Bristol's craft beer scene runs on independent breweries rather than big chains, and most of them pour their best pints from their own taprooms. The only brewery in the city offering a proper behind-the-scenes tour with a guide is Wiper and True, and it costs £20 plus a booking fee for a roughly one-hour session that ends with a fresh pint. Everywhere else, you turn up to the taproom and drink where the beer is made, no ticket required.
The taproom-first way to drink in Bristol
Bristol's breweries cluster in old industrial buildings rather than the city centre, so a proper crawl means picking a couple of stops rather than trying to do them all in one afternoon. None of the taprooms below charge for entry. You pay for what you drink, the same as any pub.
Wiper and True (Old Market)
The closest thing Bristol has to a classic brewery tour. You get taken through the brewhouse by a member of the team, shown how the beer is designed, brewed and packaged, and finish with a pint pulled straight from the source.
- Price: £20 plus booking fee
- Length: about one hour
- When: alternate Friday evenings (6.30pm to 7.30pm) and Saturday afternoons (2pm to 3pm)
- Booking: via Eventbrite, and spaces are limited
- Access: fully wheelchair accessible, with level access into the brewery itself
There's no walk-up option for the tour itself, but the taproom bar is open on non-tour days too, so you can still drink there without booking anything.
Lost and Grounded Brewers (Whitby Road)
A large, airy taproom that sits right next to the brewhouse, out toward Brislington. No tours, but it's a proper destination taproom rather than a bolt-on bar, and it's family and dog friendly.
- Opening hours: Friday 4pm to 10pm, Saturday 1pm to 10pm, Sunday 1pm to 7pm
- Booking: not required, though you can email ahead to reserve a table
- Food: a street food trader serves through most opening hours
Left Handed Giant Brewpub (Finzels Reach)
More brewpub than taproom in feel, this one occupies a building with over 250 years of brewing history on the site, right by the harbourside at Finzels Reach. There's a games room upstairs with darts and pool.
- Opening hours: Monday to Tuesday 4pm to midnight, Wednesday to Thursday noon to midnight, Friday and Saturday noon to 1am, Sunday noon to midnight
- Kitchen: serves food most days, check current times before you go since kitchen hours run shorter than the bar
Comparing your options
| Venue | Format | Cost to enter | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wiper and True | Guided brewery tour | £20 + booking fee | Actually learning how the beer is made |
| Lost and Grounded | Open taproom | Free entry | A relaxed weekend pint with food on site |
| Left Handed Giant | Brewpub | Free entry | An evening out with games and a fuller kitchen |
If you only have time for one stop and want the story behind the beer, book the Wiper and True tour in advance since spaces sell out. If you just want a good pint in an interesting building, either taproom works without any planning at all.
Getting between breweries
The three venues above aren't within easy walking distance of each other. Old Market, Brislington and Finzels Reach sit in different parts of the city, so budget for a bus, taxi or a fairly long walk if you're combining more than one in a day. Our guide to getting around Bristol covers the bus network, and our taxi companies comparison is worth checking if you'd rather not worry about last buses after a few pints.
If beer isn't the only thing on the agenda, pair a taproom visit with dinner nearby using our best restaurants in Bristol guide, or start the evening with cocktails from our best cocktail bars roundup before heading to a taproom later on.
FAQs
Do I need to book to visit a Bristol brewery taproom? No, for Lost and Grounded and Left Handed Giant you can just walk in. Only the Wiper and True guided tour needs advance booking, and it sells out, so book ahead if you want that specific experience.
How much does the Wiper and True brewery tour cost? It's £20 per person plus a booking fee, paid through Eventbrite. That includes the guided tour and a pint at the end.
Are Bristol brewery taprooms family friendly? Lost and Grounded explicitly welcomes children and has baby-changing facilities. Check ahead with any venue if you're bringing kids, since opening hours and food service can be limited on weekday afternoons.
Which brewery is easiest to reach without a car? Left Handed Giant at Finzels Reach is the most central, a short walk from the harbourside and Bristol Temple Meads. Wiper and True in Old Market and Lost and Grounded on Whitby Road are both a bus ride or taxi from the centre.
Is there a proper brewery crawl route in Bristol? Not within walking distance of each other, since the breweries are spread across different parts of the city. Most people pick one or two taprooms for an evening rather than trying to visit several in one trip.
Do these taprooms serve food? Lost and Grounded has a street food trader on site most weekends, and Left Handed Giant runs a kitchen with shorter hours than its bar. Wiper and True's tour includes a drink but isn't set up as a food venue.