There’s something about walking into a neighbourhood brewery or a small-batch distillery and knowing you’ve stumbled onto something special. Maybe it’s the smell of roasted barley or botanicals in the air, the sound of clinking glasses, or the passionate story behind the label. Whether you’re road-tripping through South Africa’s hidden valleys or exploring a new town on foot, the best craft experiences often lie just off the beaten track.
Here’s how to find the best breweries and distilleries like a local—wherever your travels take you:
Meritt Thomas/Unsplash
Ask the locals (and not just for the obvious ones)
Forget the tourist brochure—real recommendations come from the people who live and sip there. Chat to baristas, servers, waiters, or even the manager at your guesthouse. These people unwind at their neighbourhood taprooms and know which distillery is launching a new fynbos-infused gin.
Tip: Ask where they’d take out-of-town friends for a sundowner or tasting flight.
Follow the craft trail — Online and on the road
Apps like Untappd and Google Maps offer up-to-date reviews, while Instagram is a goldmine for scouting cool spaces and limited-edition releases. Hashtags like #craftbeerZA, #ginlovers, or #supportlocal often lead you to quirky tasting rooms and pop-up events. Don’t forget to look for signs on rural roads, too—some of the most rewarding finds are off the main highway.
Driving through the Overberg? Look for signs leading to Walker Bay Estate and Birkenhead Brewery in Stanford—one of South Africa’s first beer-and-wine combos.
Picture/Untappd
Apps to download for craft explorers
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Untappd (iOS & Android)
The go-to app for beer lovers. Check in beers, rate them, explore tap lists, and discover nearby breweries with honest user reviews.
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Distillery Trail (Web-based)
U.S.-based but great for planning future spirit-inspired road trips and learning about distillation methods, events, and tours.
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Google Maps
This may be obvious, but it’s underrated. Use search terms like “taproom,” “craft beer,” or “gin tasting room” and filter by ratings, hours, and photos.
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Instagram
Not just for selfies. Use hashtags like #craftbeerZA, #distillerylife, or #[town name]craft to scout hip spots and limited-batch drops.
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Crafty Pint (Web-based)
More Australia-focused, but still a great read for global trends and craft culture.
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Pint Please (iOS & Android)
A global beer discovery app that helps you find top-rated brews and breweries wherever you are – you can even find some of your favourite South African breweries.
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Picture/Gypsy Life
Hit the markets and festivals
Local markets are often launchpads for upcoming brewers and distillers. It’s also where you get to meet the makers behind the bottle. In Cape Town, the Oranjezicht City Farm Market often hosts micro-distillers offering free tastings and exclusive small-batch sales. Craft beer festivals—like Clarens Craft Beer Festival or Capital Craft in Pretoria—are perfect for discovering new names and planning your next visit.
There is always a story behind the sip
Craft isn’t just about taste—it’s about origin. The best spots often connect strongly to place, people, and process. Look out for distilleries that forage local botanicals or breweries that repurpose spent grain for baking or animal feed. These places tend to offer rich tasting room experiences with personal touches.
In Still Bay, Inverroche Distillery uses indigenous fynbos in their gins and offers tastings with a lesson in botanical foraging.
Take your adventures outside the city
While cities boast convenience, many exceptional breweries and distilleries are tucked away in rural corners. From hop farms in the Eastern Cape to mountain-view taprooms in Mpumalanga, getting a little lost can be part of the adventure.
Saggy Stone Brewing Co. on a working fruit farm near Robertson or Drayman’s Brewery & Distillery in Pretoria East for Belgian-style ales.
Picture/Hope Distillery
Be on the lookout for collabs, limited editions, and experimental batches
If you spot a place collaborating with local chocolatiers, coffee roasters, or even musicians, it’s usually a sign they’re plugged into the craft community and not afraid to experiment. These venues often have vibrant atmospheres, creative menus, and seasonal batches that keep regulars returning.
Hope Distillery in Cape Town regularly rotates its gin offerings and has paired with chefs for curated tasting experiences.
Choose the experience, not just the drink
Sometimes, the drink is only half the story. Does the venue have a firepit or sunset deck? Are there lawn games, food trucks, or kid-friendly spaces? Some breweries host yoga in the taproom or live jazz on Sundays. These layers of experience turn a casual tasting into a memory.
At The Brewery at Hemel-en-Aarde in Hermanus, you can sip a Weissbier with a view of vineyards and mountains while kids play on the grass and the in-house kitchen fires up wood-fired pizzas.
Sustainability and social impact
Today’s craft lovers are also mindful consumers. Many local breweries and distilleries are committed to eco-friendly production and community upliftment. These efforts reflect a deeper care for craft and community, whether solar-powered brewing, water recycling systems, or staff empowerment programmes.
Distilleries like Six Dogs in the Karoo use spring water from their own farm, while Johannesburg’s Time Anchor Distillery packages its small-batch spirits in recyclable glass and minimal waste.
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