Straight up, every brewery tour on this list is an 18 plus experience, tastings involve real beer and photo ID is standard at the door. The good news is these tours usually run for an hour or two, which makes them easy to slot into a family holiday as a well earned grown ups outing while everyone else enjoys a nearby beach, park or attraction. Here is the honest lowdown across Adelaide, Noosa, Byron Bay and Melbourne.
160 years of brewing history, Adelaide
The Adelaide Brewery Tour and Tasting takes you behind the scenes at Coopers Brewery, Australia's largest family owned brewery, for a look at 160 years of brewing history before a guided tasting of 5 beers including a limited edition brew. It runs a tidy 90 minutes, participants must be 18 and over, and the tour is wheelchair accessible with a maximum of 20 people per group.
Breweries and a distillery in one trip, Byron Bay
The Byron Bay Brewery and Distillery Tour with Tastings covers 2 breweries and a distillery over 4 relaxed hours, with stops that can include the family owned Seven Mile Brewery in Ballina alongside names like Stone and Wood. Participants must be 18 and over with photo ID, and there is the option to swap beer for cider, wine, ginger beer or seltzer at each stop.
Victoria's largest brewery, Melbourne
The Melbourne Brewery and Beer Tasting heads to Carlton Brewhouse on the Yarra River, home of Carlton Draught and Victoria Bitter, for a 90 minute look at over 100 years of brewing tradition and a tasting to finish. As with every tour here, this one is strictly 18 and over.
Frequently asked questions
Can kids come along on a brewery tour?
No, every brewery tour listed here requires all participants to be 18 years and over, with photo ID commonly required at check in.
How long do brewery tours usually take?
Most run between 90 minutes and 4 hours, though the Noosa option is a full 5 hour day visiting multiple breweries with lunch included.
Are any of these breweries family owned?
Yes, Coopers Brewery in Adelaide is Australia's largest family owned brewery, and the Byron Bay tour can include a stop at the family owned Seven Mile Brewery in Ballina.
Is there a non beer option on these tours?
The Byron Bay tour lets you swap beer for cider, wine, ginger beer or seltzer at each stop, handy if some of the adults in your group are not beer drinkers.
What should we plan for the family while the adults do a brewery tour?
Look for a nearby beach, park or family attraction to fill the hour or two the tour takes, most of these experiences are short enough to fit neatly around the rest of a family day.
Local tip: book a shorter 90 minute tour like Adelaide or Melbourne if you want to keep the rest of the family day free, and save the longer Noosa or Byron Bay options for a day when someone else has the kids covered.
Book your brewery tour above and carve out a proper grown ups moment on your next family trip.
