Last Updated on 26 June 2024 by Ariana Svenson
We’ve worked hard to find for you the best Margaret River Breweries! It’s worth noting that ALL of these visits were with kids, so this also doubles up as a quest to find the best family friendly brewery in Margaret River. We just spent a few days down in Margs in April 2023, and re-visited and visited a few more of these breweries to give you the most up to date info possible!
I know, it’s a tough job but someone has to do it. In all seriousness, being Western Australian based, our summary of the best breweries in Margaret River has been put together over a number of visits to the Margaret River region. The benefit of having one person review all these different options is that we can actually share what they are like in one spot. The craft beer Margaret River scene only took off a few years ago. Up until then, Margaret River was famous for fine food and wines. However, beer was not so popular. I mean, let’s face it the Margaret River region grows grapes, not hops and barley.
Who Are We? We are Western Australian locals and over the years take a family trip to the Margaret River or Busselton region once or twice a year. These recommendations are based on regular visits, as well as talking to friends about their experiences. (Let’s face it – who can truly visit every brewery and winery in the Margaret River area!) So the advice we offer is from our own experience, or talking as locals do, with friends, about what they liked. Recently, during the pandemic, we spent full weeks in the Margaret River area and got to really dig deeper. We hope you find our advice helpful!
Looking for the best kid friendly wineries in Margaret River? Then you might be inspired by this list of breweries who which are all oriented towards the families with kids. In fact, you will find on this some of the best family friendly restaurants in Margaret River, especially for lunch.
As a family, we also find that some of the breweries are far more relaxed than the wineries and we feel a lot more comfortable taking our kids there than to the wineries.
As such, breweries feel like they are almost as popular as wineries and while some of the wineries still retain their elegant façade, the breweries, in general, make no such pretense and are much more relaxed. For example, we had no problem heading in for lunch at Black Brewing Co after a quick hike out to Quinninup Falls. Looking for some Margaret River Winery info? Here are 6 of the Best Margaret River Wineries.
Disclosure: Through my site there are links to affiliates, which means that I might receive commission if you buy something after clicking them. This costs you no more, and you definitely don’t pay extra. However, I do get a small amount which contributes to the upkeep of this blog. Thanks so much for all of your support – and we hope you have a ball in Western Australia!
Best Margaret River Breweries – Information & Reviews
Once you have been to the Margaret River region, you realize that it is not just one town, but many towns stretching from Busselton and Dunsborough in the north, right through to Augusta in the south. Two of the most well-known “little” towns are Yallingup and Cowramup. Many of the Margaret River breweries we have covered here are in the tiny localities around here, namely Willyabrup (Willy-ab-brup and Metricup! Don’t worry, with our handy guide you’ll be navigating around these breweries like a local in no time!
Speaking of guides, if you are visiting Busselton specifically check out our The Best Restaurants In Busselton and Visit A Busselton Winery And The Best Busselton Breweries!.
Be safe when visiting the Margaret River Breweries.
We’ve visited each of these breweries for a lunch or a snack (and a quick bevy) while exploring the Magnificent Margaret River region. We believe in responsible drinking and our focus is mixing great beer with the fabulous outdoors. However, if you are on a more classic wine tour with a twist – a Margaret River Brewery tour – make sure that you choose someone in the group as a designated driver. Alternatively, you can investigate if any of the Margaret River Wine tours offer Brewery tours!
Eagle Bay Brewing
Eagle Bay Brewing Company is a sibling-owned restaurant, vineyard, and brewery in (you guessed it) Eagle Bay, Western Australia. The beautiful brewery/cellar door is nestled on family-owned land that still operates as a working farm. As you sip on your drinks, you have views across the farmland and out to the ocean.
Eagle Bay Brewing Co is sleek, modern and feels more like a winery than a brewery. It’s super modern, with modern lines – and a fresh elegant menu. There is a fantastic “outdoor” area enclosed by huge glass windows, allowing the winter sun in and protecting from the winds that must come in from the ocean views. We visited in winter and the area was warm; it would be lovely in summer.
There is a large grassed area for kids to play on and views out to Eagle Bay and Cape Naturaliste. There is also a boat and sand area for kids to play, but compared to other breweries in Margaret River this is not one of the best kid-friendly facilities.
Eagle Bay Brewing has all the typical brews (like Kolsch, IPA, and lager) with a few interesting stand-outs. Each winter they produce a Cocoa Stout which is made from chocolate sourced from local chocolatiers Bahen and Co. For wine enthusiasts, they also offer a beer-wine hybrid called Chardonnay Sparkling Ale.
We’d read reviews saying they didn’t have a kids menu – but they actually did. They had crayons and pencils quickly on hand – top marks to them!
The beer and food get pretty great reviews but the two things everyone seems to remark on are the view and the friendly service. If you are going with a group, or during peak times, reservations are recommended as it can get quite busy. It was very full on the day we visited with lots of happy clientele – that’s a thumbs up from us.
Location: Eagle Bay, Dunsborough
Driving time to Margaret River: 45 minutes/ 56km
Driving time to Busselton: 29minutes/ 30km
Nearby: We recommend visiting Eagle Bay with a trip to Cape Naturaliste Lighthouse and Sugarloaf Rock, both recommended in our Things to do in Dunsborough.
Black Brewing Co.
One of the newer places that we recently visited was the Black Brewing Co. We’d spotted it as we were driving down Cave’s Road at night and it looked gorgeous illuminated with lights over a large lake. During the day, we could see that the massive restaurant and taproom overlook the lake with an imposing fountain in the center. The kids loved running over to the island and liked the small playground.
At the front door, we were greeted by a huge warrior on a horse. I immediately thought of the Terracotta warriors and wondered whether it was Emperor Qin Shi Huang. Later I learned that Black Brewing Co had taken over the premises from Saracen wines, but given the ancient warriors of China weren’t Saracens then I’m not sure of the meaning. However, the kids thought it was great!
If you are traveling with a group of varied tastes, then Black Brewing Co might be your stop. They have created the Caves Road Collective which includes Black Brewing, wine tastings from Ground to Cloud Wines, and Dune Distilling Co which offers a tasty signature gin.
Black Brewing Co. is big on sustainability. From locally sourced ingredients to their packaging, they are conscious of their footprint.
They brew IPA’s, lager, and ciders, with several one-off and seasonal offerings. If you are a cider fan, you have to try Black Brewing Cider as it is made from 100% fresh Manjimup apples.
Their kitchen is open 7-days a week, but with limited hours from 12 pm until 4 pm. If you want to enjoy a sit-down meal, plan accordingly. The menu is small with wood-fired pizzas and several different share plates. However, they do have a very limited kids menu. The restaurant is massive compared to other places. I assume on busy days there is not a lot of seating outside, but they do cater to pooches and have a small playground area.
While the building and grounds were stunning, we felt comfortable enough having lunch here after a hike to Quinninup Falls. Read our What You Need to Know about Quinninup Falls & Other Short Margaret River Hikes.
Location: Willyabrup (just south of Yallingup)
Driving time to Margaret River: 25 minutes/ 30l,
Driving time to Busselton: 30minutes/ 40km
Nearby: We visited after hiking to Quinninup Falls, but you could also visit after a visit any of Yallingup’s attractions.
Beerfarm
Arriving at Beerfarm, we were blown away by the massive number of cars in the carpark and wondered where all the people could possibly fit. Beerfarm is a converted dairy and farm buildings which makes it wonderfully eclectic and also big. Even though there must have been hundreds of people there, it was comfortable and not overcrowded.
Beerfarm, located in Metricup, advertises itself as a farm, a brewery, and a hospitality venue. A bit smaller than the two Margaret River Breweries mentioned above, but has a lot of passion and you can tell in their whole place. Beerfarm is a great place to relax with the entire family, even the family pets (this is a dog-friendly brewery)! Beerfarm is all about inclusivity, hanging out, having fun, and enjoying life … and a pint or two.
There are massive lawns here, and a long sloping hill that apparently doubles as a water slide in summer! OMG, what fun! There is a large playground at the bottom of the hill, which makes a lot of sense. Families can hang out there and the kids can make as much noise as they want.
At Beerfarm they serve all their core range, as well as seasonal and special releases with fantastical names. Names such as a bakers cream ale called “Flake It Till Ya Bake It”, an Australian pale ale called “Calm Ye Farm”. Make sure you try their seasonal releases like their milk stout and juicy IPA. By the way, in Aussie lingo ‘Calm ye Farm’ means “take a chill pill” or to stop stressing out when it doesn’t seem necessary!
There is an on-site restaurant and it’s rustic and no-nonsense like Beerfarm itself. Beef lovers MUST try their Beerfarm raised Black Angus Beef. They also have a small kids menu and an after hour’s menu for a small bite with your drinks.
Beerfarm brews and food come highly recommended. People rave about the farm-raised beef entrees on the menu and the craft beers. Although some reviews say that some of the offerings like the burgers and salads can be a bit on the smaller side. Doesn’t serve coffee, which was a bit disappointing!
Location: Metricup
Driving time to Margaret River: 20 minutes/ 26 km
Driving time to Busselton: 25 minutes / 31km
Nearby: We visited while my daughter did a trail ride with The Humble Horse, also located in Metricup. Margaret River Dairy Company is only 4 minutes’ drive, while the delish Margaret River Chocolate Company is about 8 minutes away.
Cheeky Monkey Brewery
Dubbed “The Cheekiest Place on Earth”, Cheeky Monkey Brewing Company is one of our favorite Margaret River Breweries. It is a fun craft brewery and restaurant, located off Caves Highway. The atmosphere is friendly and festive with big roaring fires in winter to keep you cozy, and warm. Cheeky Monkey Brewery also might be the most kid-friendly brewery in the entire Margaret River wine region. It has a large kid’s play area, space for the kiddos to roam around, and a jetty.
The Cheeky Monkey Pale Ale and Cheeky Monkey Cider are wonderful, and a must-try. Also, try the seasonal Silver Back Stout or the Salty Peaches Fruited Gose when they are in season! There really are so many different offerings to choose from and all are wonderful.
The food at Cheeky Monkey is delicious with a unique flare on pub food. We enjoyed a Hawaiian pizza with truffle oil, which was mouth-watering. Other options on the menu include fish and chips, burgers, salads, and small bites. They also have a practical kids menu.
Keep in mind this is a very family-friendly brewery, so if kids are not your thing you might prefer some of the other Margaret River Breweries. Also, it can get very busy at times, and reservations for seating are highly recommended.
If you are interested in hearing more, check out our post Cheeky Monkey Brewery Margaret River Review.
Location: Caves Road, Willyabrup (just south of Yallingup)
Driving time to Margaret River: 19 minutes/ 20km
Driving time to Busselton: 30minutes/ 40km
Nearby: After a long lunch at the Cheeky Monkey Brewery, we visited Canal Rocks and the kids had purple ice-cream at the Cape Lavender Tearooms! You could also visit Cheeky Monkey before or after a day of exploring Yallingup’s attractions.
CBCo Formerly Colonial Brewing Company
Just 10 minutes out of Margaret River, with great big lawns overlooking the water, CBCo. Formerly known as the Colonial Brewing Company, is another place you can take the kids and enjoy a pint. CBCo has a different vibe than Black Brewing Co or Eagle Bay Brewing which are a touch more sophisticated!This is another of the very Margaret River kid-friendly breweries. CBCo has an ample playground and plenty of space for the little ones to run around/ or roll down the hill like ours did. For the big kids there is a golf platform where plenty of adults lined up to drive floating golf balls out into a dam. Its $10 a bucket of balls and we saw lots of healthy competition going on!It was one of the first breweries to establish themselves in Margaret River and they have only grown from there. After expanding their brewing facilities in Port Melbourne, they now brew up to 7 million liters annually.As for the beers, they produce a rather small but robust line that includes a Pale Ale, Kolsch, Cider, and Stout among others. Perhaps the most popular is the CBCo Pale Ale and the Porter (which is seasonal).This Margaret River Brewery also serves food with all the usuals like pizza, salad, and wings. However, most people go for the atmosphere and the beer.
Location: A short drive from Margaret River
Driving time to Margaret River: 12 minutes/ 11km
Driving time to Busselton: 36minutes/ 48km
Nearby: CBCo is truly a Margaret River Brewery, being one of the closest to the town itself! Grab yourself a pint after visiting all of Margaret Rivers’s best attractions.
Bootleg Brewing Company
Bootleg Brewery sets itself apart from the other Margaret River Breweries in that it has a more rustic laid-back vibe. Located on a gorgeous farm estate, over-looking a lake this is one of the older properties in our list of Margaret River breweries. Yet, it is filled with charm.
Originally a one beer brewery, Bootleg Brewery has grown to produce several other award-winning brews. Their New World Lager and Raging Bull Ale are a must-try on the menu. The Raging Bull in particular has been brewed at Bootleg Brewing since 1994 and is an old favorite.
They do have a fairly decent sized food menu with burgers, salads, share plates, and some main dishes. Reviewers rave about the fish n chips but the other menu offerings seem to be just average. They also do have a great little kids menu with several different dishes offered.
Location: Willyabrup (just south of Yallingup)
Driving time to Margaret River: 25 minutes/ 27km
Driving time to Busselton: 32minutes/ 40km
Nearby: Like Black Brewing Co, the Bootleg Brewery is very close to the Quinninup
Falls, and other Yallingup attractions. For example, the Yallingup Maze is just up the road.
Cowaramup Brewing Company
Cowaramup Brewing Company is a modest, casual brewery and restaurant located in Cowaramup, Western Australia. Their brewhouse was actually imported from Canada and has a fantastic viewing window to watch the process take place.
They currently brew six different types of beer which include a Pilsener, Hefeweizen, Summer Ale, Pale Ale, India Pale Ale, and a Chocolate Porter. If you prefer light beers, the crisp and refreshing Pilsner is great. Their Hefeweizen is unfiltered and brewed in the old Bavarian style with a slight tart finish.
The kitchen is open from 12 pm to 3 pm Monday – Friday, and 12 pm to 3:30 pm Saturday and Sunday. If you are there getting a bite to eat, try the Beef & Porter Pie which is made from Cowaramup Chocolate Porter. They also serve a small kids menu.
Reviews of this Margaret River Brewery are generally favorable. One notable thing Cowaramup Brewing Company offers is a unique behind-the-scenes tour. The tour concludes with a six beer tasting flight matched with food. Reservations are required for the tour and the cost is $75 AUD per person.
Location: Cowramup
Driving time to Margaret River: 17 minutes/ 20km
Driving time to Busselton: 34minutes/ 37km
Nearby: Cow town! You have to stop and see the Cows in Cowramup! Our kids also loved Millers Ice-cream!
Clancy’s Fish Pub
While not exactly a Margaret River brewery, Clancy’s Fish Pub in Dunsborough offers decent pub food in a family friendly atmosphere. As a bonus, they sell beers from a range of local breweries, including Black Brewing Co, Beefarm and Cheeky Monkey!!!
Margaret River Brewhouse
Margaret River Brewhouse is located on Bussell Highway just over the Margaret River and opposite the Carter’s Road intersection. It’s definitely always very busy and the car park gets full. There is a small kids playground and what appeared to be a walking path through the thick Karri Forest over to the Margaret River Rotary Park and therefore connecting into town. A great tip if everyone in the group has enjoyed some brews and can’t drive home!While the brewery itself is pleasant, the grounds aren’t as large or as imposing as the majority of the other breweries, but the backdrop of the Karri Trees is beautiful.
Other Tantalizing Breweries in Margaret River
Given we love the Margaret River region we can say with certainty that we will be back in the Margaret River region soon, and thirsty to try another brewery in Margaret River. Or two!
Those on our list are:
Rocky Ridge Brewing located in Busselton and famous for its cleverly named limited Edition brews. Their tasting room called The Cellar Door is located near the jetty. They host local food trucks on the weekend.
Wild Hop Brewing Co located in Yallingup. While a great brewery they are also noted for their food. No average pub fare here (they don’t even offer pizzas). They offer family-style dishes with their rotisserie chicken being a stand-out.
Bush Shack Brewery is often listed as a Margaret River region brewery due to the Bush Shack Steakhouse in Busselton (this is temporarily closed). Its main venue is in the Ferguson Valley.
We did head to Occy’s Brewery in Dunsborough one night but it was full and couldn’t get a table, so we will have to leave that one to another time too – and next time we will make a reservation!
Breweries Near Margaret River
New on the microbrewery scene the Nannup Brewing Company is located in the lovingly renovated old Nannup Garage. Rustic and authentic, they have an abundance of passion heart. With relaxed vibes, they are running some great curated music events for those who enjoy kicking back with a great beer.
Their menu offers typical pub fare with the addition of dishes such as vegan chili with rice, chicken curry, and chicken parm. Be sure to try their mulled wine, cider, and stout.
The Verdict – Best Margaret River Breweries (Including Family Friendly Ones!)
We told you – there is an amazing Craft Beer scene in Margaret River and you will find plenty of great brews to taste as you discover this absolutely gorgeous area. We hope that you will find out guide to the Best Margaret River Breweries helpful in finding out where you want to rest a while! Plus, as a total bonus we hope that you enjoy our take on the best family friendly breweries in Margaret River.
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