The Best Venues for Craft Beer in Fremantle

Fremantle has been a beer purveyor since the 19th century, making a name for itself in the craft beer movement since the 1980s.

Its combination of the sunny seaside location, heritage pubs, and quality local brews make it's a must-do for any beer connoisseur. We've rounded up the best venues for craft beer in Fremantle for a brew all year round.

Sail & Anchor

Sail & Anchor take claim as the home of Fremantle's original craft beer provider, brewing and selling their own beer on-site since the early 1980s. Formerly the Freemasons' Hotel, this heritage-listed pub harks back to 1901, and the venue manages to retain much of its original Federation charm. While the on-site brewhouse is now outsourced to Feral Brewing with production down the road in Bassendean, Sail & Anchor continues to serve craft beer boasting 40 cold beer taps pouring craft beers from around the world, including popular local brews Gage Roads Single Fin, Feral Biggie Juice and Little Creatures Pale Ale, as well as three hand pumps and a bar-top hopinator. The brew selection is regularly revolving, offering a core range alongside small-batch beer releases and seasonal specials.

Running with Thieves

South Fremantle young guns, Running with Thieves, have quickly made a name for themself among the local craft beer crowd and have now opened their first stand-alone bar and brewery just a stone's throw from Fremantle iconic South Beach. Housed in a former seafood warehouse with an industrial aesthetic, a central bar and large bronze vats take centre stage where eight core beers are produced, including pale ales, a creamy stout and a zesty ginger beer. The Loose Collection includes seasonal specials, and Paddles, offering three different brews per go, make working through the range a breeze. Their on-site shop sells takeaway cans and clothing merch to take home.

Otherside Brewing Co.

Otherside Brewing Co. is a Freo-owned beer by festival event managers James Legge and David Chitty, who called on brewer Rhys Lopez to produce their inaugural Festival Session Ale. Now you can find Otherside's entire range, which now includes pale, red and citrus ales alongside the Social Classic Lager and Indie XPA, at the team's venue, Freo.Social. Given their background, it's no surprise Freo.Social combines live music and strong beer culture and boast an impressive 56 taps across four bars. While Otherside is the brew of choice, other craft beers appear, plus seasonal releases, including the Distortion Kettle Sour and Sabbath Pastry Stout.

South Fremantle Brewing Co.

What started out with a few local beer enthusiasts making homebrew for house parties in a converted chicken shed has morphed into South Fremantle Brewing Co., which officially launched in 2016. Today, South Fremantle Brewing Co. offers a pale and session ale and a lager as its core range alongside five seasonal brews using local botanicals (Saltbush and Pepperberry Pilsner, Lemon Myrtle Pale Ale, Native Thyme Sour). Can artwork features iconic Fremantle imagery like the old South Fremantle power station and Fremantle port cargo cranes. Fittingly, you'll find the range on tap at century-old South Beach Hotel, as well as local venues including Percy Flint, The Local Hotel, La Cabana, Madalena's and Beerporium.

Calamity's Rod Bar and Brewery

A micro-brewery meets bar tucked in the former car park of the Hougoumont Hotel, Calamity's Rod brewery operations are housed in a defunct shipping container in a nod to the port city's history. Brewing on-site began in January 2021. However, owners Dan and Geoff Goddard have two decades of brewing experience with Calamity's Rod selling six core beers on tap. That includes a Continental Lager inspired by the beer halls of Bavaria, a tropical flavoured Extra Pale Ale and a Session Ale they tongue in cheekily say, "drink this all day and still be able to explain to your misses why your morning fishing exploits lasted 12 hours." Its shed-chic aesthetic, with wire-fenced courtyard and overhead festoon lighting, offers a welcoming alfresco drinking space just off the Cappuccino Strip or find them at the bar of nearby Emily Taylor.

Gage Roads Fremantle

Gage Roads Brew Co. has been crafting beer for more than seventeen years and is a local Fremantle success story. In January 2022, the long-awaited opening of their first brewpub, fittingly located portside at the A Shed in Victoria Quay in Fremantle, is a stunning addition to the Freo bar scene. Overlooking the Gage Roads ocean passage that separates Fremantle and Rottnest Island (which the company is named after), the new venue incorporates a micro-brewery, restaurant, bar and alfresco dining area ideal for our WA sunsets. All the Gage Roads brews are on tap, including iconic Single Fin Ale, Pipe Dreams Lager, Side Track XPA, Little Dove Pale Ale, and Single Giant and Rock Dance IPAs. Also, expect seasonal releases and all served daily from 11.30am.

Little Creatures

Little Creatures began with a dream to bring a hop-driven American Pale Ale to the Australian beer market, and since it has become one of the best-known craft beer venues in Fremantle. From a converted waterfront shed, previously home to a crocodile farm, Little Creatures have brewed ice-cold beer for more than two decades. Their glass-walled warehouse offers a window into brewing operations while you enjoy beer pumped directly from the vats. Little Creatures core range of seven brews is on tap – classic ale, lager, IPA and XPA - while seasonal specials for the adventurous include a Hot Chocolate Stout and a Raspberry Sour.

Save the date for…

Fremantle BeerFest

Fremantle BeerFest is Australia's largest annual craft beer festival with more than 300 unique small-batch makers selling beers, ciders and even cocktails. Hosted on Fremantle's Esplanade Park in November, the festival offers beer novices to connoisseurs access to masterclasses, food and beer pairings, unique release brews and one-off pop-up bars from WA's best breweries. Fremantle BeerFest will be celebrating a decade of festivities in 2022, with the beer festival set to take place on November 11-13, so save the date.

Photo credit: Main and second image - Gage Roads