Cider, Beer & Gin Trail
A hops-and-apples circuit through Oakbank, Lobethal and Hahndorf for everyone who's done the wine.
The plan
Everyone does the cellar doors, but the Adelaide Hills has a whole other drinks story built on apples and hops. This loop starts in the orchard country around Oakbank, takes in a distillery and a brewery sharing one precinct, then swings through Lobethal and finishes in Hahndorf for a German-pub send-off. Take a designated driver and an empty boot.
Start mid-morning at the Hills Cider Company while you're fresh - proper dry apple and pear cider made from local fruit. From there it's a short hop to the Adelaide Hills Distillery and Mismatch Brewing sharing a precinct at Oakbank, so you can taste native-botanical gin and fresh craft beer back to back without moving the car.
Push east to Lobethal Bierhaus for honest German-style brewing in a former wool mill, then loop south to Prancing Pony Brewery at Totness for award-winning ales. Finish in Hahndorf, where the Hahndorf Inn keeps the German beer-hall tradition alive with steins and schnitzel. Eat well, drink slowly, and let someone else drive home.
Day 1
6 stops-
1
The Hills Cider Company
OakbankOpen here while you're fresh - dry apple and pear cider from genuine local orchard fruit, poured on big lawns.
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2
Adelaide Hills Distillery
OakbankNative-botanical gin and a growing whisky program, including the famous green-ant gin.
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3
Mismatch Brewing Co
OakbankClean, drinkable craft beer in the same Oakbank precinct - taste it back-to-back with the gin.
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4
Lobethal Bierhaus
LobethalHonest German-style brewing in a former Lobethal wool mill; a hearty lunch stop.
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5
Prancing Pony Brewery
Mount BarkerAward-winning ales at Totness - the India Red Ale is the one to try.
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6
The Hahndorf Inn
HahndorfFinish in Australia's oldest German town with steins, schnitzel and a proper beer-hall buzz.
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On the map
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Image credits
- New Zealand Apple Orchard(GN04833).jpg by State Government Photographer , CC0 via Wikimedia Commons