Days Out NI
Brewery & cider Portadown

McCracken's Brewing Co

County Armagh's own real ale brewery — hand-crafted Irish ales, stouts and pale ales from Portadown.

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Check hoursNo public visiting hours published — chec…
TicketedTours & taproom
PortadownBrewery & cider
Get directionsOfficial website
Depends on what is arrangedHow long
Over-18 for any…Best for
TicketedEntry
On siteParking
IndoorsSetting

McCracken's Brewing Co — County Armagh's own real ale brewery — hand-crafted Irish ales, stouts and pale ales from Portadown.

  • Getting in: Working brewery, not a drop-in attraction — contact ahead to arrange any visit.
  • Tours: No public tour confirmed in listed sources — ask the brewery directly.
  • Opening: No public visiting hours published — check before you go.
  • Food: No café or tap room confirmed.
  • Family-friendly: A production brewery, not aimed at children.
  • Age limits: Over-18 for any alcohol tasting.
Plan your visit

Hand-crafted in small batches

Every beer here is brewed, bottled and packaged by hand on the Derryall Road site. The ales use only four ingredients and are left unfiltered and naturally conditioned, with no artificial preservatives. The line-up covers a Golden Pale Ale, Irish Pale Ale, Irish Red Ale, Premium Pilsner, Black Irish Stout and the Legacy Double IPA, and the family has since added a premium Irish gin. It is genuine local production rather than a tourist set-piece.

Family-run since 2018 Co Armagh's real ale brewery Hand-bottled small batches Ales, stout, pale ales and gin Online shop and stockists Over-18 for any tasting
Good to know before you go:

Independent breweries often pop up at food and drink festivals, markets and tasting nights across Northern Ireland, and McCracken's beers turn up in bars and off-licences county-wide. For dated tastings or festival appearances, check ahead.

Before you set off

What to bring

  • 🪪Photo IDYou need to be 18+ to drink — bring ID if you look under 25.
  • 🚗A plan to get homeA designated driver or a lift, so everyone can enjoy a tasting.
  • 👟Comfy shoesA working brewery tour means standing and a few stairs.
  • 💷A few poundsFor the taproom and a bottle or two to take home.
Good to know

Everything before you go

Getting in
Working brewery, not a drop-in attraction — contact ahead to arrange any visit
Opening
No public visiting hours published — check before you go
Tours
No public tour confirmed in listed sources — ask the brewery directly
Age limits
Over-18 for any alcohol tasting
Food
No café or tap room confirmed
Family-friendly
A production brewery, not aimed at children
Parking
On-site at the Derryall Road premises — check when arranging a visit
Accessibility
Not stated — ask when you contact them
How long to allow
Depends on what is arranged
Address
McCrackens Brewery & Distillery, Derryall Road, Portadown, Craigavon, Co. Armagh, BT62 1PL
Questions

Before you go

Do I need to book?
Working brewery, not a drop-in attraction — contact ahead to arrange any visit
Are there tours?
No public tour confirmed in listed sources — ask the brewery directly
When is it open?
No public visiting hours published — check before you go
Is it family-friendly?
A production brewery, not aimed at children
Is there food?
No café or tap room confirmed
Getting there

McCracken's Brewing Co is at McCrackens Brewery & Distillery, Derryall Road, Portadown, Craigavon, Co. Armagh, BT62 1PL. On-site at the Derryall Road premises — check when arranging a visit. Tap below for directions.

Directions on Google MapsOfficial website See it on our map
Nearby

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The story

About McCracken's

McCracken's Real Ale was founded in Portadown in 2018 by Ryan McCracken, after a beer-making kit given to him by his wife turned a hobby into a business. It became County Armagh's only real ale brewery, hand-crafting unfiltered, bottle-conditioned beers in small batches.

The family points to a brewing heritage stretching back more than a century, to relatives Peter and Robert McCracken, who helped start what grew into one of Australia's biggest-selling breweries. A 2023 extension lifted capacity to around 15,000 litres a month, and the business has since branched into distilling with a premium Irish gin, becoming McCrackens Brewery & Distillery.