Breweries & Distilleries
Craft beer, cider and small-batch spirits
The best breweries & distilleries in Stirling
The cool ranges have become a hotbed for craft brewers, cider makers and gin distillers, many with relaxed taprooms and beer gardens.
Beyond its famous wines, the Adelaide Hills has become a hotbed for craft beer, traditional cider and small-batch spirits — a natural fit for a region this rich in apples, pure water and good produce. Taprooms and cellar doors are relaxed, family- and dog-friendly places built for lingering over a tasting paddle.
The apple-growing heritage runs straight into the glass at cideries like The Hills Cider Company at Lobethal Road, pressing genuine local fruit into crisp, dry cider. Independent breweries such as the multi-award-winning Prancing Pony near Mount Barker and Lobethal Bierhaus in the old woollen-mill town pour rotating ranges with food, while the Adelaide Hills Distillery at Oakbank builds gin around foraged native botanicals.
Many makers cluster in shared precincts — beer, gin and cider under one roof — so it's easy to sample widely. As always with a tasting day, bring a designated driver for the drive home through the ranges.