Rightfully named the Craft Capital of Australia, Sydney's Inner West is blessed with some of the best breweries and micropubs serving up frothy IPAs, crisp lagers, and unbeatable ciders.
The Inner West Ale Trail is a collective of 18 hyperlocal, independent breweries that provides the ultimate brewpub crawl spanning six vibrant suburbs—Marrickville, Enmore, Newtown, St Peters, Rozelle, and Camperdown—serving up over 320 unique brews within a five-kilometre radius.
Promising more than just prime pints, the trail has heaps of welcome offers like 2-for-1 beers, plus 15 restaurants and food trucks serving perfectly paired bites, and an ever-changing roster of events each week like live music, comedy nights, pool comps, bingo and plenty more.
These are the breweries you can visit along the Inner West Ale Trail.
Coming Soon: Bracket Brewing
2/48 Addison Road, Marrickville
Image credit: Bracket Brewing | Instagram
Reopening in late 2024, Bracket Brewing has moved to Marrickville after previously inhabiting the space at 21 McCauley Street in Alexandria. This nanobrewery is loved by Inner West locals for its new beer releases each month.
The Grifter Brewing Co.
1/391-397 Enmore Road, Marrickville
Image credit: The Grifter Brewing Co. | Instagram
The Grifter Brewing Co. is a must-stop in Marrickville, serving up funky brews like the Orange Goblin pale ale, Serpent’s Kiss watermelon pilsner and Pink Galah pink lemonade sour, alongside damn-good wood-fired pizzas.
On Fridays and Sundays, buy a Margherita pizza from Grifter’s on-site pizzeria and receive a complimentary tap lager thanks to this Inner West Ale Trail offer.
Hawke’s Brewing
8-12 Sydney Street, Marrickville
Image credit: Hawke's Brewing | Facebook
Step back in time to the ‘80s at Hawke’s Brewing a.k.a The Bob Hawke Beer and Leisure Centre. The retro RSL-esque brewpub has a charming beer garden out front and The Lucky Prawn restaurant inside, serving up succulent Chinese meals.
Grab a pint for the price of a schooner with the Inner West Ale Trail offer, and hit up happy hour from 4pm to 6pm on weekdays for $2 dim sims and $5.99 schooners.
Batch Brewing
44 Sydenham Road, Marrickville
Located just two minutes' walk from Sydenham station, Batch Brewing is a great first stop on the Inner West Ale Trail. Get two tasting crates for the price of one and enjoy 10 famed tap beers like the Trippy Hippy IPA and Marrickville Pale Ale, paired with gourmet Portugese-style grub from Bifana Lab food truck, open Wednesday to Sunday.
Young Henrys
76 Wilford Street, Newtown
Image credit: Young Henrys | Facebook
Known for its rock ‘n’ roll flair, Young Henrys is a Newtown institution that kickstarted the Trail back in 2012. With ten taps, an $8.50 schooner weekday happy hour from 3pm to 5pm, and a 2-for-1 Ale Trail offer, you can’t go wrong. Try the renowned Newtowner Pale Ale or a classic YH cloudy cider paired with an easy eat from rotating local food trucks on weekends.
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Philter Brewing
92-98 Sydenham Road, Marrickville
Image credit: Philter Brewing | Facebook
Philter Brewing is a multi-level drinking destination inside a converted factory with a public bar, retro rooftop bar, old-school sports bar, and a restaurant serving pizzas, burgers, wings, snacks and share plates. Sip on $6 Ale Trail schooners of signatures like the Philter XPA or head upstairs to Marrickville Springs rooftop bar to try Aussie-themed cocktails.
Brickworks Brewing
15 May St, St Peters
Neighbouring Sydney Park and St Peters station, Brickworks is a brewery housed in a historic brick factory with 12 taps, live music and different food trucks each week. Hit up happy hour on Thursday from 5pm to 7pm and Friday 4pm to 6pm for an after-work bevvy.
Wildflower Brewing & Blending
11-13 Brompton Street, Marrickville
Image credit: Wildflower Brewing & Blending | Facebook
Located next to Gelato Messina HQ and The Factory Theatre, Wildflower Brewing & Blending uses wild yeasts from native flowers to craft its fermented beers, making it one of Australia’s most unique breweries—that, and the fact that it's housed in a 19th-century foundry workshop.
Receive 15% takeaway beer with the Ale Trail offer or sit in for a feed from the elevated food menu that focuses on high-quality, local produce.
Hopsters Co-op Brewery
198 Enmore Road, Enmore
Australia’s first brewing co-operative, Hopsters, is fully funded and run by community members. Heaps is happening here like trivia, comedy, Queers + Beers nights, masterclasses, brewer talks, markets and more. Head there at happy hour on weekdays from 4pm to 6pm for pints at schooner prices and schooners at middy prices.
Chuck & Sons Brewing Co.
Unit 3E-3F/1-7 Unwins Bridge Road, St Peters
Image credit: Chuck & Sons Brewing Co. | Facebook
From the godfather of Aussie craft beer and legend behind James Squire, Malt Shovel and Hahn Brewery, Chuck Hahn’s sun-soaked brewery Chuck & Sons Brewing Co. is not to be missed on the Inner West Ale Trail.
Get an IPA, hoppy hazy, or an amber ale, or check out the chock-a-block wine list and creative cocktails like a hop-infused gin negroni. Head to the rooftop terrace for some vitamin D and munch on beer-marinated ribs, juicy burgers and rice bowls from the on-site food truck.
Wayward Brewing
1 Gehrig Lane, Camperdown
Image credit: Wayward Brewing | Facebook
Once a winery, Camperdown gem Wayward Brewing is a moody underground venue filled with oak barrels, brew tanks and cozy cellar rooms. Pouring 24 taps of award-winning brews, with its own W seltzer range, there’s plenty to taste-test here. The on-site food truck provides the goods with a lineup of smashable burgers, loaded fries, chicken wings, and kid-friendly combos.
Kicks Brewing
31 Shepherd Street, Marrickville
Image credit: Kicks Brewing | Facebook
Kick it at Kicks Brewing, a family-run modern taproom with rotating food trucks serving international eats, ten taps and tip-top deals like 2-for-one beers with the Ale Trail Offer. Open Friday and Saturday from 12pm to 9pm and Sunday from 12pm to 7pm, Kicks is an absolute weekend hotspot.
Willie the Boatman
Precinct 75 Suite 601, 75 Mary Street, St Peters
Swing by St Peters to check out Willie the Boatman, a local favourite pup-friendly brewery named after a convict who carried booze across the nearby Cook River. The on-theme nautical taproom features a hand-carved oak bar where you can grab 12 on-tap beers, tasting paddles and 2-for-1 Willie beers with the Ale Trail.
There’s also a free sausage sizzle every Friday, Saturday and Sunday and monthly kid-friendly family days.
Future Brewing
82 May Street, St Peters
Image credit: Future Brewing | Instagram
Since opening in 2023, Future Brewing has developed a reputation for great vibes and stunner beers. Owner Brady Hannett is an ex-scientist turned brewer creating impressive sips like crisp lagers, IPAs and hazy pale ales. Open Thursday to Sunday, take advantage of 2-for-1 beers with an end-of-week drink, with food trucks on weekends.
Pickled Monkey Brewing Co
127 Victoria Road, Marrickville
Image credit: Pickled Monkey | Instagram
With 24 taps and street-side seating, Pickled Monkey Brewing Co is a cool hangout spot in Sydney’s Inner West. Open all seven days of the week, the brewpub pours Monkey originals, plus a few local drops, and has a weekday happy hour from 4.30pm–6.30pm with half-price large beers. Pair with fat pizza sandos, loaded tacos, a tasty antipasto plate and chocolate Basque cheesecake from the Italian Gringo kitchen on-site.
Mixtape Brewing & Bar
142A Victoria Road, Marrickville
Image credit: Mixtape Brewing & Bar | Facebook
Mixtape Brewing & Bar is a lively joint fit with an arcade machine, tape decks and 2-for-1 tinnies with the Ale Trail. 18 taps contain half house-made brews and half hand-picked faves from other breweries, which go down swimmingly with pizzas, tacos, dumplings or their scrumptious falafel plate.
Sauce Brewing Co.
1a Mitchell Street, Marrickville
Image credit: Sauce Brewing Co. | Facebook
Sauce Brewing Co. is a massive warehouse establishment with a lush beer garden—making for the ideal sunset and sip spot to enjoy with the fam or four-legged friends. The brewery goes all out with 14 taps, tasting paddles, Twizzle canned cocktails and food truck fare.
White Bay Brewery
26C Mansfield Street, Rozelle
Image credit: White Bay Brewing | Instagram
Nestled inside a 150-year-old steel mill on the Balmain Peninsula, White Bay Brewery blends rustic charm with modern brewing techniques. 13 beers on tap and Tipo ‘00’ leopard-crusted, wood-fired pizzas are a match made in heaven, with heaps of topping additions to DIY the pizza to your liking. Plus, all dogs are welcome, so bring your pup along for a fun day out.
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Main image credit: Sauce Brewing Co. | Supplied