Check Out Our Busselton Brewery Trail: The Ultimate Insider Guide

If you’re staying at Busselton’s Amalfi Resort and wondering what to do beyond the jetty and the beach, the answer is closer than you think. The Busselton and Margaret River region has quietly become one of Australia’s most exciting craft beer destinations, with a cluster of breweries ranging from established institutions to tiny passion projects that are genuinely unlike anything else in the country.

This guide isn’t a ranked list. It’s a trail. Think of it as insider advice from someone who has done the drive, tasted the pints, and knows which places are worth building a whole afternoon around. Whether you’re spending a long weekend or a full week in the region, you can mix and match these stops to suit your pace.

Where to Begin: The Breweries Right on Your Doorstep

Rocky Ridge Brewing Co

Start here if you want to ease into the trail without getting in the car. Rocky Ridge Brewing Co’s Taphouse sits on Marine Terrace, just a short walk from the Busselton Jetty. With 25 taps pouring small-batch and often experimental brews, there’s always something on that you won’t find anywhere else.

The Ace IPA is the crowd-pleaser, a bold, well-balanced pour with pine, mango and passionfruit character. If you’re visiting in summer, the classic Pilsner is worth grabbing first to settle in. Rocky Ridge also pours wine from LS Merchants and runs a collaboration with Margaret River Burger Co for food, so you can easily turn this into a proper lunch stop. Takeaway tins and tap refills are available if you want to take something back to the resort.

Shelter Brewing Co

The other Busselton anchor is Shelter Brewing Co, right at the base of the iconic jetty on Foreshore Parade. The location alone is reason enough to visit, with ocean views stretching out in every direction and a genuinely relaxed vibe that suits everyone from solo travellers to families with kids and dogs in tow.

The Root Stout is Shelter’s cult favourite, earthy and bitter in the best way. The Extra Pale Ale delivers a hoppy tropical punch for those who want something lighter. Beyond beer, Shelter’s south-west inspired wine list is a serious effort, and the woodfired pizzas and handmade burgers from the onsite restaurant make this an easy place to spend two or three hours without noticing.

The Caves Road Run: Where the Trail Gets Serious

The real heart of the regional brewing scene sits along and around Caves Road through Wilyabrup, about 40 minutes south of Busselton. This stretch is best done as a dedicated half-day or full-day drive.

Bootleg Brewery

One of the oldest craft breweries in Western Australia, Bootleg is nestled among the trees on Wildberry Road in Wilyabrup and has earned every bit of its reputation. This is a genuinely beautiful place to sit with a beer, and the range backs it up.

The Raging Bull Imperial IPA is the headline act, aged in cabernet merlot barrels and full-bodied in a way that demands your attention. For something more sessionable, the Settlers Pale Ale is a light, earthy pour with a well-rounded malt base that drinks easily on a warm afternoon. The family-friendly atmosphere and natural surroundings make this one of the best all-rounder stops on the trail.

Cheeky Monkey Brewery

Further along Caves Road, Cheeky Monkey is the brewery to choose if you’re travelling with kids or a group with mixed tastes. The focus here is on approachable, easy-drinking beers with a relaxed vibe and a restaurant that can handle a proper sit-down meal.

Try the Mango and Coconut Pastry Sour for something playful and tropical, or the Hazy IPA for a more classic craft beer experience with hints of pawpaw and pineapple. There’s also an impressive playground on-site, which means parents can actually relax while the kids burn energy. Ciders and wines round out the drinks menu for anyone who wants a break from beer.

Black Brewing Co

Also on Caves Road in Wilyabrup, Black Brewing Co is a step up in terms of polish and ambition. The brewery is state-of-the-art, sustainability-focused, and the quality of the output reflects both. The Session Ale is the gateway drink, crisp and refreshing with grapefruit and melon notes. If you want something more adventurous, their Strata IPA is exceptional, loaded with pineapple and berry flavour.

What makes Black Brewing Co worth a longer visit is everything beyond the beer. The restaurant is genuinely good for lunch or dinner. The beer garden suits a slow afternoon. And keep an eye on their events calendar for boutique gin tastings and cocktail-making sessions, which add a different dimension to the experience.

Eagle Bay Brewing Co

Slightly off the main drag on Eagle Bay Road, this family-owned brewery is worth the short detour. Everything here is brewed in small batches, preservative-free, and made with locally grown hops and barley. The Kolsch is a perennial favourite, subtle and well-balanced. The Indian Pale Ale packs tropical fruit aromas and citrus bitterness without going over the top.

A recently installed playground means this is another excellent family stop. The views from the site are beautiful, and the unhurried pace here suits a lazy afternoon.

Yallingup and the Hills: Off the Beaten Track

Wild Hop Brewing Company

Tucked into the Yallingup Hills on Wildwood Road, Wild Hop is the brewery for people who want something quieter and more considered. Family-owned and operated, they brew using natural ingredients and traditional techniques with a genuine focus on sustainability. Pets are welcome, and the atmosphere is properly relaxed.

The Short Shorts Czech Pilsner is the crowd favourite, a slightly malt-forward pilsner that keeps people coming back. Their hazy IPAs and fruit-infused kettle sours are also worth exploring. Because Wild Hop keeps its range constantly evolving, there’s always a reason to return.

The Margaret River Originals

CBCo Brewery

CBCo is one of the larger craft breweries in the region, with the Margaret River microbrewery found on Bramley Brook Valley, about 8 kilometres northeast of the town. Their motto, “UNcomplicated, Unpretentious, but never UNinteresting,” is an accurate description of what they do.

The Pale Ale and Porter are award-winning staples, but the seasonal and limited-release brews are where CBCo shows off. Weekend live music, a golf driving range, and a playground give this place a genuinely festive atmosphere. The seasonal food menu, which covers handmade pizza, burgers and sharing plates, is designed to pair with the beer rather than compete with it.

Cowaramup Brewing Company

On Treeton Road North, Cowaramup Brewing Company has the kind of unhurried, welcoming atmosphere that makes you want to stay longer than planned. The German Pilsner is beautifully crafted, with noble hop aroma and a subtle graininess that puts most commercial pilsners to shame. The Hefeweizen, unfiltered and golden with a fruity banana note, is a proper tribute to the Bavarian style.

Their barrel-aged beers are exceptional and worth seeking out. In summer, watch for Reggie Mandarina, a seasonal release with a devoted following. Brewery tours are available for those who want to understand the process, and a viewing window at the entrance lets you watch the brewing in action even without booking ahead.

Brewhouse Margaret River

Sitting on the banks of the Margaret River itself on Bussell Highway, Brewhouse takes its local sourcing seriously and shows it in the glass. The Red IPA is a tropical, stone fruit-forward standout. The Kolsch German-style ale is lighter but characterful. Their Australian Pale Ale has become a patron favourite for good reason.

Live music every Sunday makes Brewhouse one of the region’s most enjoyable weekend destinations. Check their Instagram for the current lineup before you go. The onsite restaurant does wood-fired pizzas, burgers and shared plates that pair well with whatever’s on tap.

The One for Every Dietary Need: Someday Somehow Brewing

This is the addition that changes the trail for a lot of people. Based in Vasse on the outskirts of Busselton, Someday Somehow Brewing is doing something genuinely unique in the Margaret River region: every single beer they make is properly gluten free.

Founded by Ryan White, a winemaker turned brewer, Someday Somehow uses sorghum, quinoa, rice and corn instead of barley or wheat, which means the beers are accessible to people with coeliac disease or gluten sensitivity who usually have to sit out when everyone else orders a round. And the beers are good on their own terms, not just good “for gluten-free.”

The Arrive Hazy IPA has stone fruit and pine aromas over a big, bold base. The Dare Fruited Sour blends blueberry and blackberry over an easy-going sour base. The Whenever non-alcoholic IPA delivers a grapefruit zing for those skipping alcohol entirely.

Someday Somehow attends the Margaret River Farmer’s Market every Saturday, making it easy to pick up cans even if you can’t make it out to the brewery. If you’re travelling with anyone who can’t usually enjoy the craft beer trail, this is the stop that includes them.

Planning Your Trail: Practical Notes

How to structure your time

If you have a full day, the Caves Road run from Busselton through Wilyabrup and down toward Margaret River covers the most ground. Rocky Ridge and Shelter are easy walkable stops for an evening. Cowaramup and CBCo suit a leisurely morning with food. Eagle Bay and Wild Hop are good additions if you want to go off the main route.

If you’re planning around a specific weekend, our Busselton events guide is a handy companion for seeing what else is on during your stay.

Getting around

These breweries are spread across a roughly 50-kilometre stretch of the South West. A designated driver, a brewery shuttle service, or splitting the trail across multiple days is the practical approach. Most local accommodation can point you toward local tour operators who cover this route.

Eating on the trail

Almost every brewery on this list has food, ranging from bar snacks to full restaurant menus. Rocky Ridge (Margaret River Burger Co collaboration), Cheeky Monkey, Shelter, Black Brewing Co, Bootleg, Eagle Bay, CBCo and Brewhouse all have solid kitchens. You won’t go hungry.

What to pick up

Most breweries sell cans and bottles to take away. Rocky Ridge offers tap refills. Someday Somehow tins are available at the Saturday farmers market. If you find something you love, grab a four-pack for the evenings back at the resort.

The Busselton brewery trail is one of those experiences that rewards slowing down. You don’t need to visit every stop in a single trip. Pick two or three, take your time, and let the afternoon unfold.

The Margaret River region has been producing outstanding wine for decades. If that side of things appeals, our guide to the amazing vineyards near Busselton is worth reading alongside this one. But the craft beer scene has caught up faster than most people realise, and the people making it are genuinely passionate about what ends up in your glass.

Staying at Amalfi Resort? Speak to our team for the latest brewery recommendations and transport options. The trail changes as new producers emerge, and we keep our local knowledge current.