It's not just about Bristol's pubs and cocktail bars, the city is also packed to the rafters with some great local producers of your favourite tipples.
As well as having many establishments dedicated to the well-known West Country favourite cider, Bristol is also big on beers, wines and spirits, and there are many you can try that were made right here in the city, or just outside!
Breweries and cider makers
Bristol is home to many brilliant breweries, many of which you can visit. Don't miss Wiper & True's Taproom in Old Market, which is just a stone's throw from many other breweries, including Left Handed Giant, Good Chemistry Brewing and Moor Beer Co. You can also visit Bristol Beer Factory's taproom in Southville, or take a tour of their nearby brewery. In East Bristol you'll find Lost & Grounded Brewers, specialising in German-style beers.
Several pubs in town also brew their own small batches for you to try, including King Street Brew House and Brewhouse & Kitchen. Or maybe you want to try a local ale or two in a relaxed country pub? Butcombe Brewery in Somerset have many pubs in the area where you can try most of the beers in their range, including The Cottage on the harbourside or The Langford in North Somerset.
Local cider makers, Thatchers Cider, offer tours of their orchards, or you can sample their ciders at their pub next door, The Railway Inn. You can also buy direct from family-run Wild West Cider, who make organically-certified fine ciders and wines just outside Bristol. The Cider Box is the place to go in Central Bristol for locally-made cider, and they even make their own small batches of the good stuff. Or head into the picturesque Somerset countryside to sample ciders and tour the farm at Alcoholery.
There are plenty of opportunities to try a locally-made beer, whether you visit one of the city's brilliant pubs or brewery tap rooms, or go on a craft beer tour around town. Many of Bristol's breweries offer tours and experiences, from beer tasting to brewing your very own beer.
The East Bristol Brewery Trail is a popular choice for beer lovers on bank holiday weekends, or the Bristol Craft Beer Festival in June.
Vineyards
Whilst you’re in town, wine not pay a visit to the largest vineyard in Somerset? Aldwick Estate produces award-winning English wines – white, rosé and sparkling. This idyllic vineyard will give you a glimpse of country life in this peaceful part of the world as well as an insight into the intricacies of English viticulture. And don’t worry, you won’t leave without enjoying some rather fine vintages…
Visit the multi award-winning Woodchester Valley Vineyard for a tour or tasting, or you can even stay the night in their vineyard barns and take in the view with a glass of their finest.
Or let someone else do the driving with a tour of some of the South West's best producers on a Wine and Cheese Tour in Somerset.
Distilleries
Liquor lovers! Ginthusiasts! You’ve come to the right place… indulge your predilection for the strong stuff on one of Bristol’s fantastic distillery tours.
The story of artisan spirit makers, Bramley and Gage, is steeped in the rolling hills of the South West. The family behind the popular 6 O’clock gins (including sloe and damson) pride themselves on using only whole fruits that grow naturally outdoors in the UK and not adding any colourings or preservatives. Get a taste for what they do on one of their 6 O’clock Gin Distillery Tours in Thornbury or on the Glassboat in the heart of Bristol.
