Comfort in the southern Sydney suburb of Sutherland is defined by surfing, taking long walks at the park, and downing some tinnies to cap off the night. The Shire has some awesome breweries near me, a lot of parks to visit, and home to one of the longest surf beaches in Sydney. Let me highlight breweries because in this part of town, there are some really good places to have some craft beers.

It’s no secret that the beer culture is a huge part of Australian life. According to the National Alcohol and Drug Knowledge-base, “approximately 40 percent of the population (aged 14 years and over) drink alcohol at least once per week.” 5 percent of them drink daily. When it comes to drinking craft beer, 27 percent of them are from New South Wales. So finding a brewery in Sutherland is fairly easy. But finding a really good one needs a little bit more effort. Here are some things to look out for when finding a superb craft beer spot in this area.

Beer Styles

What attracts adventurous beer drinkers to craft breweries are the different styles and twists of beer. Breweries near me and around Sydney offer a lot of options. In fact, they can be classified according to color, taste, and alcohol level (ABV {6956f5994bcc186c355eaac864b9c119d3b6cff1606d263880586a5e2b5567d5}). Seasoned craft beer drinkers would already have their own list of craft beers based on their preferences and where to get them. But newbies are more open to different styles. And breweries with many options are a good place to start.

The Crowd

Drinking craft beer is not just a pastime. It has become a community of serious and fun drinkers who want to refine their palette for this amber liquid. Going to a craft beer brewery is also an opportunity to network and mingle with a crowd. Some return to a brewery not just for the fine beer but also because of the people and the conversations. So it’s important to find a craft beer spot with a crowd that makes you feel welcome.

Check out recommendations

Some online magazines like GQ have ranked the best craft breweries around Sydney. There are also online forums that drop some cool recommendations. Breweries near me have their own unique reason for being a popular spot for craft beer drinkers. So it’s helpful to pick the brains of local craft beer enthusiasts to get an idea of where you should go. But don’t get too caught up in your decision-making, because craft beer drinking is all about the experience!