Canberra Brewery Winery and Distillery Tour

Three drinks, one easy afternoon. This Canberra tour links a brewery, winery, and distillery without asking anyone in your group to drive. I like the three-stop format and the small-group minibus, which make it easy to compare local beer, wine, and spirits in one outing. The main drawback is the fixed schedule and non-refundable booking policy, so you will want to be sure of your plans.

You meet at BentSpoke Brewery in Braddon at 1:30pm and return there around 5:30pm. Tastings, snacks, water, air-conditioned transport, and commentary are included, but takeaway bottles and hotel transfers are not. Closed-toe shoes are required, and the minimum drinking age is 18.

Key points at a glance

• Three producers in four hours: Visit a brewery, winery, and distillery in one compact afternoon.
• BentSpoke Brewery meeting point: Start and finish at 8/38 Mort Street in Braddon, a handy Inner North location.
• No designated driver needed: An air-conditioned minibus carries the group between stops.
• Tastings plus behind-the-scenes access: Learn how beer, wine, and spirits are made while sampling each type.
• Small-group feel: The tour is advertised for a maximum of 10 people, although booking information also lists a maximum of 100, so confirm the group size if that matters to you.
• A social, mixed-interest outing: Snacks, water, and local stories help keep the afternoon comfortable between tastings.

A three-stop introduction to Canberra drinks

Canberra is a good place for a tasting tour because you do not have to choose just one kind of drink. This outing gives you a broad sample in a short window: craft beer first, then wine, then spirits.

I like the way the tour treats the drinks as local products rather than simply lining up samples at a bar. At each venue, you get some explanation of production methods and the people behind the products. That makes the tasting more useful, especially if you are curious about why two drinks made from different ingredients can have such different flavors and textures.

The format also works well for mixed groups. One person may care most about beer, another may prefer wine, and someone else may be keen on gin or other spirits. Nobody has to spend the afternoon pretending to enjoy a category that does not interest them.

There is a practical limit, though. Four hours is enough for an introduction, not a full study of Canberra’s drink scene. You will sample several products and get an overview of each venue, but the pace may feel brisk if you want long conversations at every stop.

Meeting at BentSpoke Brewery in Braddon

The afternoon begins at BentSpoke Brewery, at 8/38 Mort Street in Braddon. Pickup is scheduled for 1:30pm, and the same location serves as your drop-off point at about 5:30pm.

That central meeting arrangement is useful. You do not need to coordinate separate hotel pickups, and you can plan the rest of your day around one clear starting point. It also means you should allow enough time to reach Braddon before departure. The start time is fixed, while the return time can shift a little because of traffic or venue operations.

The first stop provides an immediate introduction to beer production. You go behind the scenes to see how beer is made, then taste local hand-crafted brews. The exact order of the stops may change, so the brewery is the usual starting point rather than an absolute guarantee.

BentSpoke is also a practical place to meet because the tour returns there. If you buy something during the afternoon, remember that takeaway drinks are not included in the tour price. Ask about purchases at the venues and plan how you will carry them afterward.

What the brewery stop adds

The brewery portion is likely to appeal most to people who enjoy seeing the working side of production. Instead of tasting beer with no context, you learn about the process and then try local examples.

That sequence matters. A guide can point out how ingredients and production choices affect what you taste, giving you a better frame of reference than a standard flight at a pub. The tour description promises a good amount of information about local producers and their stories, so you should expect commentary along with the samples.

I also like the social rhythm of this first stop. Beer is often an easy starting point for a group because it is familiar, informal, and simple to discuss. If you are not a beer enthusiast, the broader itinerary means you are not stuck with beer for the whole afternoon.

The main thing to remember is that this is not a long brewery class. You will get a behind-the-scenes look and tastings, but the tour then moves on to the winery. Keep your questions focused if you want the most from the guide before the minibus leaves.

The winery brings a different pace

After the brewery, the group visits a local winery. You taste the latest vintage and hear about the wine-making process, giving the afternoon a clear change of pace.

Wine can be a useful middle stop because it shows a different approach to local production. Beer and wine do not use the same ingredients or methods, and the contrast helps you understand how varied Canberra’s drinks industry can be within one tour.

The winery stop also seems suited to people who want a more relaxed tasting. A local vintage gives you a chance to compare the wine with what you sampled earlier, rather than treating each venue as an unrelated stop. The tour includes wine tasting as part of the price, so you do not have to pay separately for the standard tasting experience.

A supplied account of a longer upgraded outing describes wineries offering wine and cheese, along with chocolates at the distillery. Those extras should not be treated as guaranteed features of this four-hour tour, but they suggest the wider producer visits can include local food pairings. The standard inclusions do promise snacks, so you will have something to eat between drinks.

If wine is your main interest, you may wish the winery visit lasted longer. The tour’s strength is variety, not extended time at one cellar door. You get an introduction to the latest vintage and the making process, then continue to the final stop.

Finishing with a local distillery

The last scheduled visit is a local distillery. Here, you learn how spirits are made and taste more local products.

This is a strong finish for a group with varied preferences. Spirits offer a different tasting experience from beer and wine, and the tour gives you a chance to try products you may not encounter at the first two venues. The supplied account specifically praises gins in many flavors, along with chocolates, during a longer version of the experience. Again, the exact products and food pairings can change, but the tour does include alcoholic tastings and snacks.

The distillery stop also gives the guide another production story to explain. You are not simply moving from one tasting room to another. You see three styles of making drinks, each with its own ingredients, equipment, and approach.

Spirits can be stronger than beer or wine, so pace yourself. You do not need to finish every sample, and you can use the water provided. The tour is designed for adults of legal drinking age, which is 18 in Australia.

Why the minibus matters

The included air-conditioned minibus is one of the tour’s most useful features. You can sample drinks without assigning one person to stay sober and navigate between venues.

That changes the mood of the afternoon. Everyone can take part, and the guide handles the driving while providing live commentary. You also avoid the hassle of arranging separate taxis between a brewery, winery, and distillery.

The tour starts and ends at the same location, but hotel pickup and drop-off are not included. You will need to make your own way to Braddon at the beginning and after the tour. For people staying elsewhere in Canberra, that is a small planning task rather than a major problem, but it should be part of your timing.

The advertised group size is a maximum of 10 people per tour, which would make the minibus ride and venue visits feel personal. However, the additional booking information lists a maximum of 100 participants. Since those figures do not match, I would confirm the expected group size before paying if a small group is important to you.

Price and what you receive for $121.93

At $121.93 per person, this is not the cheapest way to have a drink in Canberra. The value depends on how many parts of the package you would otherwise arrange yourself.

The price includes:

• Beer, wine, and spirit tastings
• Behind-the-scenes visits
• A local guide and professional guide service
• Live commentary on board
• Air-conditioned minibus transport
• Snacks and water

If you arranged transport between three producers, paid for separate tastings, and added food, the costs could rise quickly. The tour also saves you time. You do not need to research venues, work out the driving route, or decide who will avoid alcohol.

I see the strongest value for visitors with only one afternoon available. You get a broad introduction rather than spending the whole day at one winery. It is also good value for groups where everyone wants to taste, since nobody has to take on driving duty.

The value is weaker if you only care about one drink category. A dedicated brewery or winery visit might give you more time and more depth for a similar amount of money. This tour asks you to accept shorter visits in exchange for variety and convenience.

Timing, group size, and the practical details

The tour runs on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, with other days available on request. Pickup is at 1:30pm, and the normal finish is around 5:30pm.

The order of the venues may change slightly because of operating hours and other venue needs. The start time remains fixed, but traffic can affect the return. I would avoid booking a tight evening reservation immediately after 5:30pm, especially if you need to travel across Canberra afterward.

Wear sturdy closed shoes. This is not just a style suggestion, since closed-toe footwear is required. A camera is also recommended, and you may want it for production areas and group memories, provided photography is allowed at the venue.

Snacks and water are included, but the supplied details do not promise a full meal. Eat something before departure if you know alcohol affects you quickly. That simple step can make the tasting sequence much more comfortable.

Confirmation is provided at booking. The experience is non-refundable and cannot be changed for any reason, so check your date before committing. If the minimum number of participants is not reached and the operator cancels, you will be offered another date or experience, or a full refund.

Who will enjoy this tour most

I would recommend this outing to an adult group with mixed tastes. Couples, friends, and small groups can all make good use of the format, especially if nobody wants to drive.

It suits you particularly well if:

• You want to compare beer, wine, and spirits in one afternoon.
• You prefer guided visits to planning several venues yourself.
• You like hearing how local products are made.
• You have limited time in Canberra.
• You want tastings without arranging a designated driver.
• You enjoy social tours with snacks and commentary.

It may not be right for you if you want a slow, highly detailed wine experience. It is also a poor fit if you do not drink alcohol, since the main activity is tasting beer, wine, and spirits. People with a very fixed schedule should allow room for traffic and changes in venue order.

The tour is listed as suitable for most participants, but no more specific accessibility information is provided. If you have mobility or other access needs, contact Daves Tours before booking.

The social side of the afternoon

A good drinks tour depends partly on the group, and the small-group setup should help people talk without the outing becoming impersonal. You share transport, tastings, and stories across several stops, so the social element is part of the experience.

One account of the longer day praised the friendly mix of people and the way the group got along. It also singled out the products, including wines, cheeses, flavored gins, and chocolates. The guide response came from Gregg, who thanked the group for joining the tour. That gives you a sense of the warm, personal tone the company aims for, though the exact guide and group will vary by date.

The driver-guide matters here. The included live commentary means the ride between venues is part of the tour rather than dead time. Ask questions as you go, especially if you want more detail about Canberra producers or the making process.

Should you book the Canberra brewery, winery, and distillery tour?

Book it if you want a convenient, social introduction to three types of local drinks and do not want to drive. The combination of tastings, transport, snacks, and production visits makes the $121.93 price reasonable for a one-afternoon overview.

I would choose it over a single-producer visit for a mixed group. I would choose a more focused tour instead if wine, beer, or spirits is your clear priority and you want longer at one venue.

Before booking, confirm the group size, check that you can reach BentSpoke Brewery by 1:30pm, wear closed shoes, and leave flexibility after the 5:30pm return. If those details work for you, this is a practical way to sample Canberra’s drinks scene without turning the afternoon into a driving assignment.

FAQ

Where does the tour start and finish?

The tour starts outside BentSpoke Brewery at 8/38 Mort Street, Braddon, ACT 2612, at 1:30pm. It ends back at the same meeting point.

How long does the tour last?

The tour lasts approximately four hours. The usual return time is around 5:30pm, although traffic and venue operations can cause small changes.

What drinks are included?

The tour includes beer, wine, and spirit tastings at the brewery, winery, and distillery. Takeaway drinks are not included.

Is transportation included?

Yes. Transport between the venues is provided in an air-conditioned minibus. Hotel pickup and drop-off are not included.

What should I bring?

Bring sturdy closed shoes and a camera. Water and snacks are provided.

What is the minimum drinking age?

The minimum drinking age for this experience is 18 years.