Brewery Tours in the North

Demi Sheridan, Editorial Assistant

The North has always known its way around a pint. From the brewing powerhouses of Yorkshire to the indie trailblazers tucked into the backstreets of northern cities, this part of the UK is rich in beer history – and not short on flavour either. Whether you’re all about classic cask ales or keen to explore the hazy frontiers of craft brewing, there’s a tour out there with your name on it.

Brewery tours across the North offer more than just a behind-the-scenes look at hops and fermenters. They’re a window into the region’s character – proudly local, endlessly inventive, and always ready with a good story (and a better pour). You’ll find everything from intimate brewery taproom sessions and guided tastings to city-wide crawls and countryside setups with proper northern hospitality.

So whether you’re planning a weekend pilgrimage or just looking for an excuse to toast something new, the North’s brewery tours offer a full-bodied way to explore the people, places and pints that make this region one of the UK’s best for beer.

Our top picks

Brewery Tour and Tasting at Cloudwater’s Unit 9 Taproom

Brewery Tour and Tasting at Cloudwater Brew Co, Manchester, Until 2 December 2029, From £25.00 - Book now

Cloudwater has become one of Manchester’s most celebrated brewing success stories. During this tour you’ll learn about the brewing process and how all of the spaceship looking machines work. You’ll then enjoy four pours of the freshest beer you can try as well as a tutored tasting.

Cloudwater Production One
Cloudwater Brew Co.

Brewery Tour and Tasting with Seven Bro7hers

Brewery Tour and Tasting at Seven Bro7hers Brewery & Taproom, Manchester, Until 12 June 2027, From £20.00 - Book now

Step inside Seven Bro7hers Brewery in Salford for a behind-the-scenes tour of this family-run success story, known for creative flavours like watermelon and honeycomb beers. You’ll explore the brewing process, hear how seven siblings built the brand from scratch, then settle in for a guided tasting of six fresh pours straight from the source.

SB_BreweryTour- Taproom Two
Seven Bro7hers

Northern Monk Brewery Tour

Northern Monk Brewery Tour at Northern Monk Refectory LDS, Leeds, Until 26 June 2027, From £20.00 - Book now

Step inside Northern Monk’s original brewery in Leeds for a guided tour exploring their bold beers and independent ethos. With tastings, brewing insights and a pint-friendly refectory on site, it’s the perfect intro to one of the North’s true craft success stories.

The Runaway Brewery Tour & Tasting

The Runaway Brewery - Tour & Tasting at The Runaway Brewery, Manchester, Until 4 October 2025, From £18.00 - Book now

Get behind the scenes at Runaway Brewery, an independent Stockport outfit known for small-batch, modern British beers with real character. This relaxed, brewer-led tour includes four tastings – and if you’re lucky, a sip straight from the tank, mid-fermentation and fresh as it gets.

Runaway Brewery Tour

Love Lane & Higsons Brewery Tour Experience!

Love Lane & Higsons Brewery Tour Experience! at Love Lane Brewery, Liverpool, Until 28 December 2025, From £25.00 - Book now

Step inside one of Liverpool’s most iconic breweries and discover the history behind Love Lane and Higsons. This guided tour takes you from grain to glass, with plenty of learning and plenty of tasting along the way.

Love Lane Brewery Exterior
Archie Markwell

Saltaire Brewery Tour

Saltaire Brewery Tour at Saltaire Brewery, Bradford, Until 6 June 2026, From £15.00 - Book now

Go behind the scenes at Saltaire Brewery for an easy-going, expert-led tour of this Yorkshire favourite, known for its Blonde, Cascade Pale and rich Triple Choc Stout. After exploring the brewhouse and packaging plant, you’ll head to the taproom for a tasting flight of their no-nonsense beers.

Saltaire Brewery - 58
Saltaire Brewery

Craft Beer Tour Manchester

Craft Beer Tour Manchester at Seven Bro7hers Beerhouse, Manchester, Until 23 December 2027, From £45 - Book now

Broaden your beery horizons with a tour that combines the best of the Manchester’s breweries to create a veritable feast of artisanal tipples. Expect a proper Northern beer experience featuring 10-12 beers (hic), behind-the-scenes stories and a few surprises along the way.

Craft Beer Tour Around Manchester
Image curtesy of Craft Beer Tour Manchester

Ossett Brewery Tour

Ossett Brewery Tour at Ossett Brewery Taproom, West Yorkshire, 16 August–11 October 2025, From £19.09 - Book now

Explore the brewing tanks and tasting room of Ossett Brewery, a Yorkshire favourite with Tetley roots and a passion for proper beer. With behind-the-scenes access, expert-led tastings and a suntrap of a beer garden, it’s the perfect excuse for a Wakefield day out (top tip, get your culture fix at The Hepworth or Yorkshire Sculpture Park before you sink half a dozen cold ones).

Ossett Brewery Exterior
Ossett Brewery

Leeds Heritage Pub & Brewery Tour

Leeds Heritage Pub & Brewery Tour at The Tetley, Until 30 August 2026, From £35.00 - Book now

Trace three centuries of Leeds’ beer-soaked history on this heritage pub crawl, from Victorian drinking dens to hidden ‘ghost pubs’ and iconic ale houses. With local legends, brewery tales and a half-pint in every stop, it’s a tour with as much heart as Yorkshire itself.

Whitelock's Ale House
Image supplied by Leeds Inspired
Spotlight on

Food and Drink in the North

The sun is shining in the North, so use our guide to get out there and eat, drink and be merry in it.

Take me there

More to do in Leeds

In a large industrial space filled with dobby looms hangs a blood red textile piece infront of a sheer white backdrop.
Until
ExhibitionsLeeds
Loops at Sunny Bank Mills

‘Loops’ is a new collaborative exhibition of textiles at Sunny Bank Mills, connecting artists from across the Netherlands and Yorkshire.

Free entry
LiteratureLeeds
Lisa Jewell at the Old Woollen

“Twisty page-turners. Domestic dramas. Bone-chilling suspense.” That’s how #1 New York Times bestselling author Lisa Jewell is described by her publisher Simon & Schuster on their home page for her.

From £18.00
LiteratureLeeds
Chemistry at The Chemic

Leeds live literature regular Chemistry offers an exciting mix of open mic acts and invited poets – this month the headliners include Rosie Garland.

Free entry
The Nadler Hotel exterior
Spotlight on

Hotels in Liverpool

There’s no shortage of hotels in Liverpool, but you don’t have to go far to find something a bit more stylish than a Travelodge. Here’s our guide.

Take me there

Visitor Guides

Culture Guides

  • European Poetry Festival European Camarade
    Literature Events in the North

    From tongue-twisters to twisty page-turners, we have all kinds of spoken word surprises in the latest literature round-up.

  • Theatre in Manchester
    Theatre in the North

    Summer signals theatre festivals, world premieres and open-air spectacle - from MIF25 to comedy, outdoor circus and beyond, here’s what we’re looking forward to.

  • Cloudwater Production One
    Tours and Activities in the North

    Go forth with wild abandon to dance the pavements, dabble with the paint and down the pints in this month's tours and activities guide.

  • Star Nhà Ease
    Cinema in the North

    July's cinema highlights include spotlights on international cinema, a new cult classic, plus a visit from one of our favourite directors.

  • Exhibitions in the North

    Captivating, urgent and intimate - we bring you our top exhibition picks, with even more art festivals, artist-led shows and new venues.

  • Helena Hauff
    Music in the North

    Shape-shifting bands, scorched-earth techno, and off-grid festivals. Our latest music picks catch the live scene at its most urgent, inventive and alive.

  • Classical Music in the North

    Read our latest highlights from the live classical music offer in Manchester and the North, taking in a number of the region's most cherished orchestral forces and venues.