14 Best Gold Coast Breweries To Visit Now

Sit down with an ice-cold beer and enjoy.

Consider yourself a beer lover? The Gold Coast’s brewery scene has exploded over the last few years with new craft beer bars and tap houses opening, leading to the city quickly becoming the craft beer capital of Australia.

From Surfers Paradise to Burleigh Heads and over to Tamborine Mountain, it’s time to sip your way around the best breweries on the Gold Coast.

1. Hound and Stag Brewing Co.

The Gold Coast’s newest brewery Hound and Stag Brewing Co. is whole-heartedly into creating great beer within a spectacular venue to enjoy it. This stylish taproom and beer garden with a modern Australian cuisine menu and weekly live music is designed to be the brewery for everyone.

Address: 13 Wrights Place, Arundel

Enjoy great beer, good food and live music.

2. BOBs Beer

An acronym for best of beers, BOBs Beer is the first and only brewery in Surfers Paradise, led by head brewer Ryan Fullerton who is passionate about tying the local Surfers’ culture into each beer he brews. BOBs Beers are brewed on-site so you can enjoy a pot just metres from where it was brewed.

Head to BOBs for a no-fuss night of drinks.

Peckish? BOBs put as much thought into their food and strive to ensure their beer and food menus complement each other so all you need to worry about is when you’re going to fit in your next surf.

Address: 10/2 Elkhorn Avenue, Surfers Paradise

Pull up a chair inside their elegant drinking space.

3. Madocke Beer Brewing Company

Home to Australia’s champion European-style ale, Madocke Beer Brewing Company exclusively brews Belgian-style beers at its digs in Ashmore. This traditional Belgian beer comes from many factors including the brewing process, fermentation method, and knowledge of traditions handed down for centuries. On a visit to the taproom, get to know its Belgian range of craft beer and grab a bite from the food truck on-site.

Address: 286 Southport Nerang Road, Ashmore

Refresh yourself with an ice-cold beer at Madocke.

4. Lost Palms Brewing Company

Another recent addition to the burgeoning Gold Coast craft scene is Lost Palms, which has put a little fun into the brewery scene. Taking out any tough masculine elements associated with beer, this brewery and taphouse has a gorgeous pastel pink and mint colour scheme — hardly your average brewery, is it?

You’ll find Lost Palms in the neighbourhood of Miami across the street from the Gold Coast’s trendiest hang-out, Miami Marketta, which has pop-up bars, boho designers, eclectic live music, and a crowd that looks more Collingwood than Coolangatta. Look for modern takes on beer with brews like the Beetroot Sour, and take advantage of the daily food deals such as $12 burgers and fries on Fridays.

Address: 11 Oak Avenue, Miami

You can’t miss this striking Gold Coast brewery.

5. Precinct Brewing Co.

Nestled in a different pocket of Miami is Precinct Brewing Co. — a converted workshop that’s now a full-working brewery. With beers on tap, a restaurant, and large communal spaces, along with open-air ceilings and transient artworks, you’ve got a contemporary, breezy, and welcoming brewery.

Address: 17 Christine Ave, Miami

Step inside this converted workshop.

6. Burleigh Barrels Brewery

Close to the Burleigh surf break is Burleigh Barrels Brewery with award-winning beers and a delicious low ‘n’ slow BBQ smokehouse menu. With great vibes, live music, a dog-friendly beer garden, and plenty of events, it’s the perfect place to end a day or start a night out.

a BBQ smokehouse board at Burleigh Barrels Brewery, Gold Coast

Their BBQ smokehouse board is a must-try.

Address: 3-4/105 W Burleigh Rd, Burleigh Waters

7. Aardvark and Arrow Brewery

Aardvark and Arrow Brewery specialises in small-batch brewing and provides a wide range of beers, ciders, and seltzers to the Gold Coast community. On the third Friday of every month, you’re invited to their Friday Night Tasting events (5 to 8pm) to taste six of their brews via their self-serve taps (yes, you can help yourself!) and to feast on a BBQ dinner.

Address: 13 John Duncan Court, Varsity Lakes

Serve yourself at Aardvark and Arrow Brewery.

8. Two Mates Taphouse

As the name suggests, Two Mates Taphouse was created by two mates, offering a delicious range of beer, cider, and kombucha. From its number one seller Lovemore Hazy Pale (a sunny yellow pale ale bursting with tropical and citrus notes) and Choc Cherry Porter to the Mango Pash Sour or Coconut Lime Cider, you’ll feel revitalised from the first sip. Want a bite on the side? The food menu included Buffalo wings, cheesy bread, burgers, and salads.

Address: 2/235 Varsity Parade, Varsity Lakes

the exterior view of the entrance at Two Mates Taphouse, Gold Coast

Sink a cold brew at Two Mates Taphouse.

9. Black Hops HQ

It started with three Brisbane mates who loved to drink beer together. Nothing too unusual about that in Australia, but what’s different about these buddies is that they’ve now created Black Hops Brewing which is rated among Australia’s top 10 breweries.

Located near the waves at Burleigh Point, Black Hops brewery is all about keeping it real, so you’ll be drinking from one of eight taps among stacks of kegs, fermenters, and malt sacks, but that’s what’s so great about Black Hops. It’s understated, yet somehow that makes it all the more trendy. Grab a tasting paddle and a bite to eat from the on-site food trucks every Friday and Saturday. If you fancy a change of pace, make sure to taste their refreshing Ginger Cider.

Address: 15 Gardenia Grove, Burleigh Heads

Sink a few cold ones at Black Hops (Image: Destination Gold Coast)

10. Black Hops II

Black Hops is so popular, they had to create a second taphouse in Biggera Waters. Check out their 16 beers on tap, Trivia on Thursday nights and food trucks from Thursday to Sunday.

Address: 671 Pine Ridge Road, Biggera Waters

11. Burleigh Brewing Company

It was the Burleigh Brewing Company that started the whole independent craft brewing phenomenon on the Gold Coast. In 2006, everyone drank the same beer because there wasn’t any other choice, then a Hawaiian bloke and a Gold Coast woman got together and put it all on the line, giving up their old careers to introduce the Coast to craft beer. The rest, as they say, is history.

a bartender pouring local craft beer into a glass at Burleigh Brewing Company

Chug bottomless beers at Burleigh Brewing Company. (Image: Tourism and Events Queensland)

There have been stacks of World Beer Award Gold Medals along the way and today, their brewery is one of Burleigh’s trendiest spots, hosting live music on the weekend and food trucks. You can even bring your four-legged friends along!

Address: 2 Ern Harley Drive, Burleigh Heads

a hand reaching for craft beers lined on the table, Gold Coast

Have a taste of their craft beers while you’re at it. (Image: Tourism and Events Queensland)

12. Balter Brewing Company

What screams Gold Coast more than a brewery set up by some of the world’s top surfers? Introducing Balter Brewing Company in Currumbin, their mission is uncomplicated — combine good beer with enjoyment, which they execute beautifully as proven by their first-place win in the GABS Australian Hottest 100 Aussie Craft Beers awards.

a bartender pouring tap beer into a glass at Balter Brewing Company, Gold Coast

Try their fresh craft beer on tap.

With a rotating roster of fresh, limited-release beers, the best regional food trucks sitting outside, and live music humming in the background, there’s no hipper place to be on the weekend. Put simply, they know they’ve done their job well if people are walking out smiling.

Fancy learning more about how the beer you’re holding came to be? Join the Balter Brewery Tour run by their in-house beer guru. Plus, they’ll shout the first round!

Address: 14 Traders Way, Currumbin

a group of guests drinking and dining at Balter Brewing Company, Gold Coast

Chill with a drink in hand at Balter Brewing Company.

13. Fortitude Brewing Co.

Sitting in the Gold Coast Hinterland is Tamborine Mountain’s Fortitude Brewing Co. The two founders of Fortitude became mates at school, but their future as beer brewers was sealed when they had their first beer together and they realised that this should become their life’s work.

Today, Fortitude delivers a range of beers that bring together top-quality ingredients and bold flavours that linger refreshingly. Known as the Goldilocks of beers, you won’t find Fortitude on taps everywhere but when you do get a taste, you’ll know it’s just right. Pop over to this idyllic spot for a lazy afternoon session.

Address: 165 Long Rd, Tamborine Mountain

Fortitude Brewing Co. Gold Coast Hinterland

Taste a range of beers with bold flavours.

14. Hop On Brewery Tours

Want to learn more about beer while enjoying a day out? Join a Hop On Brewery Tour and be chauffeured between the best Gold Coast breweries in a private, air-conditioned van. Choose between a half-day or full-day tour to see behind-the-scenes of your favourite beers.

a bartender preparing a Precinct Beer Paddle, Gold Coast

Start off your beer-tasting tour with a refreshing Precinct Beer Paddle.

For more activity ideas on your next trip to the Gold Coast, head to our Gold Coast travel guide.

The unique tranquillity of Japanese bathing culture can now be experienced in a Queensland rainforest.

I’m the first official guest at SOL Elements, an elemental bathhouse located in Mt Tamborine, roughly 50 minutes inland from the Gold Coast beaches. The town is already a calm-inducing hinterland heaven as birdsong echoes over rolling hills and roadside avocado shacks pop up around many corners. But with the arrival of SOL Elements, Mt Tamborine evolves into a wellness destination. Let me take you through the experience.

The new bathhouse is set in the calming hinterland. (Image: Timothy Birch)

First impressions

The exterior of the new SOL Elements Bathhouse in the Gold Coast hinterland

The setting delivers maximum serenity. (Image: Timothy Birch)

Given the jaw-dropping rendered photography released by the team in January 2025, I wondered if SOL Elements could meet the hype. Additionally, the location is at the end of a large car park at Tamborine Mountain Glades’ Thunderbird Park, an iconic kid-friendly hinterland attraction, so I was curious as to how they’d bring the Zen.

Surprisingly, no shrieking children are heard as I approach one architecturally magnificent facade. Positioned off a small lake dubbed Lotus Lake, swimming with turtles and ducks, it features thin timber boards that gradually fan out via meticulous three-millimetre increments. More than 2000 metres of hand-charred wood, burnt personally by Russ Raven, who founded SOL Elements with his wife Shae Raven, make up the entrance and much of the interior walls, channelling the ancient Japanese art of wood preservation, Yakisugi. It’s an aesthetic that pops amid bushland without ever jarring. It’s dramatic yet graceful, bold yet grounded – a lot like what’s going on inside, really…

Communal bathhouse

The communal bathhouse is circular with treatment rooms branching off from a garden. (Image: Timothy Birch)

Positioned to take in the entire breadth of that fairytale lake, three small outdoor thermal mineral pools are the cornerstone of SOL Elements’ communal bathhouse, which caters to just 30 people at a time. While the warm pools bubble at a toasty 38 degrees, the cold plunge drops to an icy 12 degrees.

There are two ways to soak up some hot and cold therapy. The first starts inside SOL’s Cedar Wood Sauna, fitted with bench seating and extensive windows that let in more Lotus Lake views, before I go 90 full seconds in the cold (I’m aiming for two minutes, but it’s still winter). The sauna is small, and I’m grateful to be in there alone, but six or so people could fit in here comfortably.

Sit around the sunken fire pit at SOL Elements Bathhouse

Sit around the sunken fire pit. (Image: Timothy Birch)

The second way to hop between hot and cold is via the showstopping submerged outdoor fire pit. I take a seat on its curved bench seating and watch the flames flicker against my serene view. Sitting in wet cozzies, I feel reinvigorated, ready to dip in and out all over again.

Then there’s the communal Earth Lab, a mind-blowing alchemy station. Before I hit the showers, I’m invited to spoon out two ingredients from a bar filled with salts, flowers and powders. Utterly delighted to personalise my sensory journey, I go for the ground coffee and hibiscus flower petals before pumping body wash into my palm and creating an exfoliating polish. It’s hard to ignore the likes of raw brown sugar, chamomile flowers, rose petals and spirulina powder (there are 10 options in total), but my blend is straight-up delicious.

The Earth Lab features an alchemy station for guests to create a personalised sensory journey that suits their mood. (Image: Kristie Lau-Adams)

Himalayan Salt Sanctuary

The Himalayan Salt Sanctuary at SOL Elements. (Image: Kristie Lau-Adams)

There’s one other communal element at SOL: the Himalayan Salt Sanctuary, featuring a gasp-worthy design (and gasps are welcomed, given the respiratory benefits salt therapy is famed for).

Built with illuminated salt bricks that morph between sunrise shades, pale pink and clear white, the room radiates as I breathe in negative ionised air. Bench seating wraps the entire space while three stunning pendant lights glisten, dialling up the drama. It feels as though I’m sitting inside a lantern, all while my lungs are high-fiving me as I attempt further breathwork.

Floatation caves

For the ultimate sensory deprivation experience, two Floatation Caves are calling. Located right next to the Himalayan Salt Sanctuary, the rooms open to beautiful all-black stone fit-outs. Magnesium salt water is heated to complement your unique body temperature. Epsom salt and Dead Sea salt are expertly utilised to create the most extensively filtered water in Queensland. This is magnesium magic on steroids.

Once the doors shut, it’s completely dark. I float blissfully unaware of my surroundings; waterproof headphones ensure total immersion.

Secluded Suites

an outdoor mineral plunge at SOL Elements

The onsite accommodation features a heated private mineral plunge. (Image: Kristie Lau-Adams)

I step up my SOL Elements visit by booking one of its two Secluded Suites, and the experience is end-to-end luxurious. Facility-wise, the suite (which caters for groups of up to five) gives me my own infrared sauna, single-person cold plunge, shower, private Earth lab with four ingredients, mini-bar with mocktails, tea station and clay mask, all while floor-to-ceiling glass windows throw up more of those soothing views.

The cherry on top? An outdoor private warm mineral plunge right by the lake. I sip on an organic, caffeine-free lemon myrtle and ginger root tea as the afternoon slips by. But before I go, there’s one more unmissable element to indulge in.

Massages and treatments

Inside the treatment rooms at SOL Elements Bathhouse

Up the ante with a rejuvenating massage at one of the two onsite treatment rooms. (Image: Timothy Birch)

I dress in a plush black waffle robe and stroll a couple of doors down to one of SOL Element’s two treatment rooms. I’m booked in for the Earthing Immersion as I love hot stone massages, and this features stones gathered with permission from Indigenous elders right around Australia. How special is that?

For so many reasons, but mainly the skills flexed by therapist Milena (who specialises in stretching), this is a massage like no other. I’m asked about my mood and lifestyle before Milena tells me she’s reading my energy. I’m not typically partial to energy readings, but I can’t deny that my limbs surrender under the hands of Milena, who uses Synthesis Organics’ essential oils that smell divine.

The stones differ in size and shape, heated and rolled across me like Café de Paris butter. 90 minutes later, I feel weightless as I return to my Secluded Suite to shower again and, begrudgingly, depart. I’m truly transformed into jelly. It took Shae and Russ four long years, but SOL Elements manages to live up to every expectation before soaring far beyond.

Details

Address: Cedar Creek Falls Rd and Tamborine Mountain Rd, Tamborine Mountain (within Tamborine Mountain Glades)

Opening hours: Monday to Thursday, 8 am to 8 pm, Friday to Sunday, 8 am to 10 pm

Prices:

Communal Bathhouse: $95 for 90 minutes
Floatation Cave: $90 per person for 60 minutes (2 guests maximum)
Secluded Suite: From $360 for two people, for 90 minutes
Earthing Immersion: $300 for 90 minutes
Other massages, facials and treatments: View the spa menu

Accessibility: SOL Elements welcomes guests with access needs. The building features wide pathways, accessible for wheelchairs, throughout. A pool hoist can also be arranged if requested in advance.

Please note: All guests must be over 18.

14 of the best craft beer breweries on the Gold Coast