Jindabyne Top 3 Breweries and Distilleries

In the depths of the Snowy Mountains is the little winter town of Jindabyne. This gorgeous Australian small town is surrounded by snowfields, breathtaking Lake Jindabyne and award-winning breweries and distilleries.

Jindabyne is a great place to take your vacation especially during the winter season in Australia. It is a base for skiers and snowboarders and for the rest of the year it’s a great place to go bush walking, mountain biking, white-water rafting, canoeing, kayaking and horse riding. Jindabyne Lake provides superb opportunities for all types of water sports and trout fishing.

It’s here you can walk to the top of Australia, Mt Kosciuszko, and take in the spectacular views and see Australian wildflowers blooming in the summer months. Accommodation in Jindabyne is a good alternative to the pricier ski lodges as there are shuttle buses to and from Jindabyne and nearby ski slopes.

Boutique Australian Craft Beer and Spirits

The climate gives way to some of the best craft beers and boutique spirits available in Australia. Today, some of these liquor brands that originate here are sold around the world. You may have heard of Wildbrumby Schnapps and Kosciuszko Pale Ale, which takes its form in the rolling hills on the way up to the Kosciuszko National Park.

There are so many exciting options in this NSW region which you must sample during your winter or summer escape when you find yourself in the tiny town of Jindabyne.

1. Jindabyne Brewing

We will start with one of the amazing micro-breweries that this small country town has to offer, Jindabyne Brewing. Jindabyne Brewing is located at Nettin Circuit which overlooks the glorious lake, so you can admire the view while you partake in their enticing local brews. The Jindy Brewing establishment is as refreshing as its craft beers and you may find it difficult stopping at just one!

Craft Beers on Tap

There is a large selection of craft beers on offer that you may not know where to start! They have created their own pilsner, pale ale, golden ale, veissbier (a traditional German wheat beer) and even season brews are available at certain times of the year.

Jindabyne Brewing based in the Snowy Mountains of NSW is open for private functions and group bookings as long as you give them advance notice. If your friends love beer as much as you do, this will be the perfect place to celebrate that special birthday or maybe even Christmas in July.

Eat + Drink

With a beautiful view of Lake Jindabyne and close proximity to the snowfields, it is not only a great place for a beer but also an amazing venue to relax and indulge after a long day on the slopes. Jindabyne is also a popular location for other sports activities such as hiking, biking, fishing and sailing. No matter what activity you are doing or the weather in Jindabyne, you can get your fill of hearty tapas, share plates and amazing skewers at Jindabyne Brewing.

Visitors to the brewery often have questions and the knowledgeable staff do their best to answer these. You can see the brewing vats within the venue, which makes for a wholesome educational experience.

For lovers of beer this is one of the recommended stops during your trip to Jindabyne. They are open between 3pm and 9pm most days, as long as there is no private event booked! Where else would you rather be?

2. Wildbrumby Distillery

For all the liquor connoisseur out there, you will not want to miss a tour here. Forget skiing, this is the place where you can taste good quality boutique craft spirits in a glorious setting.

Located just 22km from Australia’s highest peak, Wildbrumby Distillery has access to pristine alpine water, organically grown fruit and native mountain botanicals, which have become the inspiration behind its award-winning stable of schnapps, gin and vodka.

Flavoured Schnapps

This award-winning Thredbo Valley distillery is a favourite among locals and visitors to Jindabyne alike. They provide an amazingly diverse range of schnapps which are made on the premises and cultivated to all tastes. After tasting a number, I can say that each drop of schnapps is absolutely unique and delectable!

Wildbrumby have created a taste sensation like no other with their variety of flavours from peach to pear, and of course there is one thing that sets them apart from the rest. Being located in the Snowy Mountain region, you need to have something to add a little heat, and Wildbrumby have found just the thing to warm you from the inside out. Their chili flavoured schnapps is a favourite for most. Free schnapps tastings is available to visitors who are over the age of 18.

Distillery Door and Café

The Wildbrumby’s Distillery Door and Café are open all year from 10am until 5pm. Reservations recommended, especially on weekends and during the busy holiday periods.

Wildbrumby products are available at most bars at the Thredbo Alpine Resort and you may buy it by the bottle at the local liquor store in Jindabyne, but the best way to enjoy it is with the friendly staff at Wildbrumby’s.

At their retail location, on Alpine Way in Thredbo Valley, you will find an amazing range of schnapps ready to go home with you. They are extremely reasonable in price and this is yet another reason why Wildbrumby is so successful. They will also offer you a free shot of any of the schnapps you are interested in purchasing, so you can make your most educated decision when picking up a bottle or two of their spirits.

If you would prefer, you may also treat yourself and your family to a sit-down lunch at their café, which is located in the same building.

Local Boutique Spirits

They also distill their own classic gin and vodka which is just as delicious as their schnapps! In the last several years, they have perfected the gin distilling process, creating some incredible spirits, for example the ‘Rubus Patch’ raspberry-infused gin which has won awards already since its release in 2017.

If you fail to buy while you are here or are unable to make the trip during your winter vacation, then you can still get your hands on a bottle of award-winning schnapps or gin! Wildbrumby Schnapps Distillery has an online store which is easily accessible and ships to anywhere within Australia.

Their website will also give you access to all the events that are hosted in the venue, so you can make your trip to Wildbrumby’s memorable for more reasons than one.

Wildbrumby Art

Brad Spalding, Wildbrumby founder, is a celebrated local artist with a passion for the majestic beauty of the Snowy Mountains. He uses snow as a constant theme, depicting the vast and unforgiving nature of the alpine regions. Spalding was awarded first prize in the Roof Top of Australia exhibition in 1994 and 1995, and his portrait of Stuart Diver was selected for the Archibald Salon in 2000.

More About Australian Gin

Gin distilleries are popping up all over the world. Australia is producing award winning gins and being rewarded for them. If you want to learn more about Australia Gin making then click here to read of this Australia Gin guide created by Yellow Octopus.

3. Koscuiszko Brewery

Beneath the Banjo Patterson Inn on Kosciuszko road, you will find arguably one of the best-known beers in New South Wales. It is sold far and wide at a range of bars and pubs throughout Australia. Can you guess? Yes, it is Kosciuszko Pale Ale!

Banyo Paterson Inn

Kosciuszko Brewery is central in their location, and being part of the Inn, you can not only dine here but also, if it takes your fancy, you may wish to book a room. The Banyo Paterson  inn has 40 rooms to suit a variety of budgets, from budget rooms to spacious, self-contained Lakeview Apartments.

With accommodation available on site and a short walk to the town centre, it is very easily accessed and provides ample parking and choices for restaurants and shopping if you are looking for alternate activities on your stay. As opposed to the Wildbrumby Distillery, both of the breweries on offer are quite a lot closer to Jindabyne town centre.

If you are looking to venture into the various ski shops on offer, or browse some of the fine homewares that can be found in this remote town, then you may wish to spend your day at one of the breweries. However, if you are coming back from a long day of skiing and snowboarding, then Wildbrumby is a great place to stop on your way down Alpine Way.

About the Beer

But I digress. The reason we are here is for BEER! You will not find a more substantial source of the fine brewed beverage. If you live in New South Wales, you have probably had the chance to try this beer already, but nothing compares to drinking a beer from the brewery itself. You can’t get any fresher than that.

Kosciuszko Brewery Tours

Don’t miss a guided brewery tour while you are here and you may get to meet Chuck Hahn, the creator of the renowned brew. Chuck opened Kosciuszko brewery in 2009 but has been in the industry since 1988. Since then, the market for Kosciuszko Pale Ale has skyrocketed and in Jindabyne, you can get it directly from the source. This, coupled with some amazing pub style food, makes for a great dining experience.

 Dining at Banjo Paterson Inn

The Banjo Paterson Inn is always quite busy, and this is a testament to its popularity with everyone who has attended the venue previously. The staff are very helpful when ordering and can assist you with choosing a beer to couple with your meal. Despite being a brewery and inn, this is quite a family friendly venue, especially in the dining area.

What’s On!

There are generally some great events running at Banjo Paterson Inn on most nights, so there is truly fun for everyone! This is a venue not to be missed on your winter vacation. Anywhere from bingo nights to table tennis tournaments, this cosy inn has you sorted in more ways than one. It is rated very highly on travel review sites and there is a reason that this is so.

Spoilt For Choice

These Jindabyne standouts are just a few of the choices for lovers of beer and spirits. If you are looking for more than just skiing and snowboarding in Thredbo Valley then include a visit to the best breweries and distillers in the Jindabyne region.

There are plenty of amazing Jindabyne restaurants on offer in this tiny town, but if you want something special and a little out there, why not have a meal in one of the award-winning breweries or distilleries that are scattered throughout this popular section of the snowy mountains.

All are greatly accessible if you are headed up or down the mountain for a day out on the snow and they are certainly all perfect places to relax and put your feet up afterwards.

Whatever your fancy, there is a place for everyone and all are kid friendly. This is important as it means that you can spend time with the family and not have the children bored while mum and dad tuck into a beverage or two.

There is certainly something for everyone’s individual tastes in each of these venues and with such high-quality beverages, it will be hard to stop at just one!