Now, here’s one revolution we’d like to see – a local brewery revolution sweeping the country that would make Homer Simpson shout “Woo-hoo!” like he won the powerball lottery. Local breweries in Austin, armed with masterful skill and undaunted determination, took heed. This ignited a resurgence of so many high-quality breweries offering the most delectably satisfying brews this side of the Lone Star State.
Austin now offers a plethora of great local brewery tours, and most are appropriate for the whole family. Want to check out a barrelful of Austin’s best local breweries? Come along as we explore some of the best craft beer places in Austin when you are looking for “breweries near me”.
Breweries Near Me
Downtown / Eastside Breweries
Hops & Grain
Location: 507 Calles, Austin, TX 78702
Tap Room Hours:: Daily, 10AM to 10PM
This one’s for the environment-conscious beer lover in you and a whole lot more. Located at 507 Calles St., the great folks at Hops and Grains uphold ideals that would make Leonardo DiCaprio proud. This rare breed of brewers believe in what they call “sustainable brewing”. This means they use brewing processes that will not negatively impact the environment.
Insider Tip
Saturdays can get very busy at Hops and Grain – the place is jam packed with weekend beer lovers kicking it with fellow beer lovers. If you hate waiting in line for your beer, go there on a Sunday or any other day of the week.
Live Oak Brewing Company
Location: 1615 Crozier Ln., Del Valle, TX 78617
Tap Room Hours: Daily, 12 noon to 9pm
These guys have been making one of the best microbrews and old school lagers since 1997 and is one of the better Austin breweries out there. Traditional and old-world brewing techniques rarely seen in America, but extensively practiced all over central Europe, are the only ways things are done in Live Oak.
Insider Tip
Before they moved to a new location, touring their brewery wasn’t for free, but highly sought after because you get taste of their awesome craft beers in generous pours. Join their mailing list to get updates on when touring will resume in the new site.
Zilker Brewery
Location: 1701 E 6th St., Austin, TX 78702
Tap Room Hours: Wednesdays and Thursdays 4-10pm / Fridays 2pm-12am/
Saturdays Noon-12am/ Sunday Noon-8pm
These guys may have only been in operation since 2015, but they’re already making their presence felt in the local brewery scene. Zilker Brewery carries 6 craft beer varieties at the moment (started with just 3), and if all these are signs of things to come, then these guys are definitely on the right track.
Insider Tip
Want some amazing burger and fries with your beer? Keep an eye out for Kick Drum Burgers and order their “Tito Puente”. Pure heaven indeed.
North Austin Breweries
Adelbert’s Brewery
Location: 2314 Rutland Dr
Ste 100, Austin, TX 78758
Tap Room Hours: Wednesday to Friday 5 to 10 pm / Saturday 1 to 10 pm / Sunday 1 – 7 pm
Tour Schedule: Friday 6 and 7 pm / Saturday 2 and 3 pm
This award-winning microbrewery is the purveyor of some of the best Austin craft beers today. Adelbert’s makes use of high quality ingredients and completely hands-on brewing techniques that can only guarantee great tasting, refreshing craft beer. Case in point, they use non-GMO produce such as Bohemian floor malted barley and fresh yeast they propagate on site. They have a wide collection of beer styles that will keep you coming back for more.
Insider Tip
Adelbert’s offers 6 half-pours of their delicious beers for $13, which the bartenders actually fill up. You get to keep the glass, and if you bring it the next time you come, you get $2 off. Neat.
4th Tap Brewing Company
Location: 10615 Metric Blvd
Austin, TX 78758
Taproom Hours: Monday to Thursday, 8 am to 10 am / Sunday, 12 Noon to10 pm
There are so many things to love about these guys from 4th Tap. Great-tasting Austin beer is already a given. Started a decade ago by a group of dedicated and talented beer lovers, 4th Tap is the first Texas craft brewery that is wholly-owned and governed by the same people who work the floors day after day.
Insider Tip
4th Tap still uses traditional home brew techniques for their experimental beers. Ask the bartender nicely and you might get first dibs in tasting a potential bestseller before it hits the stores.
Austin Beerworks
Location: 3009 Industrial Ter, Ste 150, Austin, TX 78758
Tap room hours: Thursdays, 5-9pm / Fridays, 5-11pm / Saturdays and Sundays, 1-7pm
Beer has been bringing people together for centuries. The Austin Beerworks folks believe that better beer brings better times to people, and they like seeing folks as many as possible joining in on the fun. Their mission – brew the best craft beer there is while building a community in their beloved town.
Insider Tip
Finding Austin Beerworks can be a tad difficult to find the first time. It’s tucked away in the middle of an industrial section of North Austin. Google map the location, keep an eye out for a French dance studio, and treat yourself to some of the best craft beers in Austin.
Circle Brewing
Location:2340 W Braker Ln, Ste B
Austin, Texas
Tap Room Hours: Thursdays, 5-9pm / Fridays, 5-10pm / Saturdays and Sundays, 2-7pm
Circle Brewing has been around since 2011 and but brewed their first batch of delicious craft beer in December, 2010 with their first keg to roll out the door in January, 2011
Insider Tip:
If you want a taste of Circle Brewing’s collection of tasty beers, make sure to bring a credit card with you. These guys don’t take cash payments. Oh yeah, if you’re headed there in the summer better wear something light as it can get pretty hot and humid. Happy hour is on any day it’s open. Nothing beats cheap, delicious beers.
Hill Country Breweries
Jester King Brewery
Location: 13005 Fitzhugh Road, Ceres Park, Austin TX
Tasting Room (fall/winter hours) Friday 4 pm to 10 pm / Saturday Noon to 10 pm / Sunday Noon to 7 pm
Located in rustic, laid back Texas Hill Country, Jester King brews spontaneously fermented beers and wild ales with traditional small farmhouse techniques that inspired these guys in the first place. Age-old brewing techniques involves patience, time, full attenuation, refermentation and unique fermentation in the serving vessel.
Insider Tip:
If you don’t like washing pizza down with some of the best craft beers downtown Austin has to offer, better check your pulse. Jester King’s brews and the delightful pizzas from Stanley’s Farmhouse is such an awesome pairing. In fact, these people love ‘em so much, they’re willing to wait in long lines. Get there earlier to avoid the queue, and you won’t have to worry about parking either.
Thirsty Planet
Location: 11160 Circle Dr, Austin, Texas
Tasting Room Hours: Saturdays, 11 – 3pm
Quenching the thirst of planet earth one beer sip at a time while brewing up some of the best craft beers this side of Austin. That’s how the fine folks at the Thirsty Planet Brewing roll. They donate tips from their taproom to various charities each month. Their spent grain is given to local farmers, and they actually recycle glass products and paper at their brewery.
Insider Tip:
These guys accommodate tours only during Saturdays, 11 to 3pm. Interested? Visiting their website and making a reservation is the only way to go. Now go.
Last Stand Brewery
Location:12345 Pauls Valley Rd., Building i
Austin, TX 78737
Tap Room Hours: Fridays, 4-8pm / Saturdays and Sundays, 1-6pm
A real gem-of-a-brewery in Hill Country, Last Stand Brewery may have just recently opened their barn doors to the public, but they already have a good collection of craft beers going for them. It’s only a few minutes away from Jester King, and not too far away is Solaro Estate Winery.Maybe one day, a bus tour that will let you explore the whole business park will be offered.
Insider Tip:
If you like impromptu musical performances, Last Stand Brewery never falls short. The place is packed during weekends, but don’t worry about the beerline as it moves surprisingly fast.
Twisted X Brewing Company
Location: West 150, 23455 Ranch Rd 12, Dripping Springs, Austin TX 78620
Tap Room Hours: Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, 11am – 9pm / Sundays 12pm – 8 pm
Located in idyllic Dull Springs, TXBC’s brewery is welcome departure from the usual industrial style setting craft beer breweries have all come to adapt. The tasting room and the brewery is housed in a barn-like building, with fully air conditioned, spacious floors and ample seating, something sorely missing with many taprooms of late.
Insider Tip:
TXBC offers free brewery tours! Drop by the place every Saturday at 1, 3, and 5pm and every Sunday, 1 and 3pm. No need to reserve your spot, just be there to join the fun! You may also want to check out the killer cool carvings on the trees.
West Austin Breweries
Oasis Texas Brewing Company
Location: 6550 Comanche Trl
Austin, TX 78732
Tap Room Hours: Thursdays, 4pm – 10pm /Fridays, Saturdays, 12noon-12am / Sundays, 12noon – 10pm
Sitting atop its majestic perch in Hill Country overlooking Lake Travis, Oasis Texas Brewing company has been crafting beers for only a couple of years but these guys are already award winners. It’s located in a multi-story development where you can take your family and friends for some great brews and a great view.
Insider Tip:
Taking a few sips of their delicious craft beer while watching the Texas sunset is what the OTBC experience is all about. Be sure to come in early to get a spot with a really nice view.
Infamous Brewing Company
Location: 4602 Weletka Dr. Ste 200
Austin, TX 78734
Tap Room Hours: Wednesdays, Thursdays, 5 – 9pm / Fridays, 4pm – 9pm /Saturdays, 1pm – 9pm /Sundays, 1pm – 5pm
Infamous Brewing is fast becoming a favorite in Austin’s local craft beer scene. Cozy, and homey interiors, great atmosphere, the bonfire outside, all make for an awesome time enjoying their tasty beers on tap. It’s a bit off the beaten track, but once you’re there you’d be glad you found this gem-of-brewery.
Insider Tip
Infamous Brewing is totally a family place you’d want to spend time and wind down after an exhausting day at work You can also take your trusty dog if you like, but you need make sure it’s controlled and obedient.
Strange Land Brewery
Location: 5904 Bee Cave Rd., West Lake Hills, TX 78746
Tap Room Hours: Fridays and Saturdays 5pm – 9pm
One of the latest entrants in the Austin craft beer scene, Strange Land is all set to make their mark – and with several craft beers already available, these folks are off to an undeniably promising start. They offer a total of 9 craft beers at the moment, with four flagship beers heading the charge.
Insider Tip
Since growler refills are non-existent here, they offer already-filled, smaller growler bottles for just $5 each. If you have a home tap system installed, you may want to pick up one of their 10 gallon mini-kegs for a very reasonable price.
South Austin Breweries
Independence Brewing Co.
Location: 3913 Todd Lane, Ste 607. Austin , TX 78744
Taproom Hours: Thursdays, Fridays 4 – 10pm / Saturdays, 1 – 10pm / Sundays, 2 – 8 pm
Independence Brewing is located at the back of an industrial park, and it’s an excellent place to relax after a hard day’s labor. They have indoor seating where you can take a gander at their brewing facility. There a few picnic tables outside, and bringing lawn chairs will pay off in spades. You get different flight of beer options, just ask the knowledgeable bartenders to get the best brew you and your taste bud would both agree on . As of this time, they carry six tasty all year-rounders and a collection of seasonal and limited releases.
Insider Tip
You may have a hard time finding the brewery as the main road that leads to it is undergoing construction. So here’s what you need to do: From Highway 71 head to Woodward St.Drive south to St. Elmo then go left onto Todd Lane.Also make sure to keep an eye out for Independence Brewing trucks normally parked outside. You’re already there when you see it. Oh, if you’re heading there during the weekends, make sure to bring a folding chair or something. You’ll thank us if you do
South Austin Brewery
Location: 415 E St Elmo Rd, Austin, TX 78745
Taproom: Fridays, 5:30 -10pm / Saturdays, 2 – 9 pm
Brewer Jordan Weeks got started in brewing way back in 1997 with the Hill Country Brewing and Bottling Company. In 2012, he finally launched South Austin Brewery after improving his professional style, setting his sights on developing delicious Belgian beers.
Insider Tip
Every Fridays, from 5:30 to 6pm is when you can get to meet and greet SAB’s on a free brewery tour. This is when the beers start flowing and the live music playing. They keep the tap hush hush and only when they start serving (tadaa!) will you know what’s on tap. They may even fire up the grill and serve sausage wraps once in a while.
(512) Brewing Company
Location: 407 Radam, F200
Austin, TX 78745
Founded in 2008 by Kevin Brand, (512) Brewing Company is a brewing facility through and through. They distribute their craft beer in kegs, but you can spot bottled 512 brews occasionally as they’ve been known to release a limited number from time to time. You can catch their brews all over Texas, including Austin, Dallas, Waco, Ft. Worth, San Antonio, and Houston.
Tours are usually conducted on a Saturday from 11am to 12:30pm. There you’ll get a chance to know more about their brewing process, see the shiny equipment up close, and get a taste of their amazing beers.
Insider Tip:
The only way in to (512)’s brewery is by purchasing tickets online via Eventbrite’s portal. The brewery has limited space, and they would only allow a maximum of 30 visitors at a time.
Multi-stop Brewery Bus Tours
Location: 605 Brazos St., Austin, TX 78701
The newest addition to ATXCursions is also one of the hottest tours of Austin microbreweries you can ever get – that, and their river tubing experience, of course.
The tours are perfect for birthday parties, private groups, or if you want to bring visiting Uncle Bob and his family for a really good time with Austin’s leading craft beer facilities.
Insider Tip:
Although the tour fees would already include the tips, the tour guides at ATXCursions are top notch, so don’t hesitate to shell out a few for these hardworking folks. The ATXCursions vans already have coolers and bottled water, which is handy since you and your group will be visiting 3 beer places. Water is your friend!
Reviews