22 Craft Breweries In Austin For Beer Lovers

You’re in Austin, so it’s time to visit a brewery and drink some craft beer! We have more breweries than any other city in Texas, and I’ve gotta say that one of my favorite parts of living in this city is heading out on a sunny Saturday afternoon to tour some Austin breweries and drink beer. It’s the best!!

Ok friends: if you’re trying to get to know the city of Austin, get out there and try the local beer. It’s the life-blood of this city, brewed by creative men and women who make Austin a cooler (and tastier!) place to live and visit. I’ve been visiting craft breweries in Austin for years, and I’m excited to share this list of the best breweries in Austin for craft beer. Cheers!

I’ve compiled this list after years of visiting breweries and tasting beer around Austin. I’ve picked these based on the quality of their core beers, cleanliness of the system (because no one wants the funky taste that comes from bacteria or mold growing in the tap lines), national and international awards, and the overall ambiance of the brewery. You’re probably heading there for a fun afternoon of drinking with friends, and you want to visit a place with some dope Austin vibes!

breweries in Austin: ABGB

22 Craft Breweries In Austin For Beer Lovers

1. Hold Out Brewing

Austin breweries: hold out brewing

The newest brewery to join Austin’s craft beer scene, Hold Out Brewing is from the team behind Better Half Bar. (The metal brewery building is adjacent to the Better Half patio.) Enjoy lots of hoppy pale ales and IPAs, as well as a bunch of tasty bites from the food menu. (Curly fries, $5 burger, and Kung Pao Hotdog are all must-try items. ) This brewery is near downtown and has a HUGE parking lot, which is definitely worth noting! 

Hold Out Brewing

1208 W 4th St, Austin, TX 78703

(512) 305-3540

2. Central Machine Works

22 Austin Breweries for Craft Beer Lovers

It’s inside a renovated 1940s space that was used to build airplane parts in WWII, and now it’s one of the most Austin-y places to hang out on the weekends. The food is AMAZING, so plan on stopping by during dinner time so you can enjoy some food along with your craft beer. This microbrewery and pub is the perfect place to enjoy some outdoor weather in Austin! 

Central Machine Works

4824 E Cesar Chavez St, Austin, TX 78702

(512) 220-2340

3. ABGB

22 Austin Breweries you need to visit

The Austin Beer Garden Brewing Co. is located just south of downtown in a large, commercial building right next to the train track. The indoor space has long picnic tables where you can nosh on pizza while you enjoy live music, and the outdoor beer garden is perfect for big groups, kids, and dogs.

ABGB has earned a spot on this list for their slew of Great American Beer Festival awards, including 3 consecutive gold medals for Best Large Brewpub, and multiple medals for the Hell Yes Helles and the Industry Pilsner. Start with these gentle German-style beers, then have fun exploring the seasonal brews on the menu.

ABGB

1305 W Oltorf St, Austin, TX 78704

(512) 298-2242

4. Jester King

22 breweries to visit in Austin

Jester King is located in Dripping Springs, just outside of Austin City Limits, but it’s definitely worth the drive to make a Sunday event of tasting these award-winning farmhouse ales and spontaneously fermented beers on 165 acres of preserved land. Craft Beer and Brewing Magazine called it the 4th best small brewery in the world. As of 2020, they’re updating their land so the guests can enjoy all 165 acres of it, including a 2 mile hiking trail, a goat pen, and a vineyard, in addition to the beer garden. Amazing! 

This is definitely one of the most adventurous breweries in the US, serving creative beer that is fermented (and sometimes re-fermented!) with Syrah grapes, apricots, anise, or elderflower, and aged in gin barrels or brandy barrels or oak barrels…or really anything else the team decides to experiment with. Who knows what James Bear Award semi-finalist and founder Jeffrey Stuffings will come up with next?

Jester King

13187 Fitzhugh Rd, Austin, TX 78736

(512) 661-8736

5. Lazarus Brewing

22 Austin Breweries You Should Visit

Lazarus Brewing is one of the most-visited breweries in East Austin right now. Austin loves their friendly indoor-outdoor tap room, beer styles from around the world, and (of course) those delicious pastor tacos and chips and guac.

Of the flagship beers, the Amandus is the only one that has won a GABF gold medal, and it’s a doozy: an 8.3% Belgian strong ale that might be best saving as the final beer in your flight! Be sure to try the 40 Days and 40 Nights (IPA) and some of the special rotating beers.

Lazarus Brewing

1902 E 6th St, Austin, TX 78702

(512) 394-7620

6. Nomadic Beerworks

22 best breweries in Austin for craft beer - Nomadic Beerworks is a must-visit space!

If you love beautiful little brewery spaces, this one is for you! Nomadic Beerworks is a fun place to hang out with friends on a Friday night. They have a lovely selection of the typical beers you’d expect to find at a craft brewery (a few really good hazy IPAs, a tasty sour, a porter, and a few rotating creative taps like fruited saisons, milkshake IPAs, or ciders.) It’s located just off of South Congress to be away from the busy tourist street, yet still really convenient to locate. 

*COVID update: the inside is closed, but the patio is open for customers. You can always get their beer to-go, too! 

WEBSITE |3804 Woodbury Dr, Suite A, Austin

7. Central District Brewing

22 best breweries in Austin for craft beer - Central District Brewing

This little downtown Austin brewery won a gold medal at the Great American Beer Fest within their first year of opening! It’s a seriously stunning brewery in downtown Austin with lots of modern touches. Perfect space to pop in to enjoy a pint while you’re staying in a downtown Austin hotel. 

*COVID update: the tap room is closed, but you can get beer to-go! 

WEBSITE | 417 Red River St, Austin

8. Oasis Texas Brewing Company (OTXBC)

this is one of the must-visit breweries in Austin Texas! See all 22 of them here.

Oasis is theeee place to go if you want a brewery with a view! It’s perched high in the hill country, overlooking Lake Travis. This is such a fun stop for award-winning brews, live music, and some casual American food from the kitchen.

If you were to ask me my all-time favorite craft beer in Austin right now, I’d say the London Homesick English bitter from Oasis. It won a gold medal at GABF in 2014, and it’s somehow light and refreshing while also being rich in flavor. It’s the beer equivalent of taking a big bite of the most delicious piece of homemade bread. I can’t get enough.

*COVID update: the brewery is open and you don’t need a reservation. Staff is encouraging safe social distancing guidelines with ordering and seating. 

WEBSITE | 6550 Comanche Trail, Austin


Also see: 16 food trucks you have to try in Austin Texas 


9. Brewtorium

Check out this amazing GIANT brewery in Austin Texas - Brewtorium

This place is HUGE and so much fun for the whole family! The beer is fantastic, but don’t skip the food: I think that’s where this place really shines. Perfect spot to go for a Sunday afternoon with your fam. 

*COVID update: seating available for parties of 10 or less, or bring your own chairs and enjoy the green space! Social distancing measures are enforced, and staff are all wearing masks. 

WEBSITE | 6015 Dillard Circle, Austin 

10. St. Elmo Brewing Co.

Austin Texas: 14 must-visit breweries

St. Elmo has quickly becoming an Austin favorite for their exceptional beers! Taste the tried-and-true core beers first: Carl (Kolsch) and Chico (Pale Ale) are two of their best-selling beers. But their beer list is always growing and they often have some fun rotating taps to try! 

Soursop food truck is parked outside, and this amazing food truck is enough of a reason to visit. SO GOOD! (I called it my favorite food truck in Austin right here.) 

*COVID updates: the brewery is open (reservations required) and they have a great beer-to-go system set up on their website. 

WEBSITE | 440 E St Elmo Rd

11. Hops & Grain Brewing

Austin Texas: 14 must-visit breweries

Hops & Grain should be at the top of your to-visit list in Austin; they’re one of the OG East Austin breweries in town!

These are the beers you’ll probably see at a lot of bars and events around town, but do yourself a favor and get into the brewery to try that Haze Country (double IPA) or Mosaic (America IPA) fresh on tap to experience the true depth of flavor that Hops & Grain is capable of producing.

*COVID update: the taproom is open, and beer to-go is available. 

WEBSITE | 507 Calles St, Austin

12. Zilker Brewing Co.

Austin Texas: 14 must-visit breweries

Once you’re done at Hops & Grain and Lazarus, walk a few blocks down the street to Zilker Brewing. (They’re all so close to each other and make a great walkable afternoon of drinking beer in East Austin!) Zilker Brewing Co is a small, urban craft brewery that does a great job brewing all of the basics: Marco (a full-bodied IPA), Parks and Rec (a crisp and citrusy Pale Ale), and the Honey Blonde (a light, approachable Blonde Ale).

*COVID update: the patio is now open, and beer-to-go is always available, too. 

WEBSITE | 1701 E 6th St

13. Blue Owl Brewing

Austin Texas: 14 must-visit breweries

photo via

As long as we’re in East Austin, here’s one more for you to check off your list! Blue Owl Brewing has grown their loyal clientele by, impressively, only brewing kettle sours.

New to sour beers? Head into the brewery and ask some questions. Your bartender will make sure you start with something that’s easy and approachable (like the Little Boss tart wheat) before moving on to one of the crazier specialty sours, which are sometimes only available in the tap room.

*COVID update: the tasting room is open with limited capacity and safe sanitizing measures in place, and contactless to-go orders are available, too. 

WEBSITE | 2400 E Cesar Chavez, Austin

14. Austin Beerworks

Austin Texas: 14 must-visit breweries

Austin Beerworks is one of the larger breweries in Austin. They’ve been around a while and have recently revamped their tap room; this is a really fun spot to hang out for a day of drinking with friends!

Stop by the brewery and be sure to taste a flight of beers so you can sample the Core Four as well as the fun seasonal brews. Similar to Hops & Grain, Austin Beerworks beers are available all over Austin, but it’s completely different to taste them fresh in the taproom.

*COVID update: the taproom and patio are open by reservation only, and strict social distancing guidelines are in place. 

WEBSITE | 3001 Industrial Terrace, Austin

15. Adelbert’s Brewery

Adelbert’s is an award-winning brewery in Austin that serves Belgian-style ales. All of their beers made from non-GMO ingredients and served in a stunning little North Austin space. Such a fun place to hang out with TVs, board games, darts, and so much more. Note the update below. 

*COVID update: the taproom is open with limited seating ,and patio seating and beer-to-go are available. Strict social distancing guidelines are in place. 

WEBSITE | 2314 Rutland Dr #100, Austin

16. 512 Brewing

Austin Texas: 14 must-visit breweries

You’ve definitely seen their Pecan Porter around town, but this old-school Austin brewery does so much more than that! They rotate through a whole slew of IPAs (black, white, juicy, mosaic, double), some funky sours, and rich, frothy dark beers like the Oatmeal Cream Stout.

512 Brewing is only open to the public on Saturdays from noon-4. A ticket will get you 6 tastings, a logo glass that you get to keep, and a tour of the brewery.

*COVID update: beer-to-go is available via drive-thru, but the tasting room is closed and no tours are available right now. 

WEBSITE | 407 Radam Ln, Austin

17. Beerburg Brewing

Beerburg Brewing

This new brewery in Dripping Springs is right by Jester King, so you can knock out both of them in one afternoon. It’s a sustainable brewery, meaning everything is sourced locally, and if that’s impossible, they purchase things as responsibly as possible. That takes a lot of money and energy to do well, so I really appreciate Beerburg’s commitment!

Check out their beautiful outdoor space with lots of tree coverage, picnic tables, and even a dog park. They’re rock solid with the classic styles, because it’s hard to beat a really good IPA, pale ale, or pilsner.

*COVID update: the taproom is closed, but the outdoor space is open and beer to-go is available.

WEBSITE | 13476 Fitzhugh Rd.

18. Southern Heights Brewing Co.

Austin Texas: 14 must-visit breweries

The first time I walked into Southern Heights, I was blown away by how big this craft brewery is! It’s pretty far out there in East Austin where space is more readily available than on, say, East 6th Street.

Southern Heights is an all-around fun place to hang out with your possy of people. It’s bright, it’s colorful, there’s plenty of seating, and good beer is flowing.

*COVID update: beer to-go is available, and the patio is open. 

WEBSITE | 6014 Techni Center Dr

19. Pinthouse Pizza

Austin Texas: 14 must-visit breweries

Pinthouse Pizza now has THREE locations in Austin….yowza! If you’re a fan of hazy IPAs, PHP is theeee place to go in Austin to taste the best of the best. If you’re on the hunt for breweries in Austin with AMAZING IPAs, all the beer pros will tell you to go to Pinthouse. They’re busy brewing up a storm and winning all sorts of big name award, like gold medals at the Great American Beer Fest and the World Beer Cup for their Green Battles IPA.

*COVID update: go to the website to get on the waitlist for a table (took me about 15 minutes of waiting in the virtual line before my table was ready). Staff are wearing masks, and guests are encouraged to wear masks and keep 6 feet distance while ordering at the bar. 

WEBSITE | multiple locations

20. Oddwood Ales

Austin Texas: 14 must-visit breweries

Here’s one more sour brewery to add to your list! Oddwood Ales is unique in that it doesn’t focus solely on American style wild ales; they also brew plenty of hoppy pale ales (which I actually prefer at this location….they’re fantastic!) and a wide variety of other beer styles.

The brewpub is dark and cozy and also offers thin crust bar pizzas. If you’re looking for a brewery to visit on a cold or rainy day, Oddwood Ales is definitely your place.

*COVID update: limited seating available with strict social distancing guidelines enforced. Call ahead if you want to reserve a table. 

WEBSITE | 3108 Manor Rd, Austin

21. 12 Fox Beer

22 must-visit breweries in Austin - 12 Fox Beer is kid-friendly!

Can you tell by the name that this brewery is owned by army veterans? 12 Fox Beer is located on a huge lot in Dripping Springs. The sprawling outdoor space is the perfect spot to bring the kiddos (the outdoor playscape will be lots of fun when the pandemic ends!) and the selection of 12 beer taps (duh) is available to drink at the brewery or to-go. 

*COVID update: biergarten is open, no reservations required. There aren’t any clear updates regarding social distancing policies on the website. 

WEBSITE | 4700 W Fitzhugh Rd, Dripping Springs

22. Live Oak Brewing

An oldie but a Goldie! Live Oak Brewing is one of the most beautiful breweries in Austin with a big beautiful biergarten. It’s located right by the airport, so it’s a fun place to stop with guests right after their flight lands. Perfect first impression of ATX! 

*COVID update: beer to-go is available, but the taproom is still closed. 

WEBSITE | 1615 Crozier Ln, Austin 


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22 best craft breweries in Austin Texas

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sarah
3 years ago

Good

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3 years ago

[…] Also see: 22 craft breweries in Austin for beer lovers […]

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[…] {See: 22 Craft Breweries In Austin For Beer Lovers} […]

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2 years ago

[…] There are dozens of breweries in Austin that offer tours and tastings. A few favorites: ABGB, St. Elmo, Hops and Grain, Zilker Brewing, and Lazarus. If you can’t find a brewery tour on your rainy day in Austin, just check out a new brewery, try a flight, and hang out with your friends indoors for a few hours! (Tip: bring a card game!) Here are 22 craft breweries in Austin.  […]

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[…] Also see: 22 craft breweries in Austin for beer lovers […]

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[…] Also see: 22 Breweries In Austin For Craft Beer Lovers […]

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