Discover the best Sunshine Coast Hinterland vineyards and craft breweries the easy way as our Wine, Beer & Whisky Trail takes you in comfort through beautiful landscapes to three of our favourite Hinterland watering-holes. (And by water, we mean alcohol). And there’s a tasty surprise for lunch – authentic German food with German-style brews to match, or lunch at Brouhaha Brewery in Maleny, a modest, no-fuss brewery where high-quality craft beer meets with fresh, local produce for patrons near and far.
What to expect
Like beer? Like wine? Like whisky? Can’t decide what you’d like to taste?
You don’t need to because our Wine, Beer & Whisky Trail has everything. And because we do all the planning, booking and driving, all you have to do is turn up and enjoy the experience!
You can mix it up in comfort and style as we pick you up from your chosen pick-up point in our COVID-safe air-conditioned minibus. We’ll drive you in luxury through the beautiful foothills of the spectacular Blackall Range to our first stop, the iconic Clouds Vineyard, which showcases a range of handcrafted wines and beers in its barrel-shaped Tasting Hall.
After a refreshing sip (or two) it’s time to jump back in the minibus for the scenic route towards Maleny and your second stop, the awesomely Germanic King Ludwig’s Restaurant & Bar. Sit down to an amazingly authentic award-winning German lunch and a choice of tasty Teutonic beers as you gaze at the spectacular views of the Glasshouse Mountains.
As an alternative lunch venue, Brouhaha Brewery shares its love for quality food and beer with the people. Their core range of beers has been carefully crafted and designed to tempt beer drinkers to start a journey with craft brewing and to encourage people to drink better beer. Their seasonal menu is designed with minimal intervention to allow for the fresh Sunshine Coast produce to shine.
After lunch, head back to the 1950s at Rick’s Garage, a vibrant retro diner with a specialist whisky bar and heaps of laid-back atmosphere. When you’ve had time to discover your rockabilly roots, we’ll drive you on to your final stop.
The last stop of the day is at The Glasshouse Brewery, tucked away among the organic shops and industrial spaces of Forest Glen. The Glasshouse has kept that cool, industrial pared-back functional vibe in its tall, airy ceilings, wooden beams, and pallet-clad walls, which means that there’s plenty of space to stretch out.
The passion project of a couple of mates who thought of it over a beer (what else?), the Glasshouse Brewery is the centre of a lively post-Covid jazz scene and the host of the Sunshine Coast Jazz & Brews Fest 2021, so, if luck is on your side, you might be treated to a spot of jazz while you’re served from a mouth-watering selection of choice house beers. You’ve got your Front & Line, a classic Aussie draught ale brewed in honour of our fantastic healthcare workers, a sharp and fruity Raspberry Sour, a grassy Pilsner, and a whole ton of other classy brews.
After you’ve totally chilled out, it’s time to head back to your chosen drop-off point. We’ll wake you when we get there!
Pick-up & drop-off location as requested
Pick-up time 10.15 am
Drop-off 5.30 pm
Book your Whisky, Wine and Beer Tour now!
Our Whisky, Wine and Beer Tour is perfect for groups of friends or work colleagues, for serious wine, whisky, or beer fans or for the occasional tippler. It’s a different way to celebrate a birthday or as a pre-wedding get-to-know-you trip for your guests. And it’s a fun day out for absolutely no reason at all. Who needs a reason when there is German food and great views involved!
Looking for something a little different? View all of our private group tours
The tour starts at mid-morning at your chosen pick-up point, relax on the short half-hour drive while our experienced driver takes you through the luscious, spectacular foothills of the Blackall Range, through quaint towns and past awesome lookout points. It’s a pretty drive, all the way there and back.
The Barrel at Clouds Vineyard
Our first stop of the day is at Clouds Vineyard, located up at the magnificently named Bald Knob. The vineyard has inspirational views and the team will welcome you into The Barrel, a barrel-shaped tasting house that’s packed full of opportunities to taste some of the best wines and craft beers in Australia.
Clouds showcase a range of award-winning wines from Granite Ridge, Casley Mt Hutton and Kominos wineries, as well as a choice of exciting beers, such as the exclusive stout “Dark Cloud” brewed specially by their mates at Copperhead Brewery.
King Ludwig’s German Restaurant & Bar
After you’ve enjoyed the views, wines, and brews at Clouds, we hope that you’ve worked up an appetite because the next stop is a treat and a half! It’s off toward Maleny for lunch at King Ludwig’s German Restaurant & Bar, where Barbara & Klaus and the team will give you a warm welcome. Grab a verandah seat because the views across the Glass Mountains are spectacular!
You don’t find many authentic German restaurants in Australia, never mind the Sunshine Coast, so tuck into Bavarian specialties, washed down with your pick of German beers. The range is extensive so you might find it difficult to choose. Try DAB Dortmund or Altenmünster Marktoberdorf from the Helles range.
If you prefer a Pilsner, go for the Radeberger Dresden or Weltenburger Pils but there are also smoked beers, wheat ales, and Original Kölsch to sample. Don’t forget to check out the specials board for the current guest beer. By the way, it’s not all bratwurst – veggos and vegans have their own delicious menu. Lederhosen optional.
Alternative Lunch Venue – Brouhaha Brewery
For those wishing to sample some of Sunshine Coast’s finest Craft Beers with lunch, as an Alternative lunch venue, Brouhaha Brewery Born out of necessity and raised in the Hinterland of the Sunshine Coast. Brouhaha Brewery and Restaurant adopts the principles of its hometown, Maleny. Embracing community, a slower pace and fresh local produce in how they brew their craft beer and create their seasonal menu.
Ricks’s Garage
This is a chilled-out tour, so we don’t prise you from your lunch and throw you into the minibus for your next stop. There’s plenty of time to rest and digest, but don’t get too much of that after-lunch sleepyhead feeling because the next stop on your Wine, Beer & Whisky Trail is upbeat, uptempo, and back-to-the-50s. Rick’s Garage at Palmwoods is a Sunshine Coast institution, and you’ll soon see why.
It’s the real-deal retro diner, with vintage cars and bikes outside and, inside, vintage rockabilly memorabilia (yeah, trying saying that after a few beers) and 1950s decor just for the fun of it.
Converted from an old petrol station and auto workshop, Rick’s Garage is a perfect way to end your beer and wine trail, because, this time, it’s whisky. Upstairs at Rick’s is an outrageous whisky bar open Fri, Sat & Sun, with over 70 varieties waiting for you as well as some house-infused whiskies doing their thing in oak barrels live in the bar. And, yes, the whisky cocktails are the best we’ve tasted. The regular downstairs bar is open for 7 days.
10 Toes Brewery, Your Mates, Brouhaha Baringa, Heads of Noosa, The Glasshouse Brewery (Choice of brewery will depend on the drop-off location)
After Rick’s Garage, we’ll drive you in air-conditioned comfort to either, 10 Toes Brewery, Your Mates, Brouhaha Baringa, Heads of Noosa or The Glasshouse Brewery where you will enjoy a beer tasting paddle to end the day.
After you’ve totally chilled out, it’s time to head back to your chosen drop-off point. We’ll wake you when we get there!
Book your Wine, Beer & Whisky Trail now!
Had a great day. Would definitely recommend to anyone.
These guys we’re great to book with! Mark made it super easy and stress free. The tour was great and everyone had an awesome time.