Breweries & Vineyards

Trying a local beer or wine (or perhaps even a gin?) is often a popular holiday activity, and Colchester provides plenty of opportunity for doing just that. With a fine selection of pubs and bars in the city centre you'll find many stocking local beer, craft beer and real ales.

Keep your eye out for local breweries offering tours, as well as a number of beer festivals that are firm fixtures in the calendar. Most notably twice-yearly festivals at Colchester Arts Centre and the East Anglian Railway Museum in Chappel. Stalls and Markets at various local fairs are also a great place to find these local brewers.

Out in rural Colchester you will also discover some Essex wine-makers plying their trade at Dedham Vale Vineyard, Prettyfields Vineyard and Mersea Island Vineyard. These local Vineyards offer tours and events throughout the year.