The best breweries and distilleries in Byron Bay (and its surrounds)

For an afternoon sipping locally crafted brews, check out these top Byron Bay breweries and distilleries.

Sprawling across a richly fertile area from coast to hinterland and brimming with fresh produce and native ingredients, Byron Bay and her neighbouring shires have inspired a collection of passionate brewers and distillers. From The Tweed to Byron and winding down to Ballina, you can sip on beautifully made beers and spirits crafted to showcase the flavours of this sub-tropical region. Here, we’ve rounded up Byron’s best breweries and distilleries to pop on your drinks list.

1. Stone & Wood

sample beers for tasting at Stone & Wood — Stone & Wood offer approachable, balanced beers. (Image: Destination NSW)

Heading to the cavernous, 31-tank brewery in Byron’s industrial estate is always a precursor to good times. Find your seat inside or grab a table in the beer garden and work your way through Stone & Wood ’s hoppy options with a tasting. If you’re a certified craft beer fan, book in for the 90-minute brewery tour that kicks off fine hospitably with a welcome beer. Food is by 100 Mile Table and if you’re not a drinker, there are non-alcoholic and kid-friendly beverages on offer, too.

Address: 100 Centennial Circuit, Byron Bay

Opening hours: Monday to Thursday: 10am-6pm; Friday: 10am-7pm; Saturday: 12pm-7pm; Sunday: 12pm-6pm

2. Common People Brewing Co.

an aerial shot of the deck at Common People Brewing Co. — Bond over beers on the deck. (Image: Common People Brewing Co.)

All people, common and not-so, are welcome to the Taproom to settle in for a session of Common People ’s brews. While the kegs flow with beers, such as the Protesters IPA, El Sabro Hazy IPA and Moonless Midnight Stout, if you’d rather have a different sort of fermented beverage, there’s a well-considered wine list on offer. No matter your tipple, it can be enjoyed with a menu of beautifully blistered pizza and other wood-fired treats. There’s often live music or community events, so check the website to see what’s coming up.

Address: 9 Dudgeons Lane, Bangalow

Opening hours: Thursday to Saturday: 12pm-9pm; Sunday: 12pm-8pm

3. Wandana Brewing Co

the calypso sour beer with sliced passionfruit and toasted organic coconut at Wandana Brewing Co — Calypso sour beer with sliced passionfruit and toasted organic coconut at Wandana Brewing Co.

This industrial-estate-located brewery gazes out across the lush pastures of outer Mullumbimby. Festoon lighting, a shaded beer garden and regular live music, not to mention innovative and delicious beer, make Wandana an easy go-to for an afternoon session. The Wandana folk are big believers that music makes their beer taste better, so they have their yeast cells vibrating with round-the-clock tunes. See if you agree with the theory by embarking on a tasting paddle that may include the Mullum Madness IPA, Roadie Pale Ale or Upzy Hazy. Rotating food trucks and a kids’ playroom also add to Wandana’s laidback appeal.

Address: 20 Manns Road, Mullumbimby

Opening hours: Wednesday 1.30pm-6.30pm; Thursday to Saturday 12.30pm-8.30pm; Sunday 12.3pm-7.30pm.

4. Seven Mile Brewing Co.

the exterior of Seven Mile Brewing Co. Byron Bay — Step into Seven Mile Brewing Co. to taste locally brewed beers.

No coastal town is complete without its own brewery and Ballina, 30 minutes south of Byron, is no exception. Named after one of the shire’s best-known beaches, Seven Mile Brewing Co . sits right by the Ballina-Byron Gateway Airport tempting travellers the moment they disembark from their aircraft. Pop in to partake in locally brewed effervescence with beers such as the Iron Peg Aussie Pale, American Pale Ale and Hard Ginger Beer. A roster of food trucks swing by from Friday to Saturday to serve beer-adjacent bites from burgers to tacos and pizza.

Address: 188–202 Southern Cross Drive

Opening hours: Thursday: 3pm-7p; Friday to Sunday: 12pm-6pm

5. Earth Beer Company

the Earth Beer Company exterior, Byron Bay — The cellar door is nestled within a rustic barn. (Image: @jayanta_visual)

Set in a rustic barn on an avocado farm just behind the Tweed Coast town of Kingscliff, Earth Beer Company produces deliciously refreshing beer and other fermented delights. Locally minded, you won’t find these brews too far from their home, but they’re definitely worth stocking up on while here. Try the Hemp Hazy Pale, Dark Moon Brown Ale and the Rising Sun Pale and don’t miss a sip of their seasonal specials, such as the Mango Weisse or Avocado Kolsch. Sit-ins at the brewery are often accompanied by food trucks and there’s always some cool merch on-hand to take away as a holiday memento.

Address: 592 Cudgen Road, Cudgen

Opening hours: Friday and Saturday 11am-8pm; Sunday 11am-7.30pm

6. Husk Farm Distillery

the front view of Husk Farm Distillery — Sign up for long lunches at the barn-like distillery. (Image: Sally/@salsinghphotography)

It all started when a sugar cane-farming family had the novel idea to make rum from their fresh cane juice, soon enough Husk Farm Distillery became a North Coast institution. Their farm-to-bottle ethos has caught the attention of spirit drinkers far and wide, and while it may have all started with rum, the family also now produce the incredible, violet-hued Ink Gin among other tipples. Book a spot on the lawn at the beautiful barn-like distillery for a sunny afternoon of cocktails and nibbles or grab a table for a long lunch. If you’re keen to nerd out on the nitty gritty of distilling, be sure to sign up for a tour that includes a welcome drink and tastings. Or catch one of the many events, from cocktail-making classes to paddock parties and stargazing. Being a 45-minute drive north of Byron, be sure to nominate a designated driver or arrange transport.

Address: 1152 Dulguigan Road, North Tumbulgum

Opening hours: Hours change seasonally, check the website for updated times.

7. Cape Byron Distillery

botanicals on display at Cape Byron Distillery — Find high-quality gins infused with local botanicals. (Image: Destination NSW)

You’d be hard-pressed to find an Aussie gin-drinker who hasn’t heard of Brookies Gin. If you know, you know how, so why not go along to Cape Byron Distillery and see where and how this beloved spirit is made? Just 15 minutes from town, this Byron cellar door is set on a 95-acre property and lushly encroached upon by regenerated rainforest. Here you can sit on the balcony and sample not just their flagship gin, but also their Shirl the Pearl Gin, Turkish Delight Gin, Whisky and the sweet Mac. Liqueur made from, of course, macadamias. For the full experience, though, book in for a guided tasting, rainforest and gin tour or whisky tour.

Address: 80 St Helena Road, McLeods Shoot

Opening hours: Thursday to Sunday 10.45am-6pm

8. Lord Byron Distillery

This renewable, zero-waste alcoholic enterprise is a family affair began by Brian and Helen Restall. At Lord Byron what goes in the bottle is sourced from ingredients grown locally, even the pure water, which is collected from the family’s farm. Taste the provenance in their rum, gin, limoncello and other spirits when you swing by their Banksia Drive distillery. A visit may include a tour, cocktail masterclass or a session to distil your own gin.

Address: 4 Banksia Drive, Byron Bay

Opening hours: Tuesday to Saturday: 10am-5pm

Discover the best bars in Byron Bay

The heavens take centre stage at this Outback NSW glamping lodge.

Crane your neck. Look up. If it’s nighttime in a major Australian city, you might see a faint dusting of stars. Now imagine yourself out in the bush. Here, those stars aren’t just scattered dots – instead, they’re smudged across the sky in endless, glittering streaks. Welcome to Wilderluxe Lake Keepit , a new glamping lodge in one of the most picturesque corners of outback NSW.

Between its eight stargazing tents, Gilay Guest Lounge, and shared tales of the Dreamtime night sky, this retreat is designed to exist in harmony with the breathtaking lake and surrounding landscape. Intrigued? Here’s everything you need to know.

Bathed in warm light, a couple watches the sun dip beyond the horizon. — Watch the sky melt into magic at Wilderluxe.

Getting to Wilderluxe Lake Keepit

Wilderluxe Lake Keepit is in the NSW Northern Tablelands, bordered by the Great Dividing Range. The lake itself is hard to miss: this mammoth body of water is two-thirds the size of Sydney Harbour.

Just 40 minutes from Tamworth and close to Gunnedah, it’s on the inland route between Sydney and Byron Bay. Drive or take one of the daily flights to Tamworth’s airport.

Aerial view of Wilderluxe. — Let vast waters and towering ranges set the scene for your escape.

Wilderluxe Lake Keepit rooms

Don’t settle for a paltry room when you can sleep directly under the cosmos. Wilderluxe offers eight domed ‘Star Tents’ , all named after Aboriginal sky stories – like Djirri Djirri, the sacred messenger bird, Baiame, the Sky Father and great creator, and Dhinawan, the Emu in the Sky constellation.

On a clear night, use your tent’s retractable roof for gazing above or wander to the outdoor bathtub on your private deck to soak under the night sky. No need to go anywhere. You can stay put come evening with a kitchenette inside and a gas barbecue on the deck.

A couple gazes up at a sky ablaze with stars at Wilderluxe. — Sleep beneath the stars.

Style and character

When it comes to aesthetics, Wilderluxe Lake Keepit stays on trend. The encampment blends with its surroundings, building up layers of minimalist visuals that mirror the ever-changing curves of the water.

Earthy tones, natural materials and timber finishes also anchor the retreat in its bushland surrounds. It’s enough to deepen the sense of calm you’ll experience as you drive off-grid, and this is only heightened as you spot kangaroos grazing at dawn or hear the chatter of native birds by the lake.

The dreamy sunset at Wilderluxe. — Go off-grid in style at Wilderluxe Lake Keepit.

Wilderluxe Lake Keepit dining

‘Dinner and a show’ hits differently with the property’s Big Sky dinner experience . Hosted in the Gilay Lounge, enjoy complimentary drinks and a grazing table with the host, followed by a screening of Big Sky Dreaming, a film produced exclusively for Wilderluxe guests in which Kamilaroi storyteller Uncle Len Waters narrates tales of the Dreaming above.

Once your imagination has been fed, it’s time to take a seat fireside for a glass of Australian port and a serving of s’mores.

Keen to explore the wider area? Staff can provide barbecue and picnic hampers, stuffed with regional meats, cheeses and organic local fare.

Wilderluxe Lake Keepit facilities

While you could very well spend all your time in your tent, sometimes it’s time to hit pause on the celestial show. Instead, make your way up to the Gilay Guest Lounge, where you can relax on the deck overlooking the lake or the outdoor fire pits. It’s a great way to unwind and clink glasses with other stargazers.

The Gilay Lounge with the view of the lake. — Unwind by the fire and raise a glass at Gilay Lounge.

Wilderluxe Lake Keepit experiences

No need to turn nocturnal; when the sun rises, there are still plenty of ways to touch the sky.

Lake Keepit hosted the 2020 Women’s World Gliding Championships, and it’s one of the best places in Australia to stretch your wings. The local Soaring Club operates year-round, meaning you can book a gliding experience any day of the year – or opt for a scenic flight to take in the vast beauty from above.

Prefer to keep your feet on solid ground? There are plenty of walking and cycling trails in and around the area. Luckily, bikes are part of the Wilderluxe package. All you have to do is ask a staff member for their favourite route, throw a picnic onto the back and cycle off into the great beyond.

Alternatively, nab a stand-up paddleboard (SUP) or kayak and head out onto the lake. Or, if you’re feeling lucky, borrow a fishing rod and try your chances.

A person kayaking through serene waters. — Paddle into peace.

The details

A two-night minimum twin-share accommodation package includes Big Sky dinner and drinks experience, plus daily continental breakfast. As well as access to leisure equipment including mountain bikes, kayaks, SUPs and fishing gear.

The interiors of the glamping tent. — Let nature restore you, while luxury takes care of the rest.

Start planning your outback glamping adventure at wilderluxe.com.au.