You’ve come to the right place if you’re looking for a place to quench your thirst while visiting the McLaren Vale region! There are an increasing number of craft breweries and distilleries.
1. Victor’s place
Once a Noarlunga woolshed, Victor’s Place was restored to a family-run winery/brewery, and restaurant that serves lunch and dinner five days a week. Victors place is ideally situated at the gateway to McLaren Vale:
Try: New release Red Rye IPA
Locate it: 62 Victor Harbor Road, Old Noarlunga
Website
2. Swell Brewing
The Swell Brewing taphouse recently open its doors to greet guests. It is an impressive massive two-story building on Olivers Road. The Taphouse is open Thursday- Sunday serving cold beers, a delicious menu and plenty of space to kick back.
Try: Swell Brewing Co Stout.
Locate it: 168 Olivers Road, McLaren Vale
Website
3. Goodieson Brewery
Goodieson Brewery is a great spot to hide wile away for a couple of hours. European-influenced traditional beers include pale ale, pilsner, brown and red ales and stouts. The brewery is housed in a tin shed with a beautiful veranda where you can enjoy a beer and the stunning views.
Try: The chocolate stout
Locate it: 194 Sand Road, McLaren Vale
Website
4. Vale Brewing
Founded as the McLaren Vale beer company in 2008, they kicked of contract brewing small runs of the original vale ale. Since then, they have expanded their core range to include the lager, IPA and amber and have been creative along the way with short lots of EXPs and limited editions.
Try: The Mid Coast Bright Ale,
Locate it: At Red Poles, 190 McMurtrie Rd, McLaren Vale
Website
5. Ekhidna
Ekhidna is a winery however what you’ll not realise regarding Ekhidna Wines is that they additionally brew their own beers, too. It’s all preservative-free, kettle-cooked and sterile-filtered, which implies it’s freed from lees and yeast hulls. There’s a variety to taste, Indian Pale ale, a dark beer and a cider.
Try: The ginger/wheat beer.
Locate it: 67 Branson Rd, McLaren Vale
Website
6. McLaren Vale Distillery
Access to high quality barley and barrels and a variable yet temperate climate have distillers confident South Australia can emerge as a top-shelf whisky region.
There is a $2.5 million distillery in McLaren Vale. Its Mediterranean climate has average maximum temperatures between 14C and 28C and average minimums between 7C and 16C.
The distillery’s location in the southern Mount Lofty Ranges overlooking the vale was an “amazing climate” for maturing whisky.
Try: Bloodstone Whiskey.
Locate it: 725 Chapel Hill Road, Blewitt Springs
Website
7. Settlers Spirits
Settlers Spirits is an artisan product created from grapes grown on the property and distilled and bottled by hand. The grape spirit base is softer in the mouth and more floral than spirits made from grain. Settlers also uses vapour distillation to infuse the botanicals, blended for peak aromatics and clean flavours. It offers five gins, including Rare Dry, Oak Aged and the cleverly named G & Tea.
Try: The pomegranate gin.
Locate it: 97 Foggo Rd, McLaren Vale
Website
8. Smiling Samoyed
Smiling Samoyed is now well established in the craft beer scene, winning the Champion Small Brewery title at the recent Royal Adelaide Beer and Cider Awards. This brewery boasts some excellent beers plus a range of tasty beer-food including wood-fired pizzas, falafel, arancini balls and chicken wings.
Try: The 12 Paws Pale Ale.
Locate it: Hansen Street, Myponga
Website
9. Forktree Brewing
A converted shearing shed offering spectacular views over the rolling Fleurieu countryside all the way to Cape Jervis is set to house one of South Australia’s newest craft brew houses. Forktree Brewing sits perfectly at the top of the hill overlooking panoramic views.
The brewery features a bar pouring Forktree’s Sunrise Ale and Sunset Ale, alongside other SA craft beers and Fleurieu wines, and a food
Try: Sunset Red Ale.
Locate it: 935 Forktree Road, Carrickalinga
Website
10. Shifty Lizard brewing co
Located in the small town of Willunga SA Shifty Lizard is in one of the countries best wine regions and surrounded by quality produce and scenery. The Shifty lizard crew are down to earth and passionate about craft beer. So pull up a stool and order yourself a cold one, and make sure you get any beer related questions off your chest bcause there’s a good chance that the guy who’s pouring your beer here is the guy that brewed it.
Try: Stouty McStoutFace.
Locate it: 33 High Street, Willunga
Website
11. South Coast Brewing Co
South Coast Brewing is a small, independent brewery located in Willunga. Their beers are brewed as a tribute to all the fabulous beaches along Adelaide’s beautiful South Coast.
The brewery and tap house is a relaxed place to enjoy a drop and have a chat. They also have great local wines, and you can bring your own food or have local pizza delivered.
Try: The Maslin’s Red Ale
Locate it: Unit 1/11 Jay Drive, Willunga
Website
12. Meechi Brewing Company
Craft beer that shows true character. Their brews are small batch, interesting, handcrafted and proudly based in Langhorne Creek.
The recipes for their craft beer are created and trailed in 50L batches within the confines of the man cave. Extensive testing is then carried out on family members and friends. The brew is then tweaked if needed, before being replicated in a larger scale for all to enjoy.
Try: The lager,
Locate it: At The Winehouse – 1509 Langhorne Creek Rd, Langhorne Creek
Website