Cheers! 8 Rural Ontario Breweries to Visit in 2025

Bench Brewing Company is an independent craft beverage company proudly located in the beautiful Niagara Benchlands wine region of Niagara and the Town of Lincoln. Surrounded by some of Ontario’s finest agricultural land, the location provides the ideal setting for crafting great tasting, approachable beer, cider and wine that reflects the local terroir. Their 3-acre hop yard on the site of the brewery is home to several hops varietals, including Cascade, Centennial, Chinook and Willamette.

The Bench team are stewards of the land and proud of their great community. They strive to continuously improve the brewery’s sustainability efforts while being an environmental leader in Canada’s craft beverage industry. Bench received B Corp Certification in April 2021 and Carbon Neutral certification in July 2021, emphasizing their commitment to community and environmental sustainability.

In 2010, the team behind Charlotteville Brewing Company bought half of their family's farm and decided to start growing hops. It was from there that their dream to one day own an estate brewery began to evolve. The brewery occupies one of two incredible turn-of-the-century barns; in the other, you’ll find a beautiful taproom space with an adjacent outdoor patio where you can spend a few hours sampling beers, trying snacks, and relaxing in a beautiful rural environment.

The Charlotteville team has a deep commitment to sustainability, which includes:

• Using as much repurposed material as possible
• Growing raw ingredients organically and/or purchasing organic
• Paying staff a living wage so they can prosper
• Striving to be as close to zero waste as possible
• Serving artisanal beer and food that is as sustainable as it is delicious

The Cowbell story began with a dream. In 2016, when a group of successful craft beer enthusiasts looked out at the more than 120 acres of Huron County farmland at the corner of Highways 4 and 25, they saw a place where friends could gather for good times, delicious food and great beer – and thus, Cowbell Brewing Co. was born.

Today, Cowbell is an accessible, inclusive, sustainable, socially responsible and family friendly space. Guests can experience firsthand Cowbell’s grand old barn architecture, state-of-the-art brewing and packaging facility, family-friendly restaurant, brewhouse bar, and fully-equipped games room. The taproom serves a full menu alongside their range of craft beer, hard ciders, and hard seltzers. It’s a great day trip destination any time of the year!

Cowbell Brewing Co. is a Feast On® Certified business! This certification verifies that a business sources their goods and ingredients with purpose. They’re supporting Ontario’s farmers and makers that are working the land in ethical and sustainable ways. By choosing a Feast On® certified business, you’re supporting Ontario’s local food system AND getting a true taste of Ontario. For more information, visit the Ontario Culinary website.

Flux Brewing Company is a destination brewery located in Scotland, Ontario (Brant County). Located in a former horse barn that has been transformed into the brewery & taproom, the brewery offers a seamless blend of rustic and modern, with refurbished antique materials, doors and fixtures throughout the space. 

The taproom features hand-hewn wooden beams from a century old barn in Oakland. The patio overlooks an acre-long spring-fed pond swimming with wildlife, backed by a broad agricultural landscape. Manna Kitchen serves interesting snacks and mains, like a Hawaiian plate lunch or dill pickle fries. This destination brewery is worth a visit!

Brothers Daniel and Ivan MacKinnon are the 8th generation of farmers on this ancestral farm, which dates back to 1784. Along with their cousin, Ben Vandenberg, they are their family’s 1,300-acre bicentennial farm: century-old barns have been renovated to house equipment; hops and malting barley are planted in the fields surrounding the brewery, and the brewery is a reimagined take on the old tradition of working the land, alongside their family’s ongoing certified seed farm business.

MacKinnon Brothers Brewing Co. uses the hops, wheat and barley grown right on the farm to brew beer emboldened with the unique character of rural Canada. They use a sustainable no-till farming technique which means fewer passes over the fields, resulting in less fuel consumption, Their distribution footprint is intentionally small – 80% of the beer that they brew is kept within 30 km of the brewery – to reduce the environmental impact of their end product.

The taproom is a cozy space that highlights a farm-field patio in warmer weather and casual indoor seating year-round. Their upcoming Holiday Market is a great opportunity to check out local vendors and pick up a few holiday gifts!

MacKinnon Brothers Brewing Co. is a Feast On® Certified business! This certification verifies that a business sources their goods and ingredients with purpose. They’re supporting Ontario’s farmers and makers that are working the land in ethical and sustainable ways. By choosing a Feast On® certified business, you’re supporting Ontario’s local food system AND getting a true taste of Ontario. For more information, visit the Ontario Culinary website.

Quayle’s Brewery is nestled in the hills of Oro-Medonte, Ontario between lower Georgian Bay and Lake Simcoe, a short drive from Toronto and only 9 minutes from Orillia. With its peaceful surroundings, fresh air, and rich history, it is the perfect setting to brew craft beer. Quayle’s uses their own spring water and farm-fresh hops to create a lasting farm-to-glass experience.

The brewery was built in 2016 as a re-creation of a 19th century local landmark, the Musical Barn, and overlooks 12 acres of hop yards.The barn features a large outdoor patio, tasting room, acoustic lounge, and indoor/outdoor event space. Best of all, their full food menu includes local butter tarts for dessert. Yum!

Quayle’s Brewery is a Feast On® Certified business! This certification verifies that a business sources their goods and ingredients with purpose. They’re supporting Ontario’s farmers and makers that are working the land in ethical and sustainable ways. By choosing a Feast On® certified business, you’re supporting Ontario’s local food system AND getting a true taste of Ontario. For more information, visit the Ontario Culinary website.

Trestle Brewing Company is a small independently-owned craft brewery located in downtown Parry Sound, with a spectacular view looking towards the iconic CPR Trestle bridge and Georgian Bay. The 4000 sq. ft facility opened July 1, 2018 and includes a taproom serving flagship beer brewed on site as well as other seasonal special beers throughout the year. 

The taproom is a community hub that frequently plays host to local events. Trestle serves a great menu of gastropub-style comfort foods that pair well with their beers. You can also sit outside year-round in their riverside Biergarten.

Trestle Brewing Company is a Feast On® Certified business! This certification verifies that a business sources their goods and ingredients with purpose. They’re supporting Ontario’s farmers and makers that are working the land in ethical and sustainable ways. By choosing a Feast On® certified business, you’re supporting Ontario’s local food system AND getting a true taste of Ontario. For more information, visit the Ontario Culinary website.

In 2017, fresh out of university, Cameron Formica partnered with brothers Jordan and Nolan Vanderheyden to found Willibald Farm Distillery in the small township of Ayr, Ontario. Today, Willibald Farm is a distillery/brewery/farm-to-table restaurant with a range of inventive seltzers, beers, and spirits.

Over in the restaurant, you’ll find a range of pizzas and great snacks, like confit duck wings with gochujang glaze, whipped ricotta with focaccia, and fried brussel sprouts with nuoc cham. The restaurant is focused on hyper-local ingredients, with purveyors like Little Fields Farm and Ayrsyde Farms just a stone’s throw away.

Willibald Farm Distillery is a Feast On® Certified business! This certification verifies that a business sources their goods and ingredients with purpose. They’re supporting Ontario’s farmers and makers that are working the land in ethical and sustainable ways. By choosing a Feast On® certified business, you’re supporting Ontario’s local food system AND getting a true taste of Ontario. For more information, visit the Ontario Culinary website.