Discover our top picks along Sydney’s Inner West Ale Trail, most of which are within easy walking distance of each other.
There are few pleasures greater than a tasting flight at a local brewery on a hot day. This isn’t why I moved to Sydney’s Inner West, the unofficial capital of craft breweries, but it certainly didn’t hurt. Focusing mostly on the suburb of Marrickville, the area has long been a popular place for brewery crawls among Sydneysiders in the know, but this year it was given an official name: The Inner West Ale Trail.
Across six suburbs within a five-kilometre radius (Marrickville, Enmore, Newtown, St Peters, Rozelle and Camperdown) you’ll find over 320 unique brews at 18 independent breweries. Of these, 15 also have restaurants or food trucks, ranging from pizza to vegetarian Thai food, so be sure to plan some snacks between drinks. To cater for anyone who isn’t so into beer, there are also 100 wines, ciders and spirits to be found.
And each brewpub has a venue that brings the relaxed but funky Inner West vibe to life. Find an ever-changing roster of weekly events, from live music to bingo to comedy nights. Discover more and plan your next visit.
1. Batch Brewing Co.
Founded in 2013, Batch was one of the first, and remains one of the most popular, breweries in Sydney. While they have now expanded to have locations in Petersham and Darling Square, their original spot was in Marrickville.
As the name suggests, Batch has a focus on unique, small-batch beers. They do have a core line of best-sellers (like Marrickville Original Pale Ale and Pash the Magic Dragon Sour) but pride themselves on a rotating menu of new, limited-release beers.
Address: 44 Sydenham Rd, Marrickville
2. Brickworks Brewing
Small but mighty, the brewers at Brickworks have been doing their thing for 20 years and counting. Find 12 beer taps with rotating brews to try, experimenting with styles from around the world.
Settle in for live music and food trucks on weekends, in the shadow of the historic brick factory and iconic smoke stacks that define St Peters.
Address: 15 May St, St Peters
3. Chuck & Son’s Brewing Co.
While you’re in St Peters, pop into Chuck & Son’s for an IPA, hoppy hazy or amber ale. Brewer, Chuck Hahn, is also the man behind James Squire, Malt Shovel and Hahn Brewery – so you know the brews here are good. Especially when you’re sipping them on the sunny rooftop terrace.
There’s also an impressive wine list (especially for a brewery) and creative cocktails. Try the hop-infused gin negroni for a beer-related twist on an old favourite. An onsite food truck serves up burgers and rice bowls.
Address: Unit 3E-3F/1-7 Unwins Bridge Rd, St Peters
4. Future Brewing
A new(er) kid on the block, Future Brewing has quickly become popular with the locals. Taking a new twist on brewing, owner and brewer Brady Hannett was a scientist before he switched careers, so it’s no surprise the beers are beloved. Pop in on the weekend to pair your beer with tasty meals from a changing sister of food trucks.
Address: 82 May Street, St Peters
5. Hawke’s Brewing Co.
Taking inspiration from, arguably, one of Australia’s most famous Prime Ministers (for necking a beer, at any rate), The Bob Hawke Beer & Leisure Centre is an icon of Marrickville and home to both Hawke’s Brewing and classic 80s style Australian-Chinese restaurant Lucky Prawn. Find the core range and limited releases on the taps here.
Everything about this venue screams RSL, from the sports memorabilia plastering the walls to the wood panelling and brown glass.
Address: 8-12 Sydney St, Marrickville
6. Hopsters Co-operative
As Australia’s first brewing cooperative, Hopsters is definitely worth the trip. Fully funded and run by members, you’ll find heaps of events to enjoy with your huge range of beers (and even wines). Think trivia, comedy, Queers and beers nights, masterclasses and brewer talks.
Address: 198 Enmore Rd, Enmore
7. Kicks Brewing
For a small family-run taproom, Kicks packs a big punch. Focused on creating fresh, progressive (but very drinkable) beers, expect strong hop flavours, bold American-style IPAs and some very out-of-the-box flavours. Match it with a rotating international eats from various food trucks parked outside.
Address: 31 Shepherd St, Marrickville
8. Mixtape Brewing & Bar
The real beauty of Mixtape, beyond its size that means it usually has space even on a busy day, unlike some of the smaller venues, is that not only does it sell its own brews (and damn good pizza), but it sells a selection of other Inner West brews as well. So if you’re only going to do one-stop, this should be it. Here, 18 taps pour Mixtape’s small batch brews, while a handful more Aussie and international craft beers. Truly one of my favourite stops along the trail.
Address: 142A Victoria Rd, Marrickville
9. Philter Brewing
Philter is one of the most reliable breweries if you’re a fan of knowing what you’re going to get. The Philter XPA, in particular, is almost a staple on bar taps around the city. The onsite restaurant also serves up pizzas, burgers, wings, snacks and share plates.
Despite the multiple levels in the converted factory space (a public bar, retro rooftop bar and sports bar), Philter is one of the busier breweries. So make a booking or aim to get there a little earlier than lunchtime to nab a table.
Address: 92-98 Sydenham Road, Marrickville
10. Pickled Monkey Brewing Co.
A huge 24-taps at Pickled Monkey Brewing Co. makes this brewpub more than just a funny name. But the name is odd, and it has an odder backstory. In the 1900s, a few wooden barrels turned up at the University of NSW from Oxford University. Assuming they were filled with beer, a few cheeky wharfies cracked them open. As it turned out, they were drinking the juice of pickled monkeys that were en route to the UNSW Biology Department for dissection. Gross. Luckily, the actual beers are anything but.
Unique brew flavours and a menu packed with pizzas and tacos keep things interesting in this open-plan pub.
Address: 127 Victoria Rd, Marrickville
11. Sauce Brewing Co.
Perfect for summer, Sauce Brewing Co. features one of the best beer gardens in Sydney, though it’s usually packed full of punters with their kids and dogs. Grab one of their small, core range of beers or try a wilder, one-off flavour. Canned cocktails are also on offer, as well as a food truck roster from Thursday to Sunday, serving either burgers, barbecue or tacos.
Address: 1a Mitchell St, Marrickville
12. The Grifter
Another OG and favourite of Marrickville, The Grifter is also a popular beer to find on taps around the city. But if you head straight to the source (inside a former laundromat warehouse), find 12 taps including the core range, seasonal and one-off brews. Some of the unique tastes they’ve had over the years include watermelon pilsner, pink lemonade sour and oatmeal stout.
Address: 1/391-397 Enmore Rd, Marrickville
13. Wayward Brewing
Beginning life as a winery, the Wayward Brewing venue really sets a dark and intimate mood. Set underground with oak barrels, brew tanks and cosy cellar rooms, find 24 beers on tap at a time, plus an alcoholic seltzer range. The beers are award-winning for a reason – besides the taste, Wayward is committed to producing a top-quality product. All the beers are preservative-free, unpasteurised, unfiltered and made with natural ingredients.
Come nighttime (or all day on weekends), the in-house Wayward Eats food truck serves up a menu of burgers, loaded fries, tacos and quesadillas.
Address: 1 Gehrig Ln, Camperdown
14. White Bay Brewery
White Bay may be the furthest brewery away on this trail, but the staff are so dang friendly that it’s worth the bus ride. Not to mention the views, the cute fit-out inside a 150-year-old steel mill and the very easy-to-drink beer varieties. The wood-fired pizzas served here are absolutely delicious.
Address: 26C Mansfield St, Rozelle
15. Wildflower Brewing & Blending
Hands down, Wildflower is the most beautiful brewery venue in Sydney. Likely even in the world. Aesthetic wooden barrels and dried flowers decorate the interior, while a Melbourne-like laneway makes for a breezy outdoor area on a hot day.
They also have a particularly unique approach to their brewing. Using Indigenous yeast collected from the bush to create wild-fermented brews. The result is a very unique, tart and slightly pungent flavour. They also make natural wines, and personally, the red varieties here are my drink of choice.
Address: 11-13 Brompton St, Marrickville
16. Willie The Boatman
This pet-friendly spot is not only adorably decked out with an 1850s oak bar literally imported from a US saloon, comfortable couches, hanging plants and vintage signs, but it also has a very agreeable roster of brews to choose from. Everything from a pale ale to a cherry sour. Honestly, one of the tastiest sours going. Head in on Friday to Sunday for a free sausage sizzle.
Address: Enter Via, Precinct 75 Suite 601 75 Mary Street, Edith St, St Peters
17. Young Henrys Brewing
Another very common sight to see in pubs all around Sydney, Young Henrys’ Newtowner is basically the mascot of Sydney. Set inside a converted warehouse, listened to very Aussie tunes (hello, AC/DC ) surrounded by massive wall murals and very mulleted staff. Besides the core range, try a few experimental brews that rotate.
Address: 76 Wilford St, Newtown
18. Bracket Brewing
Coming (back) soon, Bracket Brewing is in the middle of moving house from Alexandria to Marrickville, so there’s not much to say about the decor just yet. But we’re sure many Inner Westie fans will continue to love it for its monthly new beer releases.
Address: 2/48 Addison Road, Marrickville
19. Yulli’s Brews
This one isn’t on the official trail as it’s located in Sydney’s Inner South, but it really should be. Just as much as the craft beer (on which there are often very affordable specials on pints and jugs), the food is hands-down the best of any Sydney brewery. Not so surprising when considering that Yulli’s started as a vegan restaurant in Surry Hills before expanding to its brewery location in Alexandria.
Find an extensive menu of vegan Thai food, from small snacks, like shitake tofu dumplings, to main meals with all your favourites – but their pad see ew noodle dish is to die for. As for beers, they have some pretty unique blends, like the tangy Mandarin IPA, along with all the staples. They also have alcoholic seltzer and ginger beer
Address: 75a Burrows Road, Alexandria
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