5 Best Breweries in Johannesburg (2026)

Mad Giant Taproom in Blairgowrie pairs its own beer on tap with a full kitchen menu of sharing plates, burgers and tacos, plus bottled and imported beers and a wine and cocktail list for anyone not in the mood for a pint. It runs as much a restaurant as a brewery, with indoor and outdoor seating and two TVs for sport. The high review volume here comes largely from diners as much as beer drinkers.

Tolokazi Beer is a 100% black-female-owned Johannesburg brewery built around premium indigenous African ingredients, brewing with sorghum, rooibos and African Queen hop. Its range spans ciders, pilsners and lagers, sold through bottle stores and bars across Johannesburg, Pretoria and Cape Town as well as online, and it has picked up multiple industry awards for the range.

Jozi Gold Brewing Company is a Braamfontein brewery and bar known for its craft beer variety alongside food and regular live music, including a Wednesday-night alternative music slot reviewers single out. It draws a mixed crowd, from after-work groups to music fans, with braai platters and pizza on the food side.

Equator Breweries, based in Frankenwald, Sandton, brews a large stable of beers and ciders under its own labels, including Rhino Beer, Murphy's Milk Stout, Highland Lager, Talbot Lager and several more, alongside cider lines like Crossbow and Nevada Dry. It positions itself around raising industry standards and community impact, and runs long daily hours into the early morning.

SMACK! Republic Brewing Company is a small-batch craft brewer that says it brews outside the conventions of mainstream craft beer, all-natural, unpasteurised and unfiltered. Its lineup includes the Newtown Nemesis stout, a golden ale and an IPA, sold mainly through online ordering and shipped direct to customers rather than through a physical taproom.