From quality craft beers to real ales and lagers, England’s brewing heritage is second to none. So why not stir up a real brew-haha on your next Staycation holiday by taking a guided tour round one of England’s top breweries?
 
Take a look at our top 10 brewery tours near our holiday cottages, where you can discover how your favourite tipple is created and, of course, get the chance to sample the good stuff. Bottoms up!

1 Shepherd Neame Brewery, Kent

 © Shepherd Neame Brewery

Shepherd Neame has been brewing delicious ales since 1698, so you can always guarantee a top tipple during a Kent Staycation. Shepherd Neame, founded in 1698, has the claim to fame as the Britain’s oldest brewer. Drink in over 500 years of brewing brilliance with a trip round its brewery set in the historic market town of Faversham. From viewing traditional mash tuns to sampling malted barley, the tour walks you round the whole process, followed by a tutored tasting of a few of Kent’s finest ales, of course!
Find out more: Shepheard Neame Brewery, 17 Court St, Faversham ME13 7AX. www.shepherdneame.co.uk
Make a break of it: Celebrate one of Kent’s finest exports with a beery break at Manor Farmhouse, just 20 minutes’ drive away.

2 Old Dairy Brewery, Kent

© Old Dairy Brewery

Fans of delicious craft beer can now ‘hop’ behind the scenes at The Old Dairy Brewery in Tenterden. A tour of this fantastic new brewery nestled among the rolling hills of Kent reveals its modern and traditional brewing techniques to develop truly first class flavours. Sample the range and see talented brewers at work!
Find out more: Old Dairy Brewery, Tenterden Station, Station Road, Tenterden TN30 6HE. olddairybrewery.com
Make a break of it: Why not sample some tasty beersuds during your stay at our 'Darling Buds of May' Larkin cottages, just 20 minutes’ drive from The Old Dairy Brewery.

3 St Austell Brewery, Cornwall

© St Austell Brewery

If you’re heading south west then you’re in luck – this is prime real ale country! St Austell, founded in 1851, brews award-winning real ales and beers. Bring your beer knowledge up to scratch at the interactive Visitor Centre, tour the Brewing Experience and witness the brewing process first hand. Enjoy some post-tour sampling in the Hicks Bar and some lovely pub grub to soak it all up.
Find out more: St Austell Brewery, 63 Trevarthian Road, St Austell, Cornwall PL25 4BY. www.staustellbreweryvisitorcentre.co.uk
Make a break of it: Our Killigorrick Farm Cottages provide the perfect accommodation for touring Cornwall’s major attractions including St Austell, a half hour drive away.

4 Wadworth Brewery, Wiltshire

© Wadworth Brewery

In the heart of Wiltshire is the Wadworth Brewery, famous for its 6X beer plus many more. You can check out brewing memorabilia in the Brewseum for free or, if you’d like to know more, why not go on one of their brewery tours? Learn about traditional brewing techniques in the Victorian tower, see the studio’s unique collection of hand painted pub signs and visit the stables to see Max, Monty and Archie, the resident shire horses, which still deliver its beer to local pubs. Finally enjoy a tutored sampling session in the Harness Room Bar.
Find out more: Wadworth Brewery, Northgate Street, Devizes SN10 1JW. www.wadworth.co.uk
Make a break of it: Make a break of it: If you are planning to come up and sample some of Wiltshire’s amazing beers, why not make a short break of it at Stable Cottage, 30 minutes’ drive away.

5 Wychwood Brewery, Cotswolds

© Wychwood Brewery

Wychwood Brewery’s most famous beer, Hobgoblin, was created in 1988. It’s now the third best-selling bottled ale in the UK. The approx. 2 hour tour reveals the a few of the myths and legends of Wychwood and brewing process, from raw ingredients to the final product. There will be plenty of time to sample a wide range of Wychwood and Brakspear beers in the brewery tap, and even pick up some fresh or bottled beer to take away. The brewery is tucked away in the market town of Witney where David Cameron was MP – but don’t let that put you off!
Find out more: Wychwood Brewery, Eagle Maltings, The Crofts, Witney OX28 4DP. www.wychwood.com
Make a break of it: Tickle those tastebuds during a stay at Kingham Cottages and Bruern Cottages, all less than half an hour’s drive away.

6 Greene King Brewery, Suffolk

© Greene King Brewery

Brewing in the pretty market town of Bury St Edmunds can be traced back as far as the Domesday Book. England’s leading pub retailer, Greene King, has had its headquarters here for over 200 years. Take a tour of the Westgate Brewery, designed so that gravity transfers the ingredients from one floor to the next for each stage of the brewing process. See the traditional brewing methods in action and enjoy the best cask ales in the Greene King Beer Café. You’ll also see the best view of Bury St Edmunds up on the roof of the brew house!
Find out more: Greene King plc, Westgate Brewery, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk IP33 1QT. www.greeneking.co.uk
Make a break of it: Stay at gorgeous luxury Vicarage House / Vicarage House & Pool House, half an hour’s drive away.

7 Hillside Brewery, Herefordshire

© Hillside Brewery

From classic bitter to deliciously hoppy pale ales, this cracking brewery is a fount of beery goodness on so many levels. Beers such as Summit, Ruby Ale and the cheekily named Legless Cow Best Bitter offer a rich, complex taste hit. Hillside are hot on special events for the visitor, with everything from special brewery tours and tasting sessions to pop-up food events, theatre and opera!
Find out more: Hillside Brewery, Holly Bush Farm, Ross Road, Longhope GL17 0NG. www.hillsidebrewery.com
Make a break of it: Stay at gorgeous Hampton Wafre Cottage, and enjoy great beer and a relaxing holiday.

8 Hook Norton Brewery, Cotswolds

Hook Norton Brewery by Dave_S.

Hook Norton Brewery produce many award-winning bottled beers and real ales using uniquely traditional techniques. Go on a journey from hop to tankard with a friendly and very informative tour around the Victorian brewery, museum and village museum, witness the working steam engine on the ground floor, and enjoy generous tastings. One of only a handful of breweries which still have shire horses delivering to the local pubs, you may even get the chance to give them a pat!
Find out more: Hook Norton Brewery, Brewery Lane, Hook Norton, Banbury OX15 5NY. www.hooky.co.uk
Make a break of it: Sample Hook Norton’s terrific tipples during your stay at Kingham Cottages, just 20 minutes’ drive away.

9 Ramsbury Brewery, Wiltshire

 
Set the wilds of Wiltshire countryside, Ramsbury Brewery has pulled in impressive awards for its beers. Access ‘ale’ areas on a guided tour of the brewery and distillery. Not only will you learn how the four core ales are made but you’ll also get to see the process for making Ramsbury’s single estate vodka and get to enjoy some tastings too. After your tour make a trip to the shop to pick up one of the core range of real ales from Ramsbury Gold to Flint Knapper.
Find out more: Ramsbury Brewery, Mildenhall, Aldbourne, Marlborough SN8 2NN. www.ramsbury.com
Make a break of it: A stay at Stable Cottage, our tranquil slice of Wiltshire heaven, will hit the spot. It’s less than half an hour’s drive from Ramsbury Brewery.

10 Wye Valley Brewery, Herefordshire

 
A family-owned brewery with big tastes and ‘first cask’ tours, Wye Valley is an ideal destination for the craft beer fan. Around 80% of the raw ingredients used come from farms within ten miles of this ‘mean green brewing machine’ too, earning the brewery The Best Green Business Award at the SIBA awards. Brews of note include Wye Valley Bitter, Dorothy Goodbody’s, The Hopfather, HPA and Butty Bach. The expert-led brewery tours are an enjoyable way to learn about their special brewing process with tutored tasting at the end.
Find out more: Wye Valley Brewery, Stoke Lacy, Herefordshire HR7 4HG. www.wyevalleybrewery.co.uk
Make a break of it: Kick back and relax at Hampton Wafre Cottage, our beautiful detached 17th century barn renovation just 13 minutes from Wye Valley Brewery.

Brewery Tours – a few do’s and don’ts!

From top left: Wadworth, Old Dairy, Hillside, Shepherd Neame, St Austell

• Do enjoy the tour responsibly and don’t drive impaired.
• Do call ahead or check the brewery webpage for tour times/dates and for reservations.
• Do wear closed-toe shoes, do expect to find water on the floor, and do expect to walk and climb stairs.
• Do realize that the person speaking may not be an actual tour guide. Public speaking may not be his or her forte. Making beer, however, probably is!