Breweries are making their mark in an area famous for its wine
The World Famous tourist destination of Niagara is well known for having internationally recognized wine, so why not discover even more to sip and savor with its rising craft beer scene.
One of the best things when traveling is trying something new. That’s especially true when it comes to craft beer! Not only does each Niagara brewery pride itself on taste and quality, they are also obsessive about coming up with fresh and distinctive flavors to impress visitors from around the world. Niagara’s food culture and tender fruit bounty also plays a role in creating some remarkable flavours and aromas for our IPAs, ambers, stouts, sours, wheats, pilsners, porters and more, making Niagara a hotbed for beer lovers.
Take a look at some of the amazing breweries we found in Niagara Falls and be sure to grab a pint and go on a “Beercation” next time you visit the Cataract City.
Taps Brewhouse: 4680 Queen St, Niagara Falls, Ontario L2E 2L8, Canada
Whether you’re craving their always-on-tap Red Cream Ale or the citrusy, floral and fruity flavors of Sinister Sam’s IPA, no craft beer scene tour is complete without a visit to Niagara Falls’ first microbrewery. Founded in 2004, Taps Brewhouse brews their custom crafted beer in small batches, using only four ingredients: pure filtered water, select hops, choice malted barley and yeast. Taps beers have a unique, refreshing and truly satisfying taste that complement their award winning chef’s menu.
Most Popular Beers:
- Rye Knot: Rye Beer -Hoppy and aromatic nose and palate…refreshing and tasty!
- Sinister Sam’s Insane IPA: IPA-American -This beer has an intense North West Pacific-hop character from a ridiculous amount of hops added to the brew-kettle, and then dry hopped later. Citrusy, floral and fruity flavors take front stage, while the caramel accented malts give it some balance.
- Red Cream Ale: Cream Ale – A medium bodied ale with a ruby red colour and smooth caramel flavour. Our Red Cream Ale has a silky texture with a fresh, crisp finish.
Reviews:
“Friendly service, tasty in-house brewed craft beer, very fair prices and
warm/casual atmosphere. Super happy with our experience here. Especially a fan
of the amber cream ale. Some local live music to top it off. Would definitely
come back!” – Steven Khuu
“Tasty craft beer. My hubby and I have this wonderful hobby of visiting local craft breweries. So happy to have found this one. The server “Ash” was amazing. We certainly enjoyed our experience and her knowledge. We loved our tasting flight…We enjoyed a pint of our favourite draft. We loved the atmosphere. We recommended to friends who went the next day and they also enjoyed their experience as they also love to visit breweries and share our love of craft beers” –Rose B
Niagara Brewing Company: 4915-A Clifton Hill, Niagara Falls, ON L2G 3N5
Niagara Brewing Company sits on the former site of the Foxhead Inn on Clifton Hill, one of the first luxury hotels to be built in Niagara Falls. Built and operated by Howard Fox, the Inn opened in 1925 as a subsidiary of the Clifton House, a hotel that would be lost to a dramatic fire on New Year’s Eve in 1932. From those ashes came development and progress, leading to the creation of Falls Avenue Resort and Niagara Brewing Company. The brewery honours the spirit of the fox by employing daring processes, bold flavours, and a sharp and fiery desire to create the perfect beer.
Most Popular Beers:
- Beerdevil IPA: IPA – English – Since 1859 countless thrill seekers have taken on the thundering waters of Niagara Falls with devilish style. We’ve channeled this fearlessness into our Beerdevil IPA, which blends a high hop aroma and caramel-like, toasted malt flavour. It’s bold and bracing like the daredevils it honours, proving that the risk is definitely worth the reward.
- Honeymoon Peach Radler: Shandy / Radler – Locally sourced and made with love! Niagara Falls is known as “The Honeymoon Capital of the World” and this honeymoon Peach Radler is crafted as a tribute to all of our newlywed visitors. With an airy malt sweetness, touch of ginger, and pleasant Niagara peach finish, you’ll feel refreshed and more in love with every sip.
- Amber Eh!: Red Ale – American Amber/Red – Amber is a vivacious Canuck with a love for the wild and this Amber Eh! Ale is our tribute to her and her fellow folk from the Great White North. With a blend of toasted grain, light caramel notes, and traditional North American hops, this tasty ale offers a flavour that’s as versatile and alluring as its namesake.
Reviews:
“Great value for the selection! My boyfriend and I got the Big Bang Flight of
all 8 beers on tap, and a meat and cheese board to share. The beers where
delicious, the Radler and Pumpkin where my favorite. The meat and cheese board
was plenty for 2 people to share as a mid-day snack or light lunch. The staff
were very friendly and happy to talk about the beers. Would definitely go back!”
–Emily Conner
“We ducked into this brewery to get out of the cold and have a quick drink/snack. We sat up at the bar on the second floor, where we had 2 Amber pints and the 2 pretzel appetizer. The beer and pretzels were great, and the bartender could not have been kinder, or more accommodating! I highly recommend this place!” –Christi Nap
“Great atmosphere, great food, and the pumpkin beer and iced wine beer is amazing! Highly recommend if you’re in the Niagara are.” –Cait T.
Counterpart Brewing: 3659 Stanley Ave, Niagara Falls, ON L2E 0A6
Niagara Falls’ newest craft brewery was founded by Joe Sartor and Greg Gnys, two Niagara natives who met while working in the culinary world of western Canada. “Our mission statement is building the community through great craft beer and food,” according to Gnys. Opened just under a year ago, the brewery has been a critical success with its full-service bar and food menu perfectly matched to their large collection of pales, dark ales, stouts, pilsners and sours.
Most Popular Beers:
- Flow: Pale Ale – New England. Juicy orange and peach abound supported by notes of pine and grass with a balanced bitterness throughout. Hopped with Ekuanot and Citra.
- Rise: Brown Ale – Other, Brown Ale w/ Coffee. A biscuity caramel malt driven ale conditioned on 75 lbs of freshly roasted Guatemalan coffee beans from our friends at Signal Coffee.
- Origin: Stout – Other. Double Stout w/ Signal Coffee Co. Guatemalan Coffee Grounds & White Meadows Farms Maple Syrup. Thick body, bold chocolatey malts, smooth coffee roast and rich decadent maple syrup. Like breakfast in a glass.
Reviews:
“Idk how a recently opened brewery could do better…it’s like they read the
tutorial on how to open the perfect brewery from the get go and followed it to
a T. First, they’re located quite close to the Falls if you’re in town doing
the tourist thing. Food was original and very tasty, including the vegetarian
options. I should probably mention that their beer was spot on. Some cryo hops,
some sours, a NEIPA, a double IPA, a stout… Just to name a few; a very well
rounded beer selection with no obvious flaws. Atmosphere was relaxed, board
games could be borrowed, lots of room to be seated and to top it all, you have
a great view of the brewery from the mezzanine. Finally prices were reasonable,
comparable to what I’d pay back home in a non-touristy town. Cheers!”- Matt G
“My go to local brewery! Always a great selection of beers for everyone in our party. The staff there is amazing and friendly, they had no problems answering all of our questions. The taproom is located beside the brewing tanks which is always nice to see. Be sure to grab a bite while you’re there as the quality is top notch. Lastly, if you can make it to one of the beer cocktail nights they host, it’s a must try.”- Brad Duncan
Niagara College Teaching Brewery: 135 Taylor Rd, Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON L0S 1J0
The Niagara College Teaching Brewery is always brewing something new and its beers are available to the public at the onsite retail store located near the new Outlet Collection At Niagara mall off the QEW. There is no shortage to the diversity of styles coming out of the program. Everything from Bitters to Bocks, from Ciders to IPAs, and Saisons to Porters can be found at the Niagara College Teaching Brewery.
Most Popular Beers:
- 1812 Butler’s Bitter: English Bitter – One of several brews featured at C’est What’s Festival of Small Brewers to commemorate the bi-centennial of the War of 1812.
- Brew Master Cherry Pilsner: Pilsner – Other– A bountiful Blossom! Niagara grown Montmorency cherries create a unique union between fruit and beer in this tart treat. Beautiful pink tones and a distinctive fruity aroma make our Cherry Pilsner pleasing to every sense adding a fresh and light balance unlike traditional Pilsners
- India Pale Ale 101: IPA – American – Originally brewed with additional hops and higher alcohol for the journey to India during the British Reign, this ale was later modified with North American hops when colonization of the new world began. With a medium body & a beautiful copper colour, the palate is greeted with sharp bitterness of pine and citrus & a sweet malt backbone that finishes with a long lasting hoppy finish.
Reviews:
“This place was great. The student’s beers were well worth the ride to Canada. Jill the bartender was awesome, took us on a tour and explained the entire process. Walked out with 2 six packs and I know it was worth every minute of the wait at the border. Looking forward to the next time.” – Paul McCullough
“What a fun surprise! Had a great time. The porter and the stout are amazing. I’m glad i brought some back to New Jersey.”- Rob Prunchak
“I drop in here once in a while to grab some interesting beers. My wife and I went on a brewery tour once and it was most fascinating. The students are quite passionate about their craft and the College is helping to grow the Craft Beer industry. Worth a stop!” – Farley Hadley
Kelsey’s Clifton Hill: 4960 Clifton Hill, Niagara Falls, ON L2G 3N4.
Though not officially a craft brewery, Kelsey’s Clifton Hill offers an outstanding selection of local and domestic craft beers and beverage options while you tour the Falls of Niagara. Located at the center of Clifton Hill’s Entertainment District, you’ll quickly appreciate the fantastic location, rustic décor, fresh eats and the absolute best local artists performing incredible live music year-round!
Reviews:
“Taps and Apps to ride during a thunder storm. Ducked into this place to get out of a thunder storm, and was pleasantly surprised. My wife and I decided to have some Taps and the beers are huge and they have a nice assortment of both local crafts beers and some of the better known domestics…what was great was the very attentive bartenders and the guy that was singing and playing guitar. A lovely way to spend a rainy afternoon” -W. Connor
“One of our best meals on Clifton Hill. Our family of four came here for lunch. The craft beer list was exceptional, as was our server’s recommendation for good local brews. The bruschetta flatbread was very good.” –T. Twit
“We really loved this place. We enjoy craft beer and had a Barking Squirrel that was great. We came back two more times. Twice we had the chicken tacos – fresh and delicious. And once we had chicken fingers as a snack. Very good. The staff was awesome every time…They also had a singer with a guitar doing covers. Very enjoyable…We wish this place was in our hometown! Highly recommend.” –Joanne H.
“Great Local Beer! Although we never stopped for food, we did end our days here over a few locally brewed beers. The bar is large and open to the outside and was a lot of fun people watching in the evenings.” -Mathew G.
Other Top Craft Breweries to check out in the Niagara Region:
- Exchange Brewery: 7 Queen St, Niagara-on-the-Lake
- Oast House Brewers: 2017 Niagara Stone Rd, Niagara-on-the-Lake
- Silversmith Brewing Company: 1523 Niagara Stone Rd, Niagara-on-the-Lake
- Cold Break Brewing: 193 St Paul St W, St. Catharines, ON L2S 2C9
- Lock St. Brewery: 15 Lock Street, Suite 104 Port Dalhousie, St. Catharines
- Merchant Ale House: 98 St. Paul St., St. Catharines
- Bench Brewing: 3991 King Street, Beamsville
- Breakwall Brewing: 46 Clarence St. Port Colborne
- Brimstone Brewing: 209 Ridge Road North, Ridgeway
- Kame & Kettle Beer Works: 25 Pelham Town Square, Fonthill, ON