Wine, Gin & Beer Experiences in Sydney CBD & Surrounds

Choosing a Tasting Experience

Two very different drinks outings sit either side of the city centre. Out in Pyrmont, Sydney Wine Centre pours wine for groups in its own first-floor tasting room, while beside Central station, Sydney Brewery Surry Hills takes guests behind the scenes of the brewhouse where its beer story began in 2005. Which one fits comes down to the drink, the size of the group and how hosted the experience should feel. How the two compare at a glance:

Wine on Harris Street – Sydney Wine Centre builds tastings around the group, from cheese and wine pairings to seated structured flights
Beer on Albion Street – Sydney Brewery Surry Hills runs a guided brewhouse tour that ends with a tasting of its specialty beers
Room sizes – the Pyrmont tasting room seats up to 18, while the brewery's private dining room takes seated banquets from ten guests
Taking it on the road – the wine team can run an event at your office or another venue; the brewery tour happens on site
Pricing – wine tastings start from $125 per person; brewery tours are booked online through the venue's website

Both suit hens groups, birthdays and work teams; at the wine tastings every guest must be 18 or over.

Sydney CBD & Surrounds Wine, Gin & Beer Experiences

A tailored wine night – Sydney Wine Centre shapes the wines, food and format around a hens party, reunion or private dinner rather than handing over a fixed menu
Seeing beer being made – the Surry Hills guide explains each piece of brewing equipment, the ingredients and how fermentation works before the glasses come out
Hosts who know their subject – wine presenters include Rob Geddes, a Master of Wine, and Paul Huet, and guests are encouraged to ask questions
Food alongside – the brewery's pub menu and wood-fired pizzas follow the tasting, while wine nights can pair nine French wines with nine cheeses

Turning a tasting into a team day or party

Blend-your-own-wine – Sydney Wine Centre's team-building session has colleagues making their own blend
Standing or seated – larger corporate groups can do a networking wine tasting, smaller ones a seated structured tasting
Packages on Albion Street – canapé menus from four to twelve pieces a head, platters and a metre-long chef's selection pizza for birthdays and farewells
Drinks after the tour – the brewery's packages cover house wine, beer and cider for one to five hours, with spirit and cocktail upgrades

Common Questions About Tasting Experiences

Is a wine tasting or a brewery tour better for a work group near the city?

It depends on the format you want. Sydney Wine Centre offers standing networking tastings for bigger numbers, seated tastings for smaller teams and a blend-your-own-wine session for team building. Sydney Brewery Surry Hills pairs its brewhouse tour and tasting with canapé, platter and drinks packages for Christmas parties and work functions.

Where do these drinks experiences start?

Sydney Wine Centre's tasting room is on Level 1, 119 Harris Street in Pyrmont, with the Stables conservatory at Gallon next door used for some events. Sydney Brewery Surry Hills is at 28 Albion Street, within the Rydges hotel near Central Station.

How much does a group wine tasting cost?

Sydney Wine Centre lists tastings from $125 per person. Because each private tasting is built around the group, the final cost depends on the wines, food and format chosen.

Can a smaller group have its own room?

Yes at both. The Pyrmont tasting room seats up to 18, and at the brewery a seated group can book the private dining room, which has two TVs and a handheld microphone, for a banquet menu with a minimum of ten guests.

Wine, Gin & Beer Experiences in Sydney CBD & Surrounds

Compare Sydney CBD & Surrounds Wine, Gin and Beer Experiences