Discover the Top Distillery and Brewery Tours in North & East Yorkshire
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Discover the Top Distillery and Brewery Tours in North & East Yorkshire
Yorkshire’s distilleries and breweries combine craftsmanship, heritage, and hospitality. A tour gives you a front-row seat to see how grain, yeast, and botanicals turn into award-winning beers and spirits. You’ll walk among stills and mash tuns, breathe in the scent of malt or juniper, and taste fresh samples straight from the source.
Most tours last between 45 minutes and two hours. Many include a guided tasting, shop, or bar. You’ll meet people who care about what they make, and often hear stories rooted in Yorkshire’s soil and sea air.
Here are 19 of the best distillery and brewery tours in North and East Yorkshire, starting with Wicstun Distillery in Market Weighton.
1. Wicstun Distillery, Market Weighton (East Yorkshire)
A small-batch, family-run distillery producing gin, rum, and vodka, all made, bottled, and labelled on site. You’ll tour the working still room, learn how Jago and Lisa Packer hand-craft every spirit, and sample several drinks. Tours last 1.5 to 2 hours and cost around £25 per person. Drivers can take samples home.
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2. Spirit of Yorkshire Distillery, Hunmanby (North Yorkshire)
Yorkshire’s first single-malt whisky producer. Their Filey Bay Whisky is made from barley grown on their own farm. Choose between a one-hour classic tour or an in-depth experience with extended tastings. The café overlooks the stills and the North Sea coast.
3. Cooper King Distillery, Sutton-on-the-Forest (near York)
A self-built, sustainable distillery producing gin and whisky powered by renewable energy. The Cooper King Dry Gin highlights honey and fresh lemongrass. Tours last about 90 minutes and include tastings, behind-the-scenes access, and the founders’ story.
4. Masons of Yorkshire, Leeming Bar
Award-winning gin distillery known for Masons Original Gin. Their two-hour “Distillery Experience” includes a detailed walk through their still house, an introduction to botanicals, and a guided tasting in their elegant bar.
5. Whitby Distillery, Whitby
A coastal distillery set near the iconic Abbey. You’ll explore their handmade copper stills and learn how they craft Whitby Gin, The Original Edition. Gin-making classes and blending workshops are also available.
6. Hooting Owl Distillery, York
Situated just outside York, this craft distillery produces a wide range of gins, including Hooting Owl Signature Gin. Their guided tour covers the distillation process, local botanicals, and finishes with G&Ts in the tasting room.
7. York Gin Distillery, York
Housed in a Grade I listed building, York Gin offers tasting sessions and gin school experiences. Their York Gin London Dry is their flagship product. Learn about gin history in one of England’s most historic cities.
8. Wold Top Brewery, Hunmanby (Yorkshire Wolds)
A sustainable farm brewery producing Wold Gold Blonde Beer. Their tours show the brewing process from grain to glass, using barley grown on the farm and chalk-filtered water from their well. Tastings are included.
9. Brew York, York
Modern craft brewery located inside York’s city walls. Tours include a tasting flight of four beers. Try their Tonkoko Milk Stout to see how creative British brewing can be.
10. Theakston Brewery, Masham (North Yorkshire)
One of England’s oldest family breweries, founded in 1827. You’ll explore traditional brewing vessels and end the tour with a pint of Old Peculier. Their cooperage is one of the last remaining in the UK.
11. Black Sheep Brewery, Masham
Founded by the Theakston family’s younger generation, this brewery is famous for Black Sheep Ale. Tours run daily and end in the Visitor Centre’s bar and kitchen, where you can enjoy cask beers and Yorkshire food.
12. Whitby Brewery, Whitby
A short walk from Whitby Abbey, this microbrewery produces Abbey Blonde Ale. Tours show small-scale brewing up close, and the taproom offers striking sea views. Expect friendly, knowledgeable guides.
13. Helmsley Brewing Co., Helmsley
Family-run microbrewery in the North York Moors. Their Striding the Riding Bitter is a popular choice. Tours are available in summer, ending with a tasting flight or pint in the taproom.
14. Great Yorkshire Brewery, Cropton (near Pickering)
Brewed beside the New Inn pub, this rural brewery creates Yorkshire Pale Ale. Tours cover traditional brewing methods and casking, and often include a pub meal and tasting.
15. Yorkshire Heart Brewery, Nun Monkton
Part of a combined vineyard and brewery estate. Their Hearty Bitter is brewed with local hops. Tours and monthly tap nights include a walkthrough of the brewhouse and open tastings.
16. Atom Brewery, Hull
Science-driven craft brewery with a modern approach. Their Neutron Star Imperial Stout is rich and complex. Tours run 60–90 minutes and explain the science behind fermentation and flavour development.
17. Rudgate Brewery, Tockwith (near York)
Independent brewery known for Viking Ale. Tours run on special event days and include samples from cask. Expect insight into the art of traditional English brewing.
18. Brass Castle Brewery, Malton
Award-winning brewery and taproom in Malton, Yorkshire’s food capital. Their Burnout Porter shows the depth of their range. Tours and tastings are held on selected dates.
19. Filey Distillery, Filey
A new coastal gin producer crafting Filey Gin Original. Small-group tours showcase local botanicals like sea buckthorn and samphire, with tastings and bottle sales on site.
Planning Your Yorkshire Drinks Tour
- Group by area: Combine Whitby Distillery, Whitby Brewery, and Filey Distillery for a coastal day.
- Book ahead: Weekends fill fast, especially in summer.
- Designate a driver: Many venues offer take-home samples for drivers.
- Dress right: Closed shoes and warm layers suit brewhouses and still rooms.
From whisky to gin to beer, Yorkshire’s producers combine skill and story in every bottle. Whether you start on the coast, in York, or at the heart of the Wolds, one stop deserves to be first — Wicstun Distillery in Market Weighton, where local craft meets Yorkshire pride.