Watsacowie Brewing Company

It seems only right that the self-proclaimed barley capital of the world should brew its own beer. Watsacowie Brewing Company, the Yorke Peninsula's first independent craft brewery, set up its tanks in Minlaton and quickly became a fixture of any lap of the peninsula — a family-owned taphouse where the beers are made on site and the pace is unmistakably country.

The name is a local joke with deep roots: "cowie" means water in the language of the Narungga people, and the district's old name of Minlacowie referred to its sweet freshwater wells — so "Watsacowie" asks the obvious question. Inside, the long bar and furniture were built from jarrah and oregon timbers reclaimed from a 130-year-old shearing shed, which tells you most of what you need to know about the vibe.

Expect a rotating line-up of core and seasonal brews poured in a big, easy-going space that welcomes families. It pairs well with a cellar-door run to Barley Stacks Wines near Maitland for a proper Yorke Peninsula drinks trail.