Monmouthshire is well known as a foodie destination thanks to wonderful produce and events like the Abergavenny Food Festival.
But we’re also an area fizzing with fabulous locally created drinks including award-winning beers, ales, wines, soft drinks and spring water.
So here’s our guide to some of the tastiest tipples and thirst quenchers from Monmouthshire and the surrounding area.
Distilleries and spirits
- Silver Circle Distillery – The first distillery established in Monmouthshire is based at Penallt near Monmouth. It produces craft spirits including Wye Valley Gin, Silver Circle Aquavit, and Black Garlic Vodka, alongside ready to drink cocktails including Damson Negroni and the Ultimate Bloody Mary. The distillery offers tours and tastings.
- White Hare Distillery – A small-batch spirits and gin distillery founded by Christos Kyriakidis in the heart of Usk, Monmouthshire. Gin flavours include Hellenic Hare with basil, bergamot, thyme, and olive leaf, and Spiced Mandarin with orange, ginger, and nutmeg. Its WHD Spiced Rum was inspired by a family recipe for Welsh cakes. The distillery offers gin masterclasses and tastings.
Beer, cider and mead
- Hive Mind Mead & Brew Co – A small, family-run company in Caldicot that uses Wye Valley honey, this business makes traditional mead including Tavern Mead, Cherry Mead, and Oak Whisky Barrel-Aged Traditional Mead. It also makes honey rum and honey-infused craft beers including Nectar Honey Pilsner and Barrel Aged Braggot, a medieval style ale.
- Zulu Alpha Brewing – A craft brewery in Portskewett, Monmouthshire, producing specialty beers inspired by military service and Welsh brewing traditions. Beers include Citra IPA, German-inspired lager CaldiKolsch, and Freedom, a New England Pale Ale.
- Kingstone Brewery – A hand-brewed real beer producer based in Tintern. Kingstone uses local mineral water and traditional methods, with ales like Tudor Ale, Abbey Ale, Challenger Ale, Humpty’s Fuddle IPA, and Tewdric’s Tipple. The brewery also offers tours.
- Apple County Cider Co – This producer makes real cider and perry from 100% freshly pressed juice. Each cider is made from a single variety of apples grown in local orchards. Try the Dabinett Medium, Yarlington Medium Sweet, Vilberie, or ciders infused with rhubarb or raspberries. There’s also the Perry Pear made from Blakeney Red pears.
Wine
- White Castle Vineyard – Our neighbours in Llanvetherine produce award-winning Welsh wines. Their Pinot Noir Précoce 2023 is a light red with flavours of blackberry, blueberry and clove. Gwin gwyn 2025 is a dry, delicate white with the flavours of apple and pear. Siegerrebe 2025 is a dry white with the flavour of ripe lychee and soft spices. The vineyard offers tours and tastings.
- Ancre Hill Vineyard – Noted for producing exceptional biodynamic and organic sparkling and still wines, this Monmouth vineyard has wines including Blanc de Blancs, a Chardonnay with the flavours of ripe grapefruit and lemon zest, Blanc de Noirs, a Pinot Noir with the flavours of apples and Brazil nuts, and Pinot Noir, which has the flavours of strawberry and cherry.
- Sugar Loaf Vineyards – An award-winning producer nestled at the foot of one of Monmouthshire’s most famous landmarks, the Sugar Loaf mountain, Abergavenny. This vineyard makes a range of red, white, and rosé Welsh wines including its Calon Lan 2025 crisp dry white with aromas of green apple and grapefruit, Deri Coch Red Wine 2025, a light red with gentle berry flavours, and Sugar Loaf Blush 2025, a light rosé with strawberry flavours.
Non-alcoholic drinks
- Hatterrall Ridge Natural Spring Water – A naturally-filtered premium bottled water sourced from the slopes of Hatterall Hill near Longtown in the Black Mountains.
- Stillers Drinks – Founded in 2019 and based in Old Coach House Distillery, Monmouth, the world’s first dedicated alcohol-free distillery. They use 100% traditional copper pot distillation with organic herbs, spices, and fresh Welsh spring water. Products include Celtic Myst, a non-alcoholic spirit led by juniper and with citrus and rosemary notes, along with Silk Roots, a spiced drink featuring cardamom, cinnamon, and clove.
- Hive Mind Mead & Brew Co – The award-winning Caldicot meadery also makes non-alcoholic honey-based refreshments including Lime & Mint Honeyade, a carbonated honeyade crafted with natural ingredients.
- Silver Circle Distillery – Their artisan ready-to-drink cocktails include Brisca, made with non-alcoholic aperitif, Botivo.
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