Red Hill Brewery

If you are tasked with being the designated driver in the Red Hill area, I feel sorry for you.
Red Hill Brewery is a fantastic place to sink a few exquisitely-​crafted beers (they grow their own hops on site!) and relax on their deck that overlooks their lovely gardens. If you like a particular beer, you also have the option of taking some home in bottles.
When we visited, the Dude Food Man food truck was on lunch duty, which is a great idea considering the type of establishment we were at!

When open for special occasions, an absolute gem of the peninsula.

You know, it’s not all about wine here. Red Hill Brewery prides itself on offering a beer oasis, amid a sea of vines. It sells and serves a number of hoppy offerings through its cellar door (at the microbrewery) and adjoining bar-​restaurant, which serves decent pub grub. Order a tasting paddle. The selection on the day we visited was the Golden Ale, Scotch Ale, Wheat Beer and Weizenbock. By far my favourite was the Scotch Ale, which was a special blend of English malts that ended with a caramel-​y sweetness than lingered on the palate.

Red Hill Brewery’s beers are some of our favourite hand crafted ales. I love them all from the Belgian style to more Germanic brews, to stout. And one of the things I like about coming here is that in addition to their usual delicious range are seasonal speciality brews. If you’re interested in trying a selection of their beers, try a tasting paddle.
The brewery is a small operation run by husband and wife team David and Karen Golding. It’s an added bonus that their hop garden and bar are located in a beautiful part of the Mornington Peninsula, surrounded by wineries and farms. This makes a visit even more of a pleasure.
You don’t have to be a beer lover to stop in here, the café food is beer friendly and not typical of peninsula venues, featuring interesting locally sourced food, from snacks to grazing plates or something more substantial. If you prefer wine or cider to beer you’re still bound to find something to please. Sit out on the deck and unwind or at certain times of the year you can also take one of their beer appreciation sessions/​brewery tours.
When we were there last a small wedding party dropped in late afternoon while the bride and groom were having their photos taken nearby — what a great idea! The café can get really popular for lunch in Summer so be prepared to wait if you are a large group with kids, they’ll do their best but it’s not a huge venue.
I don’t live nearby, but thankfully their beer is also available at selected venues in Melbourne. So coming to Red Hill Brewery still remains a special treat for me.