Food & Drinks

Newcastle food and drink experiences split between a full day in the Hunter Valley and sessions at a Newcastle distillery. The Hunter Valley Wine & Spirits Tour from Newcastle collects you from your accommodation, while three experiences at Earp Distilling Co. on Darling Street in Carrington stay inside the city.

A Hunter Valley wine and spirits tour from Newcastle

Newy Tour Co. runs the Hunter Valley Wine & Spirits Tour from Newcastle with hotel pick-ups from 8.30am, and it's available Friday to Sunday. The day includes three seated wine tastings at iconic and boutique wineries, an artisan vodka and gin tasting, local cheese or chocolate sampling and a scenic lunch stop at The Farm 4 Pines.

Plan for about eight hours with return transfers. More cellar door trips are on our Newcastle wine tasting and winery tours page.

Spirit tasting and grazing at Earp Distilling Co.

The Newcastle Spirit Tasting & Grazing Board Combo is a 90 minute self-guided session in the distillery. You choose one flight of three spirits: Sweet (Vodka Pure, Limoncello and Orancello), Gin (Just Juniper, NO8 Dry and Portside) or Dark (Reggie's Rum, Bond Store Whisky and Curated Cask). It comes with a Fever-Tree mixer, garnishes and a grazing board of seasonal menu items.

Sessions are listed from Wednesday to Sunday, with lunchtime starts and some evening ones.

Spirit blending classes in Carrington

In the Newcastle Spirit Blending Workshop, distillers guide you through making your own gin, vodka or rum. You craft it from award-winning bases and over 20 botanicals, then bottle, name and label a 200ml take-home bottle. Non-alcoholic bottles are an option.

The Newcastle Spirit Blending Dinner Date stretches this to two hours for two. There's a one-hour blending class with snacks, then a shared three-course meal: an entrée each and a main and dessert to share. You take home a 500ml bottle of gin, vodka or rum.

Choosing a food and drink experience in Newcastle

Pick the Hunter Valley tour if you want a full day with transport sorted. Pick a Carrington session if you want a couple of hours close to the city, and the dinner date is the one for an evening for two. All three Carrington experiences are listed as wheelchair friendly. Browse Newcastle activities if you want something outdoors.

Frequently asked questions

How long is the Hunter Valley wine tour from Newcastle?

The Hunter Valley Wine & Spirits Tour from Newcastle takes about eight hours, including return transfers from Newcastle accommodation. It's available Friday to Sunday.

Where are the Newcastle spirit tasting and blending experiences?

The spirit tasting and blending experiences are at Earp Distilling Co., 41 Darling Street, Carrington, Newcastle NSW 2294.

What can you blend at the Newcastle spirit blending workshop?

At the Newcastle Spirit Blending Workshop you can blend gin, vodka or rum, using award-winning bases and over 20 botanicals. A non-alcoholic option is also listed.

Is food included with the Newcastle spirit tasting?

Yes. The Newcastle Spirit Tasting & Grazing Board Combo includes a grazing board of seasonal menu items, plus a Fever-Tree mixer and garnishes with your flight.

Do you take your blend home from the Newcastle spirit blending experiences?

Yes. The Newcastle Spirit Blending Workshop includes a 200ml bespoke bottle, and the Spirit Blending Dinner Date includes a 500ml bottle of gin, vodka or rum.

Local tip: the Hunter Valley tour is listed Friday to Sunday, while the Carrington spirit tasting is listed from Wednesday, so a midweek trip is the time for the distillery.

A day among the Hunter Valley wineries or a couple of hours blending your own gin in Carrington: Newcastle has both. Pick one and book it. All good days are waiting.