# Best Breweries in Margaret River | Craft Beer Guide WA South West
Canonical: https://bookfromowner.com.au/guides/wa/south-west/margaret-river/best-breweries/
Type: BestOfGuide
Location: Margaret River, Australia's South West, Western Australia
Last updated: 2026-06-01

> The best breweries in Margaret River — Cheeky Monkey, Bootleg, Colonial, Eagle Bay, Beerfarm, Black Brewing, and where to find craft spirits. Family-friendly options, food, settings and practical tips for the South West beer trail.

## Quick Answer
- Best for: Beer lovers, couples, families (most breweries welcome kids), wine-trip balance
- Price range: $10–$20 per tasting paddle; mains $20–$35
- Vibe: Relaxed, craft-serious, often beautiful settings
- Distance: WA South West, spread along the Caves Road corridor

## Featured Properties
- Margarets Beach Resort: 4.5/5 (689 reviews)
  Book direct: http://www.margaretsbeachresort.com.au/
  Margarets Beach Resort — Margaret River
- Margaret River Guest House: 4.9/5 (121 reviews)
  Book direct: http://www.margaretriverguesthouse.com.au/
  Margaret River Guest House — Margaret River
- RAC Margaret River Nature Park: 4.6/5 (335 reviews)
  Book direct: https://parksandresorts.rac.com.au/margaret-river/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=gbp-margaret
  RAC Margaret River Nature Park — Margaret River

## FAQ
Q: How many breweries are in Margaret River, and is a beer trail worth doing?
A: There are six or more established craft breweries in the Margaret River region, spread between Eagle Bay near Dunsborough in the north and Bootleg/Cheeky Monkey near Witchcliffe in the south — a 60km corridor. A beer trail is absolutely worth doing, both as a dedicated activity and as a complement to the wine and cave experiences the region is better known for. The quality of both the beer and the settings here is high, and the food at the better breweries is comparable to winery-restaurant lunches. A half-day covering two or three breweries is the right scope.

Q: Which Margaret River brewery is best for families with young children?
A: Cheeky Monkey at Witchcliffe is the standout for families — it has the largest outdoor grounds, a dedicated children's playground, and a broad food menu that suits diverse ages. Beerfarm at Metricup is a close second, with open farm spaces, farm animals and a relaxed pace that suits children who need room to move. Eagle Bay Brewing is smaller and quieter, which suits families with older children. All of the region's breweries are generally welcoming to families; the distinction is the available space and activity options.

Q: What is the best Margaret River brewery for beer quality and setting combined?
A: Eagle Bay Brewing Co. is the answer for most visitors — it combines a spectacular Indian Ocean view from its deck, food that competes with the winery restaurants, and a beer range with genuine quality. Bootleg Brewery is the other strong contender: it lacks Eagle Bay's view but compensates with 30 years of craft brewing experience, a forest setting and a food operation that has earned its place as the established benchmark. Beerfarm is the pick for the most distinctive and authentic farm-brewery experience.

Q: Can non-beer-drinkers enjoy the Margaret River brewery trail?
A: Yes, better than you'd expect. Cheeky Monkey has a genuine and well-made cider range that properly addresses non-beer-drinkers. Eagle Bay's food and setting are compelling regardless of what's in the glass. And the Margaret River Distilling Company (Giniversity) offers a craft gin experience with a distillation demonstration and botanical-sourced tasting that is the best answer for gin enthusiasts or anyone who wants a craft spirits alternative. A mixed group doing the trail can satisfy both beer and non-beer members without compromise.

Q: How do I plan a Margaret River wine and beer day without drink-driving?
A: The standard approach is to designate a driver for the day, rotating the role if you're travelling as a couple over multiple days. Alternatively, several operators in the region run guided South West brewery and winery tour packages that handle transport, timing and selection — worth considering for a group of four or more where nobody wants to be the permanent driver. Taxis and rideshares have limited availability in regional WA outside the main towns; don't rely on them at the more remote breweries. The region's roads are pleasant to drive but unfamiliar — plan the route before you leave and avoid remote driving after dark.

Q: Is the Margaret River beer scene better in winter or summer?
A: Both have merits. Summer is better for the outdoor, deck-and-beer-garden experience — Eagle Bay's ocean view and Bootleg's forest clearing are at their best on a warm afternoon. Winter suits the darker, more complex beer styles that Black Brewing and Beerfarm do well, and the indoor settings are warm and atmospheric when it's cold outside. The breweries operate year-round, so the best time is whenever you're in the region. Beer-trail days in winter or spring shoulder season are typically quieter and easier to book.

## At a Glance
- Number of craft breweries: 6+ established craft breweries, plus craft distilleries in the region
- Best single visit: Bootleg Brewery (Wilyabrup) or Eagle Bay Brewing for setting and quality together
- Most family-friendly: Cheeky Monkey (large grounds, playground) and Beerfarm (working farm, wide spaces)
- Craft spirits highlight: Margaret River Distilling Company (Giniversity) — gin school and tasting
- Opening hours: Most open daily for lunch; some evenings — confirm directly, especially mid-week
- Designated driver tip: Drives for drinkers are available; also worth planning a non-drinking day for the driver
- Booking: Recommended for lunch on weekends and school holidays; some require it

## Featured
- 1. Bootleg Brewery — Wilyabrup · forest setting · the established benchmark
  - Why people love it: Thirty years of craft brewing, a forest setting and a food menu serious enough to justify a proper lunch — the benchmark everything else in the region is measured against.
  - Don't miss: A tasting paddle of their core range on the deck in the late-afternoon sun, followed by the house sausages — the definitive Margaret River beer afternoon.
  - Good to know: Weekends fill fast for lunch; book or arrive before noon to secure a table outside. The kitchen stops at a standard time — confirm hours if arriving late.
- 2. Cheeky Monkey Brewery & Cidery — Witchcliffe · largest grounds · playground + cider + beer
  - Why people love it: The combination of a children's playground, a genuine cider range and enough outdoor space to lose a family for an afternoon makes it the most practical family brewery stop in the region.
  - Don't miss: The cider tasting paddle for non-beer-drinkers — a genuine, well-made range that treats cider as a serious product rather than an afterthought.
  - Good to know: The large visitor volume means it can feel busy and slightly impersonal on peak weekends — if you want a quieter experience, visit mid-week or earlier in the day.
- 3. Eagle Bay Brewing Co. — Eagle Bay · coastal views · the most scenic brewery in the region
  - Why people love it: A deck overlooking the Indian Ocean, quality beer and food that competes with the winery restaurants — the most complete sensory experience of any brewery in the region.
  - Don't miss: The deck with the ocean view in late afternoon — pair the pale ale with the sun dropping over the Indian Ocean and you'll find it hard to leave.
  - Good to know: Smaller capacity than the larger breweries — bookings are more important here, especially on fine-weather weekends when the deck fills fast.
- 4. Beerfarm — Metricup · working farm setting · the most distinctive brewery experience
  - Why people love it: The only brewery in the region that grows its own hops — that farm-to-glass connection shows in the freshness of the hop-forward range and the genuinely pastoral setting.
  - Don't miss: The fresh hop IPA or pale ale brewed with on-site grown hops — a genuine farm-to-glass story that the South West beer scene doesn't have anywhere else.
  - Good to know: The Metricup location is a slight detour from the main Caves Road corridor — combine it with other Margaret River town-area activities rather than as a standalone destination from the coast.
- 5. Colonial Brewing Co. — Margaret River town · most convenient · good gateway introduction
  - Why people love it: The closest quality brewery to Margaret River town — when the day hasn't planned time for a full beer-trail excursion, Colonial is the practical option that doesn't feel like a compromise.
  - Don't miss: A tasting paddle of the core range in the beer garden on a clear afternoon — quick, well-run and convenient from the town.
  - Good to know: Less distinctive in setting and range than the out-of-town breweries — if you're doing a dedicated beer day, Colonial is a supplement rather than a centrepiece.
- 6. Black Brewing Co. — Wilyabrup · dark, bold styles · the craft-serious option
  - Why people love it: The most seriously craft-focused brewery in the region for drinkers who find pale ales too light — the dark range here goes places the other Margaret River breweries don't.
  - Don't miss: The seasonal stout or porter alongside the dark-beer-focused tasting paddle — the most compelling reason to visit over the other, lighter-focused breweries.
  - Good to know: The beer range skews dark and bold, which won't suit visitors who primarily drink lighter styles. Come for the stouts and porters specifically; if you want pale ales, Bootleg or Eagle Bay is a better primary stop.
- 7. Margaret River Distilling Company (Giniversity) — Craft gin · distillery tour · the spirits alternative
  - Why people love it: The botanical sourcing story is specific to the South West, the distillation demonstration is genuinely educational, and it offers the region's best spirits experience for non-beer-drinkers.
  - Don't miss: The Giniversity experience — botanical selection introduction, distillation demonstration, and tasting of the South West botanical gin range together.
  - Good to know: The experience component requires booking; don't arrive expecting to walk into the full distillery experience without a reservation. The drop-in tasting bar is available but the production component is the point.

## What travellers say
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