Did you know that the United States and Canada now boast more 5,000 independently owned craft breweries? From sea to shining sea – East Coast to West Coast, the Great White North to the Gulf Coast – this season we’re toasting to 13 top breweries, one for each week of summer.
1. Rhinegiest Brewery – Cincinnati, Ohio
Brewery insight:
Yelpers love the indoor Wiffle ball nights, ping-pong, cornhole and pro-tip don’t miss the giant rooftop patio that overlooks the city. A perfect summer sunset in Cincy awaits!
Seasonal must try:
Rosé Cider — Made with peach and cranberry juice, for additional pink hue, tartness and juicy fruitiness
2. Collision Bend Brewing Company – Cleveland, Ohio
Brewery Insight:
Yelpers recommend snagging a table in the atrium or on the gorgeous riverfront patio to enjoy stellar views of the Flats at night.
Seasonal must try:
Lake Erie Sunset — Blood orange American wheat
3. Aardwolf Brewing Company – Jacksonville, Florida
Brewery Insight:
Located in a renovated 1920s ice house, Aardwolf’s dog-friendly tap room has been a San Marco favorite since opening their doors. Yelpers love their ambitious brews, specialty bottle releases, and the fact they have a food truck on site most days of the week.
Seasonal must try:
San Marco Sour — Sour blonde ale
4. Pocock Brewing Company – Santa Clarita, California
Brewery Insight:
Hidden within an industrial center on the outskirts of LA county, this family-run brewery has a down-home local feel and boardgames for days.
Seasonal must try:
Nuptials Mango Ale — A Filipino/English hybrid celebrating the marriage of two ancestral backgrounds
5. Night Shift Brewing – Everett, Massachusetts
Brewery Insight:
If the proverbial Flavortown had a public biergarten, it’d be Night Shift. Not afraid to dabble in uncommon creations, NSB whips together stellar concoctions like a pineapple sour Aloha Weisse, horchata-in-a-milk-stout El Lechedor and the Harborside, a gose made with fresh oyster liquor! Prefer well-brewed basics? Their American IPA Santilli landed bronze at the 2016 World Beer Cup.
Seasonal must try:
Ever Weisse — A sour ale aged with strawberries, kiwi, and hibiscus
6. O’Connor Brewing Company – Norfolk, Virginia
Brewery Insight:
O’Connor Brewing Co. is a mighty yet humble craft brewery located in an “industrial section” of Norfolk’s Ghent neighborhood/district. Their mission is to create an original, world-class craft beer experience for all beer lovers through their innovative, evolving products and services while supporting local communities.
Summer must try:
Endless Saison Series — Inspired by famous surf spots around the globe
7. Threes Brewing – Brooklyn, New York
Brewery Insight:
In addition to brewing up tasty beers that rival any in Brooklyn (no small feat), this bar and brewery has a big, beautiful outdoor space laced with greenery. Since their launch in 2014, they’ve brewed up more than 60 different styles of beer, and the roster keeps evolving. Cool off with whichever brew strikes your fancy (or one of the alcoholic slushies) while enjoying non-stop programming, and top it all off with pickle plates and burgers courtesy of one of Brooklyn’s best butchers that has taken up residence in the Threes kitchen (The Meat Hook). Tuesday is Steak Night!
Summer must try:
Vliet Pilsner — With notes of sweet hay and herbal hops
8. Hop Nuts Brewing – Las Vegas, Nevada
Brewery Insight:
They have a super small facility and brew all their beers on site, offering growler fills for all their beers on tap. Every Monday night Hop Nuts hosts and open mic night called “The Human Experience”. Perfect for Las Vegas locals and tourists alike!
Summer must try:
Green Mamba Double IPA — West Coast style with lots of hops
9. Parallel 49 Brewing – Vancouver, Canada
Brewery Insight:
Parallel 49 is a brewery staple in Vancouver. Well known for their creative and hilarious beer names, you are always guaranteed to find something you love. They recently opened up their street side eatery, so now you can enjoy some yummy grubs, while sitting outside enjoying a brew on their newly built patio.
Summer must try:
Meyer Lemon Tricycle — A dry, citrus Radler brewed for the summer months
10. Galveston Island Brewing – Galveston, Texas
Brewery Insight:
This brewery is located on the historic Galveston Island, a major Texas travel destination which attracts some 6+ million tourists during the summer season. This beach brewery enhances its laid-back island vibe with palm trees, play ground, live music, kid- and dog-friendly policy… and even a resident rooster – Brewster The Rooster.
Summer must try:
Hefen-A — Bavarian wheat beer with notes of banana, bubble gum, and cloves
11. Faction Brewing – Alameda, California
Brewery Insight:
Beer with a view? Don’t mind if we do. Located on an old naval base on Alameda Island, Faction’s outdoor space has unspoiled views of the city of San Francisco. Dog friendly, great beers, food trucks pretty much every weekend, there’s a little something for everyone. Plus, if you get bored with beer? Visit the distillery next door or the winery down the street.
Summer must try:
Defcon I — Belgian style quad brewed with Castle Pilsner and Caramunich malts and Styrian Golding hops
12. Mantra Artisan Ales – Franklin, Tennessee
Brewery Insight:
The secret of Mantra is in the name: artisan. Mantra takes craft beer and puts an artisan spin on the product to come up with catchy names (‘Lime In The Coconut’) and inventive flavors (chai milk stout). Brewer Derrick Morse is as much a scientist as he is an artist.
Seasonal must try:
Saffron IPA — A saffron and cardamom flash in your mouth
13. Confluence Brewing Company – Des Moines, Iowa
Brewery Insight:
Just steps from the bike trail off the bike trail with a great view of downtown Des Moines, the tap room is modern and open. With awesome local art on the walls, and windows into the brewing room where you can see the brew masters making the ales you will be sampling.
Summer must try:
Blue Corn Lager — Made with open-pollinated, heritage organic blue corn grown in New Mexico.
Plan on imbibing this summer? Share the suds love on social and tag @Yelp with your seasonal beverages. We want to see what you’re drinking!
