Five breweries where you can eat, drink and stay – no designated driver necessary

Owners Dee and Geoff came close to losing everything in the 2019 bushfires, but thankfully, their micro-brewery and the attached Granite Belt Retreat (consisting of 20 cabins and a house which sleeps 10) was spared. Geoff, a volunteer firefighter, is also the head of beer-crafting and you can watch him in action through the brewery viewing room, or on weekends, he’ll give you a personal tour.

Be sure to try the Red Ale in your sampling paddle, which Dee believes has the perfect balance of locally grown hops and malt. There are no preservatives or added sugar in any of their drinks, and their Applethorpe Cider is practically a health drink, given that it uses pink lady apples sourced from nearby farms.

Set in rustic bushland, the Granite Belt Brewery and Retreat is the perfect base for exploring the wider Granite Belt region, including the many wineries, farms, national parks and even a second brewery – Brass Monkey Brew House – which serves award-winning, hand-crafted beers with an optional side of hearty, home-style cooking.

Taste your way through the region's best food and wine while you're here. 

Brouhaha Brewery and Bedhaha House, Maleny

A relative newcomer to the craft brewery scene, Brouhaha, set in the rolling hills of Maleny has quickly caught the attention of locals and holiday-makers alike. Their most popular beer, the Strawberry Rhubarb Sour, is made using local Maleny Dairies Natural Yoghurt. The live culture in the yoghurt consumes the sugar and creates lactic acid, which gives the beer a sour, tart and dry characteristic. Strawberry puree and stewed rhubarb are then added while the beer is fermenting, colouring the beer pink and giving it a fruity hit.

For traditionalists, there are also beers on tap like lagers, pale ales and IPA. And for the foodies, Brouhaha prides itself on keeping things simple but delicious, only using seasonal ingredients sourced within 20 kilometres of the brewery, like Maleny Wagyu and HUM Honey. Unsurprisingly, Brouhaha’s 10 varieties of beer often find their way into the recipes, like the chef’s Milk Stout BBQ sauce or Smoked Porter Wagyu Pie.

After a feed and a few beers at Brouhaha, it’s just a short and scenic walk to Bedhaha, a bed and breakfast that has cleverly capitalised on the brewery’s exploding popularity. With four beautifully presented bedrooms and two bathrooms, Bedhaha is perfect for those wanting to spend a few days on the mountain.

While you're here, explore the hinterland or visit some of the Sunshine Coast's other fantastic breweries. 

Scenic Rim Brewery and The Old Church B&B, Boonah

Just 10 minutes south of Boonah is the former Mount Alfred General Store, which dates back to 1884. Scenic Rim Brewery owners, Mike and Wendy, have painstakingly restored the building, keeping all the charm (like the original shelves serviced by a rolling ladder), while adding a room to brew in and a deck to kick back on and enjoy one of Mike’s seven craft beers.

When it comes to food, Wendy’s Dutch and German heritage shines through, with gourmet hotdogs on the menu, alongside deep-fried treats like bitterballens (beer balls), made according to Wendy’s grandmother’s recipe. Think beef that’s been reduced, shredded and made into a ragu, set overnight and then rolled in breadcrumbs. They’re so good that they sell 6500 of these balls every year!

When you’ve had your fill of beer, balls and the mountainous Scenic Rim scenery, the historic theme continues at the Old Church Bed and Breakfast. Built in 1889, this former Methodist church is now the spiritual home of weekend travellers looking to escape the rat race. And if you make a booking, owners Harry and Christelle will be your lift legend and happily drive you to and from the Scenic Rim Brewery in their 9-seater van. After a sound night sleep in the church, you can expect a breakfast table brimming with local produce including Harry and Christelle’s homemade sourdough bread.

There's plenty more to sample while you're here in the Scenic Rim too. 

Newstead Brewing Co and Alex Perry Hotel & Apartments, Brisbane

Newstead Brewing Co, housed in a 1940s industrial warehouse in inner-city Doggett Street, Newstead, is Queensland’s largest independently run brewery. Yet despite its size (it’s even spawned a second location at Milton), this family-owned and operated brewery, restaurant and bar is also big on the little things, like working symbiotically with local suppliers.

When you bite into one of their mushroom burgers with carrot and ginger kimchi slaw (delicious when paired with their flagship beer, the Pale Ale), you’re also supporting a small mushroom farmer in Brisbane’s West End. Seafood and fresh produce is also sourced locally to cater for their pub classics like chicken parmigiana and buffalo wings, and they even donate their spent beer grains to a local farmer to feed his cattle and chickens, before buying back the farm’s free range eggs.

Don’t leave this feel-good brewery without trying the Two to the Valley IPA, a best seller that pays tribute to the brewery’s close proximity to the famed Fortitude Valley precinct. Once an area best avoided late at night, this gentrified neighbourhood is now uber trendy and home to luxe accommodation like the Alex Perry Hotel & Apartments (just a 550-metre walk from Newstead Brewing Co).

A world away from bland, international hotel chains, the Alex Perry Hotel & Apartments is Australian owned, designed and operated. Their spacious apartments with balconies overlooking the sights and sounds of “The Valley” give you a bird’s eye view of the countless restaurants, bars and laneways that are just waiting to be explored. 

Make a weekend of it and crawl your way through Brisbane city's craft beer bars.  

Fortitude Brewing Co. and Mountain Manor, Tamborine Mountain

The idyllic Tamborine Mountain in the Gold Coast Hinterland has long been the sanctuary of artists and tree-changers, and now it’s also home to beer artisans creating beers with character at Fortitude Brewing Co. In the warmer months, Fortitude’s summer ale is a light and refreshing draught, delicious when consumed with one of the restaurant’s gourmet pizzas. When the temperatures drop on the mountain, the heartier dry Irish Stout warms the soul, especially when paired with the deep-fried, crumbed camembert with cranberry sauce and garden salad.

And as luck would have it, Fortitude Brewery’s neighbour is The Manor, an historic hotel (circa 1882), set in two acres of lush gardens. The Victorian style rooms have cosy fireplaces and The Manor’s restaurant serves an all-day breakfast, allowing you to sleep in after spending the previous night sampling the neighbour’s amber nectar. 

Well rested, you'll be able to explore the best of Mount Tamborine.