With roughly 60 breweries in the Austin area, beer is a way of life, a Texas tradition, as synonymous with the city as food trucks and live music.
Craft beer is part of the culture of Austin, and you’ll find breweries in every neighborhood, many of them family-friendly and complete with live music and dancing, themed nights, free fun, and cowboys.
You see, a brewery in Austin isn’t just a brewery; it’s a gathering place, a communal necessity, a real-life social network.
Austin is eclectic Texas; here, you’ll find everything weird across the whole spectrum of weirdness. Grab your growler and get ready-
Here are the best breweries in Austin, Texas:
St. Elmo Brewing Company
St. Elmo Brewing Company is South Austin’s favorite brewery and beer garden. Rotating taps, plus a few beloved regulars like Chico, pair perfectly with the onsite food truck, Spicy Boys.
Tuesday Trivia nights are huge at St. Elmo, and board games are big all week. The small outdoor stage hosts Drag Bingo on Wednesdays, live bluegrass every Thursday, and the outdoor patio is always filled with locals and their dogs.
Best Known For: Carl Kolsch, Chico Pale Ale, Slater
Jester King Brewery
*JK is not just a brewery, it’s a complete outdoor experience.
Just 18 miles west of downtown lies one of Austin’s quintessential breweries, Jester King, a 165-acre ranch hidden in the Texas Hill Country.
What sets Jester King apart from other Austin breweries is its seemingly remote location, which has a way of making you feel like you’re ‘somewhere out in Texas’ instead of just a short drive from the state’s busy and colorful capital.
You’ll also find barbeque, a sustainable play area, live music, and occasional Goat Yoga at Austin’s best Texas farmhouse-style brewery.
Pro-Tip: Jester King has mosquitoes, so come prepared with some natural repellent!
Best Known For: Grim Harvest Farmhouse Ale, Real Science Hazy DIPA
Oskar Blues Brewery
Oskar Blues Brewery is carved out of an industrial space in North Austin with lots of parking (unheard of in Austin), live music, and a shady outdoor patio.
Inside, you’ll find a massive taproom with gorgeous pops of red, including shiny red leather seats across from the main bar. I would describe the interior of Oskar Blues as ‘faintly glam western’ and the service as incredible.
Best Known For: Dale’s Pale Ale, Old Chub, Ten FIDY Imperial Stout, G’Knight
The Austin Beer Garden Brewing CO. (ABGB)
The Austin Beer Garden Brewing Co. is everything you could want in a casual brewery: long wooden community tables, rotating taps plus, famous favorites like the Hell Yes, pub eats like pizza and subs, plus a few colorful, Austin-inspired murals outside.
ABGB is conveniently close to downtown, ideal for Texas Two-Steppin’, and known for their White Clam Pizza- what’s not to love?
Best Known For: Big Bark Amber Lager, Hell Yes
Live Oak
Since 1997, Live Oak Brewing has been dedicated to making quality and craft beer that Austin is proud of- like really proud, like cult-following proud.
The Live Oak location can only be described as Euro Texan- a sprawling, shady Biergarten, an onsite food truck, The Black Forest, and a hipster-filled disc golf course.
You must try the Hefeweizen, a Texas take on a Bavarian classic with notes of Vanilla, Clove, and banana.
Best Known For: HefeWeizen, Big Bark Amber Lager
Independence Brewing
Independence Brewing Co. was founded by an adorable husband and wife, two alums from the University of Texas who love beer, dogs, and a good time.
Today, the small team of fewer than 50 employees brews more than 20,000 barrels a year at the exact location where independence was born nearly 2 decades ago.
Enjoy live music, win at Geeks Who Drink Trivia Night, or peek behind the scenes on a brewery tour at Independence Brewing Co.
Best Known For: Native Texan, Stash IPA, Austin Amber
Austin Breweries | FAQ
How many Breweries are in Austin, Texas?
There are over 60 breweries in Texas’ Hill Country, and more than half are within Austin city limits.
What Beer is Austin Texas known for?
Anything from Jester King or Live Oak. Austin is associated with all things brewery-related, like brews, tours, seasonal in-house flavors, and beer hall culture.
If you’re drinking beer in Austin, no matter what kind, you’re celebrating what Texas is best known for.
Are there Tours that will take me to Different breweries in Austin?
Yes! This one starts at the Rainy Street Historic District and concludes with visits to 3 different breweries. This tour includes a live band on the bus!
What is the National Beer of Texas?
Lonestar, made by Pabst Blue Ribbon and brewed in Fort Worth, is the National Beer of Texas.
Is Lonestar Beer only in Texas?
Lone Star beer is one of the oldest American beers, headquartered in San Antonio, Texas, since 1883. You can buy Lonestar in other states, it just isn’t as easy to find.
What Texas city has the most Breweries?
Austin has more breweries than any other city in Texas.
What is the Oldest Craft Brewery in Texas?
St. Arnold’s Brewing Company in Houston shipped its first batch of beer on June 9, 1994, making it the oldest craft brewery in Texas.
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What was your favorite Austin brewery? Is there a brewery that deserves to be on this list that isn’t?
Let me know in the comments below, or tag me on social media.
