Beercations

This winter is the perfect time to getaway & enjoy Niagara’s growing craft beer scene. In addition to wineries, & distilleries we offer excellent craft cider too! The Niagara Ale Trail is your guide to the established and new local craft breweries!

Where to Stay

Holiday Inn & Suites Parkway Conference Centre

Work meets play at the St. Catharines Holiday Inn & Suites, Parkway Conference Centre.

Best Western Hotel & Conference Centre

When staying at the Best Western St. Catharines Hotel & Conference Centre, guests can be assured they’re staying with people who care.

Hampton Inn by Hilton St. Catharines Niagara

Tucked between the shores of Lake Ontario and Niagara Falls, we’re the perfect base for exploring the best of the area.

Itineraries

St. Catharines Pubs & Pints

What better place to start your Niagara Ale Trail journey than where it all started, in downtown St. Catharines

St Catharines Pubs & Pints

What better place to start your Niagara Ale Trail journey than where it all started, in downtown St. Catharines at the Merchant Ale House? With Cold Break Brewing just down the street, and Lock Street Brewery a short drive away in Port Dalhousie.

Downtown St Catharines is a perfect stroll for the craft beer afficianado. Start at the Merchant Ale House and make your way down the main drag, popping into the Meridian Centre for a pint and hockey or basketball game, or catch a performance and grab a pint at the FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre. The Film House is one of the only in Niagara where you can enjoy a pint with your popcorn and film! Kully’s is a great sports bar filled with Niagara Ale and soon the World Cup will be occupying their screens!

From St. Catharines, whether you head toward Niagara-on-the-Lake and Niagara Falls, south to Port Colborne and Fort Erie, or west to Twenty Valley, there’s a great Niagara brewery to try – and tons of fantastic dining en route!

The Heritage & Hops tour – NOTL

Approx timing for 4 stops: 5 hours +

Spend a delicious afternoon in Niagara sampling craft ciders, small batch beers and spirits! Feeling adventurous, add an evening dining experience to finish off your tasting tour.

The Heritage & Hops tour – NOTL

A great place to start any tour is at Niagara College Teaching Brewery. Here you will learn all about Canada’s first Brewery Operations program, as well Canada’s first Distilling program.  It is the perfect blend of edu-tainment!

Onwards to Niagara On The Lake, the first capital of Upper Canada and home to Ironwood Cider @  Canada’s first fruit winery, Sunnybrook.

For Hockey fans or anyone feeling Canadian, head over to Wayne Gretzky Estates Winery & Distillery. It is often busy but worth the hustle and bustle.  You can sample whiskeys and enjoy an informative talk about each sample.  There are many instagrammable moments waiting for you.

Next, head over to Silversmith Brewing Co. and sample a flight of their famous craft beers in their picturesque beer hall.  Or you might want to head down the road to the red barn, where Oast house brewers feature live music, food and beer from 5pm- midnight every Friday. A perfect place to end the day, relax and enjoy some good eats from Brushfire Smoke BBQ.

There are many great ways to explore craft beverages across the Region; choose your own adventure or call on the experts, cycle or sit back and relax.

Please drink responsibly or contact one of the many tour companies or designated driving companies to get you around safely.

Pedal Pub  |  Niagara Craft Brewery Tours

Please note each venue offers different tours & tasting experiences and fees vary.

The Downtowner: City Sippers

There are so many unique locations within walking distance in downtown St Catharines, there’s an endless way to spend your afternoon, evening, or late night of sipping and sampling.

The Downtowner: City Sippers

Start at one end of St Paul Street and roam your way to the other. We like to start at OddBar for a pint and a pizza pie. Next, we head up the street to Fiddler’s Pour House for a crisp cider or classic cocktail. Onward to Kully’s Original Sports Bar where the local bevvies are plentiful and the game is always on. When it’s time to stretch your legs, head back down St Paul Street to finish up your afternoon or evening with a casual meal at The Merchant Ale House with their onsite brewing and array of cocktail concoctions. Or, for an intimate dining experience, take your chances on a table at Oddbird where the eclectic menu is as interesting as the drink options.

If you’re headed out for an evening on the town pop into Kully’s Original Sports Bar for a local libation and a bite before you take in a little entertainment across the street at the FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre – enjoy comedy, music or a film house classic! Kick back and relax with a craft beverage and some popcorn to keep you going. Cap the night off at Mahtay Café, where music, art & culture are as amazing as the food, drinks and specialty coffee.

There are so many unique locations within walking distance in downtown St Catharines, there’s an endless way to spend your afternoon, evening, or late night of sipping and sampling. More top spots are listed here:

 

  • Merchant Ale House
  • Kully’s Original Sports Bar
  • Mahtay Café
  • Warehouse
  • OddBar