Quick answer: it is a walk through Malta’s historic Farsons brewhouse followed by a beer with a view. The galleries tell the story of Cisk and the building, then you finish at a rooftop bar where the harbour-side breeze and skyline make the last drink the best one.
What you get out of it depends on what you come for. If you want a working brewery, this is not that, because production no longer takes place at the Brewhouse. If you enjoy a well-presented piece of Maltese industrial history and the chance to drink Cisk exactly the way the brand wants you to try it, it is a satisfying couple of hours, especially if you time it for the late afternoon light on the rooftop.
Getting there is straightforward once you realise it is not in a tourist district but in Mrieħel, the island’s business hub between Birkirkara and Qormi. It is an easy add-on to a day in Valletta or Mdina–Rabat, and it also pairs neatly with the Rotunda at Mosta if you are touring central Malta. If you prefer a water day, do the brewery on a different afternoon to a Grand Harbour cruise, because both are best near sunset and you should pick one.
Opening hours are 10:00 to 18:00 Monday to Sunday. Last admission is at 17:00. That last entry time catches people who try to squeeze it in after a beach like Golden Bay and Għajn Tuffieħa, so plan your swim for the morning and the brewhouse for later.
The visit itself is unguided at your pace through the restored plant and brand exhibits. The Brewhouse opened in 1950 and much of the atmosphere is intact, from the massing of the red-brick blocks to period lines and fittings that echo the 1950s shape of Maltese industry. Panels and visuals cover how Farsons grew, where its beers sat in local life and how production scaled, with a clear line drawn to today’s operation even though the tanks here are now museum pieces. You are here for the narrative and the architecture, not the steam and yeast.
What happens at the end matters, and they do not fumble it. Your ticket includes a small tasting. You also get one free pint. You take it upstairs where the day opens out and the reason locals still talk about the revamp becomes obvious.
That upstairs is the Cisk Tap, the brand’s own perch at the top of the complex. The Cisk Tap sits on the 5th floor. The rooftop bar has panoramic views, and the team pour pints the way the brewery intends you to drink them. It serves unpasteurized Cisk, the pour to try if you want the freshest expression. You can visit the Cisk Tap without doing the tour, so if you are short on time or want to show friends the view, you can just come for a drink.
If you want to eat, you have options without leaving the site. Kettles Cafe, The Chapels and The Cisk Tap are on site, which makes it easy to turn the visit into lunch or an early dinner. If you would rather eat elsewhere, drive or taxi to Three Cities for a waterside meal, or stay in the capital and pick from the many spots around the Upper Barrakka Gardens after a stroll.
Bring what you would for any indoor museum with a rooftop finish. Comfortable shoes help on floors that were built for industry rather than galleries. A light layer is useful because air conditioning can be cool inside, and sun protection earns its keep when you take your pint outside at the top.
There are souvenirs, and they nod to the look that made Cisk posters part of Maltese design. Classic vintage posters sell in the shop and a framed print is a solid take-home if you like bold lettering. The headline is that a vintage poster costs €25.00, a fair price for an iconic wall piece that will outlast a T‑shirt.
The wider complex helps explain the feel of the place. The complex stands on the former Farsons Brewery, and the old plant has been woven into a new chapter rather than flattened. It forms part of the Trident Park redevelopment next door, where the industrial grid has been turned into smart offices, meeting rooms and public spaces. Over 2,000 sqms have been converted for offices and amenities, which is why there is a steady local footfall even on weekdays. Simonds Farsons Cisk plc owns the project, and the on-site craft arm nods to the future too, because Pinta Brewing Co. is here.
Common mistakes are easy to avoid once you know the context. Do not arrive expecting live brewing, because production no longer takes place at the Brewhouse. Do not cut it too fine, because last entry is strict and the pace is better unhurried. And if you only want the rooftop view and a pint, remember you can visit the Cisk Tap without doing the tour so you are not turned away late in the day.
If you are building a day around it, central and south make easy companions. Start at the war rooms and skyline of Valletta, then head inland for your tasting, or save the brewery for after a morning around the Lascaris War Rooms and a look across the Grand Harbour. On another day, match it with the inland calm of St Paul’s Catacombs before you go coastal again at Wied iż-Żurrieq.
What is actually bookable here
- 1 bookable option via KKday
- about €15 per person at the time of checking
Taken from the operators' own listings, checked 15 September 2026. Ratings are theirs, not ours, and we do not host reviews.
Common questions
Do they still brew beer here?
Production no longer takes place at the Brewhouse. The visit focuses on the story of Farsons, the restored machinery and the brand’s history.
Do I need the tour to go to the rooftop bar?
You can visit the Cisk Tap without doing the tour. It works as a standalone rooftop beer garden for drinks and views.
Is a tasting included with the ticket?
Your ticket includes a small tasting, and you also get one free pint to enjoy at the end.
When is it open and what is the last entry?
Opening hours are 10:00 to 18:00 Monday to Sunday. Last admission is at 17:00.
Is there food on site?
Kettles Cafe, The Chapels and The Cisk Tap are on site, so you can snack, have a meal or just sit with a pint.
What is special about the beer upstairs?
It serves unpasteurized Cisk, poured fresh at the rooftop bar.
When was the brewhouse built?
The Brewhouse opened in 1950, and the complex around it preserves the 1950s industrial character.
Last checked: 26 October 2026. Prices, opening hours and timetables change, verify anything time-sensitive before you travel. Image: Generated for this site with OpenAI gpt-image-2, Generated image, not a photograph of the location.
