Check Out These Great Cideries and Breweries in Prince Edward County!
Heading for Prince Edward County and feeling a bit thirsty? Wine not your thing? Well, you are in luck! Prince Edward County is home to some great breweries (and cideries) that make beer lovers very, very happy. We’d even suggest a brewery tour as an Ontario weekend trip idea!
We’ve been to the County a bunch of times but only recently got to dive into some of the breweries in the region. You can only visit a limited number in a day because of human physiology and driving laws in Ontario. So we only wrote in-depth about the ones that we have been to for now. You can be sure that we will visit them ALL in time and add our experience!
Lots of the breweries have a great backstory and make a point of supporting other businesses in the County/Ontario which is just such a County way of doing things. We think it’s awesome.
So, from popular Parsons and Midtown Brewing Company to lesser-knowns like Gillingham and Lake on the Mountain, here is a rundown of some great breweries and cideries in Prince Edward County!
If you are looking for breweries to check out while exploring the county, here is a shortlist of the ones we have visited.
They differ from larger operations to smaller – but all are worth a visit. Also, you might notice we included places that do cider on this list. That’s because there are great cideries in Prince Edward County and we didn’t want to discriminate!
Just so you know: we haven’t been to all the breweries in Prince Edward County so we didn’t write about ones we haven’t visited.
We still want to check out Midtown Brewing Company, Prince Eddy’s Brewing Co., 555 Brewing Co., Gillingham Brewing Company, Apple Falls Cider Company, Strange Brewing Company, and Matron Fine Beer (opened after we visited).
Before we dive in it should be noted that the opening hours and tasting rooms might be closed in the winter depending on the place.
So, definitely check the official websites for accurate hours if you are visiting the County in the colder months. Better yet you can even call to double-check.
Parsons Brewing Company
Starting strong, of course, we headed for Parsons. To be fair, friends and family who have also visited passed along word of mouth about Parsons so we had to check it out.
Located to the north (a short drive) from downtown Picton, this brewery has made a statement in the ears since they popped up in the County.
Onsite, they have a taproom/restaurant and then a bottle shop with beer and merchandise if you want to grab something on the way through.
We sat outside for a light lunch and had the guacamole with chips and ceviche with chips (summer menu) which was a great bite to accompany with a Prickly Pear Perfection.
The grounds are massive with lots of green space, tables, tetherball, and they even have an ice rink in the winter for skating and shinny!
Fun side story: A TERRIBLE almost-tornado thunderstorm went through while we were there and people were running for shelter and protecting their beer (as one should). It was hilarious chaos and everyone (staff included) laughed about it later.
Overall, we liked Parsons for the food, the beer, and the social atmosphere. We can definitely see why some might NOT love it and opt for a smaller operation in the County and to each their own. We’ll be back for sure. You can learn all about visiting Parsons here.
Address: 876 County Rd 49, Picton, ON K0K 2T0, Canada
Lake on the Mountain Brewing Company
Another place that we had heard about – kind of on accident – is Lake on the Mountain Brewing Company. The brewery is located to the northeast of Picton at the edge of the County in Glenora where the ferry crosses to the mainland again.
The brewery itself is located down the road from the actual Lake on the Mountain (a lake, located up on a higher elevation with a small Provincial Park by the same name). Once we arrived, we headed right inside for some tastings.
The place is small and you can see the brewery through the glass behind the taps which is cool. We chose our four (see below) and also grabbed a small bucket of popcorn (which is free!) to take outside.
Out back, they have a large green space with trees, volleyball, and lots of Muskoka chairs and picnic tables to sit at. They weren’t too busy (it was a weird time on a weekday) so we had lots of places to choose from.
Honestly, we liked everything we had. We should have written down exactly WHAT we had… but we didn’t. Sorry about that.
As a rule of thumb, we generally go for a pale ale, a pilsner or lager, an IPA, and then something dark (usually a stout) to try different styles if we have never been to a brewery before. That is basically what we did here.
The staff was great in helping us choose given that we were new. Overall, we really liked Lake on the Mountain – especially for all the trees and shade in the backyard.
We would highly recommend a stop – especially since visiting Ontario breweries is a top activity in Ontario. You can learn more about visiting Lake on the Mountain here.
Address: 11369 Loyalist Pkwy, Prince Edward, ON K0K 2T0, Canada
Barley Days Brewery
Another great brewery to check out is Barley Days. Barley Days is actually the original Brewery in the region having opened back in 2007. Since then, they’ve been a steady fixture in The County right on Highway 33 just west of downtown Picton.
Eric actually visited before and will always remember the first time he tried their Oyster Stout – delicious! The taproom and bottle shop are lovely – and they even have a great little front patio area where you can take your flight to enjoy outside.
If you need food, they have a food truck on-site (in the high season). The staff are also awesome and love what they do! You can learn more about Barley Days here.
Address: 13730 Loyalist Pkwy, Picton, ON K0K 2T0, Canada
The County Cider Company
Of course, you can’t visit the County without realizing they grow quite a bit of fruit there – and that apples become great cider!
So for a classic PEC stop, you should head for The County Cider Cider Company. Located in Waupoos, The County Cider is about a 15 minutes drive from Picton. It’s up on a hill overlooking the lake so it’s a lovely spot to check out!
Once you arrive, you will have two options: the tasting room in the barn or the restaurant. We headed for the tasting room with several taps, bottles to buy, gifts, and merchandise.
The staff were great – walking us through the different ciders on tap and chatting as we went.
We ended up doing a “Drop-in” tasting and got a Full Tasting Flight of 8 Ciders. Honestly, it was worth it because they all sounded super delicious.
We were familiar with the Waupoos Premium Cider you see in the LCBO but didn’t know there were so many other varieties. Ultimately, the Pear Cider won our hearts that day. Also, it should be noted that Lisa drank most because Eric was driving. Safety first.
We didn’t eat in the restaurant but we’ve heard good things. It also smelled really good when we visited. The outdoor patio space overlooks the water so just another reason to make a visit. You can learn more about The County Cider Company here.
Address: 657 Bongards Crossroad, Waupoos, ON K0K 2T0, Canada
And there you have it – a little rundown of a few of the cideries and breweries in Prince Edward County! Of course, we have more to visit and these places are always popping up so we’ll be sure to head back soon to tell you all about it. Always down to try new beer and support local businesses!
As always, Keep Exploring, eh?
– E&L
Related Articles
If you’re exploring Prince Edward County in more depth, you might want to check out these other posts:
- Great Prince Edward County Wineries to Check Out
- Other Things to Do and See in Prince Edward County
- Where to Stay in Prince Edward County – Accommodation Guide
- PEC is a Nice Day Trip from Toronto
- Sandbanks Provicial Park Detailed Guide (+Our Experience)
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