Benedict Kennedy-Cox

Craft brewing has grown up a lot since pioneering Young Henrys came along in 2012. Gone are the days when small-batch pale ales were shrouded in mystery and looked upon with suspicion; craft beers have made their way into the mainstream, and we are here for it. The Australian beer landscape is now truly world class, and while we’re pretty darn spoiled for choice when it comes to places to drink craft beer in this city, there’s something special about going straight to the source. Fresh is best, after all, and it doesn’t get any fresher than that. From Sydney’s south to the Northern Beaches and Inner West, there’s always a brewery close at hand – so leave the car keys at home, set aside an afternoon and make tracks to these excellent establishments pouring the top brews in town, curated by Time Out's editors (and drinkers), including Editor Avril Treasure. Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out Sydney newsletter for more news, food & drink inspo and activity ideas, straight to your inbox. RECOMMENDED READS: Prefer the pub? Head to one of Sydney's best pubs instead. Yearning for water views? Check out the best waterfront bars in Sydney.

A bar crawl in Newtown is the ultimate choose-your-own-adventure for the intrepid thirsty Sydneysider. It's also great if you simply don't like having to take more than a hop, skip and jump between venues. This eclectic Inner West 'burb has more bars than you can poke a cocktail stick at, from lazy beer gardens to rock 'n' roll vinyl joints and everything in between, found all the way down King St and up to Enmore Road. Newtown is one of our favourite boozing destinations – and here are the vert best places to check out on your next visit.  Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out Sydney newsletter for more news, food & drink inspo and activity ideas, straight to your inbox. Looking for food? Check out the best restaurants Newtown has to offer, over here. Want more? Check out our guide the coolest bars in Sydney here.

✍️ Time Out Sydney never writes starred restaurant and bar reviews from hosted experiences – Time Out covers restaurant and bar bills, and anonymously reviews, so that readers can trust our critique. Find out more, here.  Named after the soundless centre of a vinyl record, Deadwax is Enmore’s rocking new cocktail bar, brought to you by three hospo legends: Conor O’Brien and Dan Teh (from Otis) and Davyd Blacksmith (ex-Riley St Garage and Nola Smokehouse). Before opening in place of the short-lived Enmore Country Club, Deadwax was a paradoxical dream in co-owner Teh's head – a vinyl-focused cocktail bar where loud music doesn’t disrupt conversation. Sounds impossible, but a visit to Deadwax proves this dream came true. The vibe Passing by the melting ghost on the glass front doors and the pumping tunes from the front turntables hits you like a mosh pit. Intimately spaced tables and chairs run along a half-booth wall across from the tall bar – made from more than 70 layers of black and red denim set in resin. There’s even enough room to get up and dance should the cocktails flow late into the night (Deadwax stays open until 2am on Fridays and Saturdays). The wavy red-and-grey ceiling not only looks trippy, but along with the faux wooden walls it renders Deadwax “ridiculously soundproof.” Amazingly, this acoustic wizardry allows the music from the Translate Sound custom speakers to be loud, yet conversations can still be had using inside voices. Seriously – try it. It feels and

✍️ Time Out Sydney never writes starred restaurant and bar reviews from hosted experiences – Time Out covers restaurant and bar bills, and anonymously reviews, so that readers can trust our critique. Find out more, here.  Since opening in 2016, Wildflower Brewing & Blending rapidly became known as one of Australia’s most notable breweries due to its modern interpretation of traditional brewing methods, which involve capturing and nurturing wild yeast. It also caught the attention of the makers of Australia’s best beer, Mountain Culture. Both being family businesses, a friendship was born over schooners and toddler hand-me-downs, which led to the home of Wildflower becoming Village – and caused Sydney beer lovers to collectively shed tears of joy. The vibe Pleasingly, the rustic barnhouse feel of Wildflower has been maintained at Village. Barrels of ageing ales stacked to the ceiling sit opposite the bar, where blooming vines frame the ever-rotating drinks selection scrawled on brown paper. A small, tucked-away table by the bar is a great spot to sip while listening to their vinyl collection – The Gipsy Kings during my visit. You can also grab a barrel in the courtyard or book a long table and sit at the head to feel like the feasting Viking jarl of funky wild beer. Perhaps the only noticeable change is the corrugated iron wall, which now features framed photos of two young brewing families – reimagining this beloved hub for those who like to drink differently. The drinks Wher

✍️ Time Out Sydney never writes starred restaurant and bar reviews from hosted experiences – Time Out covers restaurant and bar bills, and anonymously reviews, so that readers can trust our critique. Find out more, here.  Back in an ancient time known as 1980s Sydney, craft beer was but the eager dream in Chuck Hahn’s Camperdown brewery. After decades of creating breweries (Hahn, James Squire and Eumundi, to name a few), as well as a stint as head brewer at Lion Nathan, Chuck is back in the family-owned craft game at independent brewery, Chuck and Sons Brewing Co. The vibe Beneath the roar of the flightpath, Chuck and Sons is tucked away just shy of industrial Marrickville in St Peters. Huge and homely, the 230-capacity venue features four seating areas: the casual and comfortable main bar, a family-centric dining room, a sunny courtyard and front terrace for both two- and four-legged guests.  The pool room of your dreams, the main bar is lit with felt green lamps, an adults-only pool table (sorry, kids), decorative copper piping and a whole lot of exposed brick. Throughout the brewery are framed photos that tell the story of Chuck Hahn, his beer and his family. It feels almost like a museum – but you’re allowed to carry a full schooner as you take the tale in. The drinks With a track record as proven as the earth is round, there was no way Chuck and his son, Scott Hahn, were going to brew any beers that were not remarkable. (Yes, scandalous: there is actually only one son –

After years of cult brewing at Harts Pub in The Rocks under their belt, Pickled Monkey joined the Marrickville beer scene in October 2024 with an upmarket, earth-toned brewery. Grab a stool and sip on their easy draught, tangy XPA or the smooth and approachable hoppy pale ale. A standout feature in the main bar is the brick oven where most of the snacks and meals from The Italian Gringo kitchen come from. Roman-style pizzas, deli sandwiches and tacos are the go here. Perhaps the best beer and treat combo is the bold but refreshing Cali IPA, which at 6.8 per cent, demands hot and doughy accompaniment from The Bourdain, an oozing provolone and fried mortadella pizza sandwich that you could honestly eat any time of day.  Grab your fellow beer-lovin’ monkey mates and come check out Pickled Monkey next time you find yourself in brewery land. Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out Sydney newsletter for more news, food & drink inspo and activity ideas, straight to your inbox. RECOMMENDED READS: These are the best breweries in Sydney right now. Check out our guide to the top bars in Sydney here.

Although there are 30 taps at Buddy’s Bar, there is no actual bar. There’s nothing for a bartender to even stand behind and furthermore, there is no bartender. Instead, staff direct you to the glassware and encourage you to get pouring yourself.  Yep. This is a moment where you’ll actually want to listen when they explain ‘how this place works’.  At the front counter, the Buddy’s staff provide you with a card that you load up with your funds ($30 should get you started). Peruse the glorious wall of taps until you find a beer, wine or cocktail that tickles your fancy, grab an appropriate glass, tap your card on the scanner above and pour yourself a cold one. This repeated process leaves you feeling a little like Charlie in the Chocolate Factory, and gives Buddy’s a laidback, almost house party-like feel. The Buddy’s King street location is the former site of pay-what-you-want restaurant Lentil as Anything, proving Newtown always feels the need to do something different. The airy space has orange tiles and painted stairs, but really, the booze is the main feature. A little over half of the 30 taps are dedicated to craft beer, while the rest are split between chilled wines and premixed cocktails. The taps constantly rotate their offering based on demand, so if you particularly enjoy a drink make sure to tell the staff. Sheer choice, free-will and a general lighthearted energy are what give Buddy’s its relaxed vibe, making it a great spot to catch up with old mates, or to make ne