Powderkeg Brewery

Powderkeg Brewery sits just outside Exeter and pulls off the tricky balance of being genuinely good at what it does without the pretension. You're there for craft beer, essentially - their own brews made on-site, with a taproom where you can actually taste what they've been making. The space feels properly lived-in, not sterile, and there's usually a decent crowd without it being rammed.

Beer enthusiasts will get the most from a visit here. If you're into IPAs, stouts, or experimenting with something local, this is where you spend an afternoon. Non-drinkers might find it less compelling unless they're keen on the food side - worth checking what they've got on when you visit. Families with young kids probably aren't the target audience, though older teenagers who drink might enjoy it as part of a brewery crawl.

Give yourself a couple of hours minimum if you're doing a proper tasting session. It's free to walk in and browse, though you'll obviously want to buy something. Peak times are weekends, so weekday visits tend to be calmer if that matters to you.

If you're staying at one of the nearby parks - Castle Brake is practically on the doorstep at under a mile away - Powderkeg makes a solid evening out without needing to trek far. It slots well into a broader Exeter exploration, though it's not the sort of place that justifies a day trip entirely on its own. Worth adding to an itinerary rather than planning round.