8 Best Austin Breweries
Much like tacos (and burgers), Austin is also bursting at the seams with delicious craft breweries. There are even special breweries devoted to only sour beers, that’s how popular beer is in this town. So, luckily for us, we have more than a handful of great places to grab a pint or a flight of beers with buds.
Here are my favorites.
Hops and Grain
Full disclosure: One of my boyfriend’s good friends works here (hey, Luke!), so we get impeccable service and often a great hookup. But, that being said, I would still go here even if we didn’t get the occasional free beers. First of all, it’s big enough that you never worry about not getting a seat. It has a steady roster of rotating food trucks next to its quaint patio, and, oh, yeah, the beer is delicious. I usually skip the usual core beers and ask for something on the special selection. The staff sometimes gets weird on the beers, and you’ll find something truly unique here.
Austin Beerworks
Yes, it is always packed here, and, yes, it’s super hard to find a patio table, which thankfully are now all shaded. But, the environment is so fun and festive, that you can’t help having a great time. Again, here I like to skip the usual beers you can get canned at the grocery store and steer towards the seasonal fare. Better yet, get a flight! Don’t skip the merch counter around the side, too. ABW t-shirts are super cute, and everything makes a great gift.
St. Elmo Brewing
So, I absolutely ADORE Soursop, the food trailer housed at St. Elmo, so perhaps I’m a bit biased here. But, I also find St. Elmo extremely chill. In fact, I see more families at this brewery than anywhere else, so you know it’s extremely laid-back. Plus, you can even get a canned growler of their beers to go, so the beer party doesn’t have to end once you head home! But, seriously, don’t skip the food truck.
Celis Brewery
I just went back to Celis recently to try their two new Oktoberfest beers, the Weisn and the Marzen, and damn they were great! I spoke to their brewmaster who told me that Weisn isn’t readily found in the States but it’s the celebratory beer of choice for Germans, so go grab a pint and yell “Prost!” Also, their white beer is one of my favorite warm weather brews. And, the tasting room feels like a fancy library with lots of bricks, natural light, and warm woods—but you don’t have to be silent here.
Friends and Allies
This brewery is one of my favorite new-ish ones. It’s only really be around for a little over a year, and it’s pretty freaking cute. Head over to Springdale and sample any of their seasonal brews. Or grab an Urban Chicken Saison!
Zilker Brewing
Not only does Zilker have the cutest can designs, but they also have adorable little taster glasses, so definitely grab a flight! This brewery may have the best location in town, honestly. You can mosey on over to the Grackle if you’ve filled up on beer or head to Liberty bar for some East Side King afterwards. But, definitely drink all of the beer first!
4th Tap Brewing Cooperative
We don’t normally dress up quite so much to go beer tasting, but my friend actually got married at 4th Tap recently, and the brewery made a couple of specialty beers that were quite good! We’ve since been back a few times, and I really enjoy the seasonal Bière de Gardeless. (It’s 7%, so watch out!)
The Brewtorium
This place is QUITE new, and I haven’t really eaten much at it yet, so this is mainly about the beer. First of all, it’s SO close to my house, so that’s nice. The space is SO cute too. It’s a big warehouse space with comfy booths, and a private section that’s broken up with screen doors. The patio is fine, but not as nice as its interiors. The beers definitely match the ambiance as well. I typically go for a flight because I can never remember which of the beers I like best and then I’m reminded that I like several of them a lot, so it’s great that I didn’t have to choose!
I know there are several other great breweries in Austin, but these eight are my favorites. What did I leave off the list that you love?
