featured Breweries in Margaret River

Whether you are a local resident or a visitor to the area, we recommend a visit to the following breweries while you are out and about. For more information about these individual breweries, click on the links below. There you can find contact information, operating hours, tasting events, dining facilities, touring opportunities, special events, and upcoming entertainment performances.

Black Brewing Company

In the few short years since the Black Brewing Company opened, it has quickly become a much-go-to restaurant and brewery. The two owners and operators, Stewart Sampson and Scott Douglas, were friends for a long time before venturing into business together. Their talents, creativity, and passion for craft beers are so in sync with each other that it was practically preordained that their business would be a great success.

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Colonial Brewing Company

At the time that Ross Smith opened the doors of the Colonial Brewing Company in 2004, there were only three breweries in the Margaret River area. Since that time the market has expanded, but the Colonial Brewing Company remains one of the region’s most popular locations. Today, the brewery is owned by the Colonial Leisure Group and they maintain the establishment’s outstanding production of award winning, handcrafted beers that are the favorites of both locals and tourists.

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Margaret River Distilling Company

Margaret River Distilling Company may be one of the youngest distilleries and dining establishments in the Margaret River area, having opened its doors in November 2015, but it has created a marvelous educational Gin appreciation class, called Giniversity. It was also awarded Australia’s Champion Whisky for 2016 and the World’s Best Craft Whisky for 2017.

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Cheeky Monkey Brewery

If you truly enjoy trying creative craft beer, then the Cheeky Monkey Brewery where you want to be. The Burtons opened the brewery in 2012 and it rapidly became a favourite gathering place for both residents and tourists.

The brewery offers a selection of lager, ales, IPA, seasonal limited releases, apple cider, tasting paddles, and a variety of red and white wines from local Margaret River wineries. The menu in the restaurant features pizzas, burgers, fish and chips, waffles, and desserts. Non-alcoholic beverages are available for the younger diners. The play areas for the children make the Cheeky Monkey Brewery a fun place to visit for the entire family.

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The Beer Farm

When craft beer is what you want, set in a rustic back-to-nature atmosphere where the entire family can eat, drink (non-alcoholic for those under 18 years of age), and have a blast, then you have just described Margaret River’s authentic Beer Farm.

The beauty of the Beer Farm is that the owners retained the structure of the original dairy farm buildings, gutted them, and converted the hay shed into the indoor dining tavern and the round house into the brewery. There are several indoor and outdoor recreational areas for children of all ages, including those adults with playful inner souls.

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The History of Beer

Beer, the third most consumed beverage on Earth, has been around for over 5000 years (the first two are water and tea). One ancient Celtic axiom says, “Good people drink good beer.” Some people believe that the invention of the wheel was the start of mankind’s civilization. But, in today’s civilisation, beer, and not the wheel, goes better with pizza.

The popularity of beer has been cited by some very notable individuals. The patron saint of brewers, Saint Arnold of Metz, said, “From man’s sweat and God’s love, beer came into the world.” The Greek philosopher, Plato, said, “He was a wise man who invented beer.” But, the best quote that exemplifies the enjoyment of beer in the Margaret River region is from the Canadian essayist, Hugh Hood, who stated, “Nothing ever tasted better than a cold beer on a beautiful afternoon with nothing to look forward to than more of the same.”

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Beer Facts

There are only two types of beer: Ale and Lager. All the other “types” are variations, or subsets, of the Ales and Lager. Ales use a top-fermenting yeast process and Lagers use a bottom-fermenting yeast process. Simple as it sounds, that is the distinction between the two types.

Ales and Lagers are available in alcohol and non-alcohol styles. This can be a bonus for those who want the taste of beer without actually drinking alcohol. The non-alcohol version might be the best solution for the designated driver as Margaret River breweries, cideries and distilleries can be quite spread out geographically.

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Common Terms

Lager beer refers to a Pilsner, Dopplebock, Bock, and Kolsch. Lager tends to have more bitter content and flavour than Ales, they are refreshing and crisp in texture while being strong in flavour. Lagers are most flavourful when served at cool temperatures, but the warmer the temperature, the more the flavour fades.

Ale Beer refers to Porter, Stout, and any label with the word Ale such as Pale Ale, Amber Ale, IPA (India Pale Ale), Brown Ale, and Saison. They are most flavourful when served at colder temperatures. Porters and Stouts are the darkest coloured beers, they have a creamy texture, and they often taste like coffee or bittersweet chocolate. IPAs are considered craft beers, they are caramel coloured, and they have a citrus or bitter taste with a hoppy aroma. Pale Ales are golden in colour, they are less hoppy than IPAs, and they offer a mild smooth taste. Brown Ales are amber in colour, they are milder than Porters and Stouts, and often have the taste of chocolate or caramel.

Come and Visit Margaret River Breweries

The above tips and terms are just a mini lesson meant to assist you when determining which brew style best suits your unique taste buds. But, the joy of going to a Margaret River brewery is in the adventure of sampling new flavours (like those below). And, as with all beverages, the best beer flavour for you is what you personally like. It is also worth noting that in addition to visiting our local Margaret River breweries, a number of local merchants, pubs, and eateries also serve a selection of beers from these same breweries.