Photography by Tim Robison
A lot goes into a can of beer. When you crack it open, you unleash the time, care, and craftsmanship of the brewer behind it. But there are some things you just can’t seal and ship. A truly great beer needs to be served cold by its maker in the place it was created. Only there can you get a real taste of the brew, because you also sample the personality of the taproom and the flavors of the local community.
Around the South, you’ll find plenty of breweries offering such opportunities. Among them are the destination breweries: extra-special, can’t-miss spots worth planning a trip around. Not only do they serve excellent beer with knowledgeable service to match, they also pour on amenities such as colorful gardens, hiking trails, local art, and memorable meals in picturesque settings. So, round up some thirsty friends and head to these notable Southern breweries—with so much to offer, they are attractions unto themselves.
Photography by Tim Robison
Sierra Nevada | Mills River, North Carolina
There are few names in craft beer more vaunted than Sierra Nevada. The California-based brewer’s crisp and piney Pale Ale helped launch the hoppy revolution that washed across the country in the 1990s. When they opened their satellite brewery and bottling plant on the outskirts of Asheville in 2013, it was a tacit announcement that the South had earned a spot on the craft-beer map. Two years later, Sierra Nevada unveiled a multilevel taproom and restaurant, a sprawling estate garden, and a stage for live music—making it a true beer destination.
The vibe: The taproom feels like a beer lover’s mountain resort, with the copper and stainless steel brewing equipment juxtaposed with soft wooden accents (crafted from trees felled on-site during construction). A variety of tours showcase the brewhouse and surrounding grounds, including a 1.5-mile guided nature hike through the forested residence of chickens, donkeys, and sheep that graze four acres of pasture.
Courtesy Sierra Nevada
What you’ll order: Just because Sierra Nevada Pale Ale is going on 45 years old doesn’t mean it has lost its luster—it’s still winning awards (including a Gold Medal at the 2025 World Beer Cup). And there’s nothing like tasting one fresh from the source.
What you should order: Take advantage of the rotating menu of taproom-exclusive, small-batch beers. Recent options include a roasty Appalachian Brown made with North Carolina malt and a lemony Southern Gothic unfiltered Keller Pils.
Be sure to meet: Look for the brewery’s Beer Adventurers—tour guides available to educate you on the brewing process, conduct beer tastings, and lead you to the grounds’ best sights and experiences.
Courtesy Sierra Nevada
Where to eat: The brewery is about a 15-minute drive from Asheville’s celebrated dining scene, but don’t miss the taproom’s well-regarded restaurant for Moroccan-spiced fresh catch, Korean tacos, and pilsner-marinated skirt steak.
Where to stay: The Asheville airport is minutes away, so there are plenty of chain-hotel options, but for a more memorable experience, we suggest a ride share to downtown Asheville. You can’t go wrong with the legendary Grove Park Inn, which has welcomed guests from Albert Einstein and F. Scott Fitzgerald to Barack Obama and Jennifer Lopez since its 1913 opening.
Photography by Bryce Ell Photo
Abita Brewing Company | New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans is commonly associated with drinks like Hurricanes and Sazeracs. But for the past four decades, if you want a beer in the Big Easy, it’s got to be an Abita. The company has two taprooms: the original, 30 miles south of New Orleans in Covington; the other, a sprawling, just-opened spot in New Orleans proper. We chose the latter because it’s larger and a major part of the city’s burgeoning Brewer’s Row (which includes Urban South Brewery and NOLA Brewing).
The vibe: This space on Tchoupitoulas Street, in the heart of the Irish Channel neighborhood, is full of vibrant murals and artwork (colorful swamps, streetcars, and French Quarter balconies) capturing the spirit of the Big Easy. Trivia, yoga, new beer releases, and regular pop-ups from some of the city’s best and most diverse chefs keep things lively here. You can also bring your own food, your kids, and even your favorite pooch to relax beneath the string lights in the courtyard.
What you’ll order: You can’t go wrong with a fresh Purple Haze raspberry lager or the chocolatey Turbo Dog brown ale, both mainstays that have been popular since before craft beer was really a thing.
Photography by Claire Anderson
What you should order: At the on-site “brewers lab,” brewmasters push the boundaries of beer. The result? New releases like the can’t-miss That Mother Shucker, a bold oyster stout brewed with 50 pounds of whole Gulf Coast oysters.
Be sure to meet: “Louisiana is full of characters,” says Abita’s Heidi Guerra. “And our taprooms are no exception. We don’t have a mascot or resident pet (yet), but you’re bound to meet someone interesting over a pint.”
Photography by Bryce Ell Photo
Where to eat: Head to nearby Barracuda Taco Stand, which stuffs its tortillas with Louisiana catfish or charred broccoli and serves margaritas on tap.
Where to stay: At the corner of Magazine and Race streets, Hotel Saint Vincent is situated in a former 19th-century orphanage with plenty of eclectic artwork and a groovy atmosphere.
Courtesy Green Bench Brewing Co.
Green Bench Brewing | St. Petersburg, Florida
In the early 1900s, St. Pete installed nearly 3,500 green benches along its sidewalks. Those seats are now iconic, offering pedestrians a chance to rest and catch up with friends. The folks behind Green Bench Brewing wanted to capture that sense of casual community when they founded the city’s first production brewery in 2013. With two tasting rooms connected by a beer garden, Green Bench offers a robust slate of social events (comedy nights, “cinema in the cellar”) and of course, standout suds.
The vibe: This place stays packed, no matter the temperature or time of year. The 6,000-square-foot, green-turf beer garden is shaded by palm trees, and the air-conditioned beer-tasting room has tall windows that are left open in good weather.
Green Bench Brewing Co.
What you’ll order: Green Bench flagships include the hoppy, citrus-forward Sunshine City IPA and the easy-drinking Postcard Pils, made with a little bit of flaked corn and Mount Hood hops for a clean and crisp crusher.
What you should order: Across the broad beer garden, Green Bench has opened a sister concept called Webb’s City Cellar, which focuses on mixed culture, sour, and wild ales. Try Alice, a golden ale fermented in oak for a dry-finishing fruit experience.
Green Bench Brewing Co.
Be sure to meet: Say hi to James Kerr, the beverage purveyor who has been working at Webb’s City Cellar since its inception in 2019. Hew’s the best person to talk you through the complex flavors in Green Bench’s more experimental wild ales.
Where to eat: Located directly across the street is Bodega, consistently named one of the best places in America to get a Cuban sandwich.
Where to stay: You can live like a local in the shiny new Mint House, with rooms that have a balcony, kitchenette, and plenty of space for relaxing and entertaining.
Courtesy Selvedge Brewing
Selvedge Brewing | Charlottesville, Virginia
Tucked into the family-filled Bellair neighborhood, Selvedge is all about the blend of old and new. Here you’ll find classics like Kolsch-style ales, American lagers, ordinary bitters, and Bavarian-style pilsners intermingled with the latest in hazy New England–style IPAs. The underlying thread is small-batch experimentation and culinary-inspired flavors. And since 2024, patrons have been sampling these brews in a shiny and spacious new taproom. It’s a destination brewery for true beer lovers.
The vibe: Because the area is packed with young families, Selvedge offers board games and coloring books for kids and broadcasts Washington Commanders NFL games on the big projection screen. And the fun carries over to the beer, with special taps that pour a thick, creamy foam in what’s called a “milk tube.” (Try it, along with a taco, on Taco Tubes-days.)
What you’ll order: Their award-winning Houndstooth English-style ordinary bitter shines with a subtle balance of esters and bitterness. It’s unfiltered, naturally carbonated, and supremely crushable at just 3.4 percent alcohol content.
Selvedge Brewing
What you should order: Smoked beer can be a tough sell, but few are as well done as the Threadenator, an approachable blend of beechwood- and cherrywood-smoked malts.
Be sure to meet: Ask for Miriam, one of the managers who is also a high school English teacher. She never forgets a face and leaves everyone (including fellow staff) with the warm-and-fuzzy vibes that define the Selvedge experience.
Where to eat and stay: Selvedge is just a four-minute drive from Boar’s Head, a country resort that offers guests luxe accommodations, spa treatments, golf, and a fitness club, along with several fine-dining options. (Be sure to make a reservation at the legendary Mill Room, known for the best brunch in town.)
Courtesy Creature Comforts Brewing
Creature Comforts | Athens, Georgia
This northeast Georgia craft brewery has made quite a name for itself across the country. Its flagship Tropicalia was one of the earliest “juicy IPAs” to catch on with fruit-forward hopheads around 2015, and the beer’s signature blue-and-orange label reached superstar status in 2019 with a cameo as Thor’s brew of choice in Avengers: Endgame. Four years later, Creature Comforts even opened a second location in Los Angeles. But the original taproom, set in a former tire shop in downtown Athens, remains a must-see.
Courtesy Creature Comforts Brewing
The vibe: Creature Comforts has something for everyone, including a dog-friendly patio where games of cornhole often get rowdy, a regular rotation of food trucks, a full cocktail menu, and even a company band, the Lo-Fills, which takes the stage every now and again.
What you’ll order: Even if you’ve already tried many a Tropicalia, the ones poured here have even more fruit-forward hop flavor.
What you should order: Creature Comforts is certified as a Cask Marque pub, meaning it serves ales in the traditional English style, with a smooth flavor and frothy head of rich foam. Just order what’s “on cask.”
Courtesy Creature Comforts Brewing
Be sure to meet: Beverage director Randy Leake, who sings in the Lo-Fills, comes up with the house cocktails, and can always point you to the right pint.
Where to eat: The National is a Mediterranean-inspired dining destination directly across the street that serves a popular grilled pork chop and a tasty seasonal vegetable plate.
Where to stay: Located in a former telephone building in the heart of downtown, the Bell’s eight rooms and four-bedroom suite marry history and luxury with a heavy dose of cool.
• • •
Must-Visit Beer Bars
A great beer bar not only has a well-curated menu of craft and import brews, but it also inspires a curiosity about and a passion for beer.
Holy Grale | Louisville, Kentucky
No one shows more reverence for beer, especially Belgian-style ales, than Lori Beck and Tyler Trotter, owners of this refurbished 1905 Unitarian church in the heart of Bourbon country. The two make frequent trips to Europe to update their hymn-board menu.
The Porter Beer Bar | Atlanta, Georgia
Sixty taps and a cellar of more than 800 rare bottles is impressive enough—but the real difference here is a knowledgeable staff who can help anyone navigate the vast menu and find the brew that’s right for them.
Redlight Redlight Brewpub | Orlando, Florida
Technically a brewpub, this Central Florida mainstay splits its tap list between housemade beers and guest taps, cans, and bottles from all over the globe. The space is in an old HVAC repair facility, and the atmosphere embraces those industrial roots.
• • •
Elevated Eats
Brewpub grub has come a long way from smashburgers and pizza. At these establishments, the dinners almost outshine the sudsy house-brewed drinks.
Brewery Bhavana | Raleigh, North Carolina
This place is many things: a brewery and taproom pouring highly rated IPAs and saisons, a flower shop, and a bookstore. It’s also a dim sum restaurant, serving crab Rangoon and Peking duck in an elegant setting.
Edmund’s Oast Brewing Co. & Taproom | Charleston, South Carolina
Locals and visitors alike flock here for well-executed comfort food (think fried chicken sandwiches and peanut butter–cup pie) served in a variety of environments: a lovely outdoor courtyard, a covered open-air patio, or a bustling indoor dining area. Pair your meal with a Carolina Gold rice IPA from the on-site brewery.
Southern Grist Brewing Co. | Nashville, Tennessee
For brewpub staples with a twist, try Lauter, the on-site restaurant at the East Nashville location. Menu items include dry-aged burgers, beer-battered truffle fries, and an inventive Caesar salad with smoked-olive dressing.
• • •
Best Beer Fests
Beer is a thing to celebrate, and the South knows how to throw a party. Grab your sampler glass and prepare to take a booth-by-booth tour of the region’s best.
The Dark Embrace Invitational | Tampa, Florida
Tampa’s Angry Chair, Cycle, and Ology breweries come together each March to welcome more than 50 of the country’s best beermakers to the Bay area. While all styles of beer are showcased, the highlight of this event is the annual release of a barrel-aged beauty from the three hosts.
Kill the Lights | Knoxville, Tennessee
Hosted by Xül Brewing, this October gathering of more than 70 brewers from all over the globe was recently ranked by USA Today as the No. 3 beer festival in the country. Expect live music, new beer releases, and big crowds—the event draws more than 2,000 beer lovers every year.
Little Beer | Duluth, Georgia
This small-beer festival, hosted on the Duluth town green each March by Good Word Brewing, celebrates lower-alcohol brews from around the country, making it easy to quaff steadily through the day in this lively Atlanta suburb.
• • •
Brew with a View
Sometimes a beer is only as enjoyable as the place you drink it. These breweries pour pints that come with a panorama.
Dirt Farm Brewing | Bluemont, Virginia
The spacious patio at this farm brewery nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains gives you 360-degree views of the ridges and the lush Loudoun Valley below, where ingredients for your beer were grown.
Iron Forge Brewing | Sevierville, Tennessee
Step out onto the spacious hilltop courtyard, pull up a chair around the firepit, and take in the enveloping views of the Smoky Mountain foothills at this gem perched on the Little Pigeon River. With access to the riverfront, warm hospitality, and an endless backdrop of trees and sky, you’ll feel like you’re drinking beer around a campfire.
Revelry Brewing | Charleston, South Carolina
Nothing beats sipping a brew in the breeze on a rooftop bar, and Revelry has one of the best, with sundrenched views of the Holy City.
• • •
Top Tours
Why settle for sampling one brewery when you can visit more than one on a hoppy odyssey?
Craft Beer + French Quarter Bike Tour | New Orleans, Louisiana
Take in the sights, sounds, and stories of America’s most vibrant party neighborhood from the seat of a two-wheeler. Sample the goods from three upstart NOLA brewers, including buzzy Parleaux Beer Lab, while pedaling through Bywater, Marigny, and the illustrious French Quarter.
The Hop Walk | Nashville, Tennessee
Burn calories while drinking on this three-hour, 1.3-mile guided stroll through Music City’s beer scene. Stop at four breweries (including New Heights and Southern Grist) and learn from your guide about the brews you’re drinking.
Memphis Brew Bus | Memphis, Tennessee
This 3.5-hour tour and tasting takes you to three of Memphis’s best craft breweries: Wiseacre, Crosstown, and Hampline. Each stop includes a beer, a water, and snacks—but there is plenty of time built in for you to buy an additional brew or food. Bonus: If you want to take home some beer, there’s a cooler on the bus.
This article appears in the Fall 2025 issue of Southbound.
