When the weather warms and the skies are blue, it feels like there is no better time to guzzle down a cold, craft beer. Gone are the days when there were only a handful of beers from big beer corporations to choose from. The microbrewery movement of the ‘90s has blossomed into a multi-billion dollar business with thousands of independent breweries across the nation, showcasing their finest ales.
Houston has its fair share of craft breweries and taprooms, making it an ongoing adventure to taste your way through them all. Consider this guide of where to enjoy some of the best of what the Bayou City is brewing, while enjoying the camaraderie of like-minded beer connoisseurs.
Under the Radar Brewery
Like its name suggests, Under the Radar is a true neighborhood gem. Most of the taproom is outdoors, nestled under the trees with plenty of picnic tables for seating and playing board games. Food trucks are often on site, but the brewery has a few snacks on offer too, like peanuts and beef jerky. It’s a smaller operation, but the beers are plentiful. Radar Love is a hefeweizen-style brew, and there are bolder brews like the rich espresso stout, Basti’s Brew, and Porter Authority, an English porter. There is even a low-alcohol kombucha on tap. 1506 Truxillo St., Houston, undertheradarbrewery.com
11 Below Brewing Company
Originally located in the Willowbrook area, this brewery moved to Spring when it took over Fortress Beerworks. The taproom is kid-friendly and leashed pets are welcome. A rotating lineup of food trucks is on site Wednesday through Sunday, and tables can be reserved for groups. Its year-round beers can be found at the brewery and in stores, including 7-Iron, a blonde ale, and Hipster Sauce, an IPA. We are particularly fond of Oso Bueno, its amber ale. 2606 Spring Cypress Rd. Spring, 11belowbrewing.com
8th Wonder Brewery
8th Wonder’s moniker pays tribute to the Houston Astrodome, which opened in 1965 and was dubbed the “Eighth Wonder of the World”. The brewery itself first began brewing beer in 2013, and has since opened a distillery across the street. Cannabis products were also added to the offerings, including Wonder Water THC seltzer and Ocho Verde, a cannabis spirit. Though the beer list is small, it covers all the bases with many different ales, plus a porter and a stout. Located in Houston’s East End, the vast space offers plenty of seating inside and out, with Houston-themed murals and sports memorabilia softening the industrial feel. 2202 Dallas St., Houston, 8thwonder.com
Eureka Heights Brew Co.
This Heights-area warehouse-style brewery and taproom has a good-sized offering of sessionable beers with low ABV. Its Buckle Bunny and 713 Pilsner are easy-drinking, while the double IPAs are a bit stronger. The beers on tap rotate, but there are approximately 20 different options on most days. Kids and adults can play pinball, cornhole, and foosball, or participate in one of the brewery’s weekly events like bingo and trivia. Food trucks rotate regularly, and dogs are welcome. 941 W. 18th St., Houston, eurekaheights.com
Karbach Brewing Co.
Founded in 2011, Karbach has seen immense growth in just a few years. It was acquired by Anheuser-Busch InBev in 2016, but still prides itself on its Houston roots. Karbach’s best-sellers include Love Street, Crawford Bock, and Hopadilla IPA, but there’s always something new brewing as the team creates new limited-time sips for its F.U.N. Series. The Karbach compound has a pub, biergarten, and the Karbach Restaurant + Patio, which offers a menu of shared plates like Korean fried chicken and the Clutch City dip trio, plus entrees like the Texas wagyu smashburger, grilled salmon, and a kids menu. 2032 Karbach St., Houston, karbachbrewing.com
Spindletap Brewery
This popular family-friendly brewery and taproom is located on the northeast side of Houston and has been open to the public since 2015. While guests can enjoy original ales like Boomtown Blond and Toolpusher Pale Ale, it also turns out solid IPAs like Houston Haze and Hopper House Double IPA, and a couple of canned mocktails. A food truck is typically parked nearby with items like pizza and burgers, and with more than three acres of outdoor space, there is plenty of room to linger. Patrons are welcome to play miniature golf, pickleball, soccer, horseshoes, and more. 10622 Hirsch Rd., Houston, spindletap.com
Senate Avenue Brewing
This family-friendly brewery in Jersey Village ticks all the boxes, with indoor and outdoor space, an extensive food menu, and plenty of unique brews. The on-tap selection includes a choice of a 10- or 16-ounce pours like La Republica, a Mexican-style lager, or Ballot Bock. There’s even a hard seltzer called Moscow Mule. Guests can order food at the counter with tempting choices like boudin balls, burgers, wings, pizzas, and even redfish Pontchartrain. 16000 Dillard Dr., Jersey Village, senateave.com
Walking Stick Brewing
Taking up a city block in the Garden Oaks/Oak Forest area, this family-run establishment features a taproom, brew house, and beer gardens in the front and the back. There is a wide selection of brews including Pikes Peak Pilsner, Conundrum IPA, and Massive Brown Porter, with a flight serving as a great way to find a favorite. Flower arrangements decorate the tables, and the space boasts an array of seating options ranging from picnic tables to comfy bean bag chairs. Live music and trivia nights are just some of the fun events guests can partake in throughout the week. 957 Wakefield Dr., Houston, walkingstickbrewing.com
Saint Arnold Brewing Company
While not the oldest brewery in Texas, Saint Arnold was the first craft brewery in the state, shipping its first keg in 1994. The Saint Arnold team is always working on new brews, but some of the brewery’s trusted year-round offerings include Art Car IPA, Fancy Lawnmower, Amber Ale, and the dry stout, Irish Hello. Seasonal beers, like Oktoberfest and Christmas Ale, plus a variety of ciders and non-alcoholic root beer and ginger beer, round out the list. Its cathedral-like restaurant boasts cozy nooks to settle into, while the covered beer garden offers sweeping views of the Houston skyline. Nosh on beer-friendly fare like the holy smashburger, Slow Dough soft pretzel, and fish and chips. 2000 Lyons Ave., Houston, saintarnold.com
Great Heights Brewing Company
More and more breweries and taprooms are popping up in residential areas and Great Heights, located in the Garden Oaks-Oak Forest area, is a prime example. Not only can guests discover great beer, but Great Heights brews coffee and espresso drinks too. Pastries from Cake & Bacon are available during breakfast, and the taproom serves pizza for lunch and dinner. The list of on-tap beers rotates, but IPAs are a focus here, with a variety of options including the popular Fruity Pellets. German-style beers like Great Heights Hefeweizen and Lager-ish are available, as well as pilsners, sours, and an English stout. Take to the pet-friendly patio or stick to the hopping indoor taproom with friendly bartenders. 938 Wakefield Dr., Houston, ghbrewing.com
Talyard Brewing Company
This massive complex in Sugar Land is more than just a brewing company. The Beer Library lists dozens of beers, some of them seasonal. From Strawberry Fields American lager to Shoot Your Rye Out rye beer, there’s plenty of hoppy quaffs for every palate. A playground for children, as well as pickleball and cornhole for adults, gives everyone a chance to play. The two-story taproom offers excellent views over the three and a half acres where the whole family, including furry pups, can play outside. The food menu is just as extensive, featuring burgers, brick oven pizzas, and shareable bites, plus a kids menu for children under 12.1033 Imperial Blvd., Sugar Land, talyardbrewing.com
Bad Astronaut
This huge warehouse brewery is filled with free games like air hockey and foosball, plus there’s an entertainment venue that hosts concerts and comedy shows. The vibe is young and the concrete industrial space harkens back to a time when microbreweries weren’t as fancy as they are today. Beers include Fake Landing, a hazy IPA, and Swerve the Penguin, an American stout. Kids are welcome until 9 p.m. 1519 Fulton St., Houston, badastronautbeer.com
Back Pew Brewing
Though this brewery is out in Porter, it’s worth the drive north to enjoy the huge outdoor space and the quirky taproom located in an old church. Even the beers are taken to church, divided into two ABV categories: saints and sinners. Saint beers have a lower alcohol content with brews such as Hazy Pale Ale and Muddy Thames. On the sinners side, with ABV 7% and over, are pours like PA Nitro Stout and Hopzuna IPA. Dogs on leashes are allowed, and there’s a playground for kids. The weekends are bustling, with food trucks on site and occasional live music. 26452 Sorters McClellan Rd., Porter, backpewbrewing.com
Tejas Brewery
This three-story brewery and restaurant overlooking Sawyer Yards offers a spectacular view of Houston’s skyline in the distance. Its beer menu is not extensive, but it does offer two standard brews, Clara and Negra, plus several seasonal offerings, including an IPA and a coffee porter. The brewery is on the first floor, with a dog-friendly outdoor space, while a restaurant occupies the second floor, serving pizzas, burgers, and appetizers. Head to the third floor for the great views, with cold beers on tap and craft cocktails, many of them made with local spirits. 2101 Summer St., Houston, tejasbeer.com
H-Town Brewing Co.
Located in a serene, tree-filled spot in the White Oak area, this brewery is part taproom, part craft cocktail lounge. The indoor seating is sleek, while the covered outdoor patio is perfect for enjoying a cold Helles Angel or Rocketman IPA. A food truck serves tacos, flautas, and hot dogs out in the parking lot, where there is plenty of parking. 210 Glen Park St., Houston, htownbrewing.com
Holler Brewing
Popular among biking and running clubs, this laid-back taproom at Sawyer Yards is also known for hosting cornhole tournaments and bingo nights. Most of the seating is outside, and it’s not only dog-friendly, it’s dog-encouraging. The lineup of beers includes Czech My Phone, a pilsner, and Dublin Down, an Irish red ale. There’s usually a pop-up chef on site, and on the second Saturday of the month, there’s live music. Brewery tours are available by request. 2206 Edwards St., Houston, hollerbeer.com
Platypus Brewing
Co-owner Sean Hanrahan is a native Australian, and his Aussie influence shows in the brews and bites at this attractive taproom on the Washington strip. The beers are a little cheeky with names like Kiss my Piney, a West Coast IPA, and Mother Pucker, a tangerine sour. The food menu teems with Aussie flavors including meat pies, sausage rolls, and fish and chips. There’s a full bar, dog-friendly outdoor space, and daily food and drink specials. What more could one need? 1902 Washington Ave., Houston, platypusbrewing.com
No Label Brewing
In the shadow of the old silos, this Katy brewery has been around since 2010. It has won numerous awards for its craft beers, including several gold medals for its Perpetual Peace, a bourbon barrel-aged Scotch Ale. Other winning brews include El Hefe Hefeweizen and the seasonal Don Jalapeno, which uses smoked peppers from local favorite, Blood Bros. BBQ. The venue is fun for the whole family, including kids and leashed dogs, with a playground and plenty of outdoor picnic tables. It’s a true community meeting place, with food trucks, local vendors, and lots of planned events.5351 1st St., Katy, nolabelbrew.com
