Cheers to Local Brews: Ranking the Best Small Breweries by State

Craft beer is one of the most creative corners of American food and drink culture, with new craft breweries quickly becoming rising stars. One of the main reasons for this is that smaller taprooms continue to experiment, nurture their local communities, and keep beer personal. If you're looking for a smaller craft brewery to try in your state, where should you start? 247 Tempo has you covered here and now.

In this ranking, we'll give you the best small, lesser-known breweries in every state. We even include a quick breakdown of where the brewery is located, which beers tend to define them, and what guests love about the experience. This list celebrates craft beer at its best: made by people who care, for beer lovers from coast to coast and everywhere in between.

Sources used include the Brewers Association’s brewery statistics, Untappd ratings, BeerAdvocate reviews, official brewery websites, and regional news coverage of local beer scenes. Cheers to these small craft breweries, bringing the best brews to your glass!

50. Mississippi: Chandeleur Island Brewing Company

Where: Gulfport, near the harbor
Top beers: golden ale, session ipa, pineapple wheat
Guests like: beach-town vibe, approachable taps, friendly staff

49. Alabama: Druid City Brewing Company

Where: Tuscaloosa, near downtown
Top beers: lamplighter ipa, porter, wheat ale
Guests like: laid-back taproom, game-day energy, classic styles done clean

48. Arkansas: Fossil Cove Brewing Co.

Where: Fayetteville, North Street corridor
Top beers: brown ale, tripel, pale ale
Guests like: community events, patio hangs, reliable flagships with local flair

47. Kansas: Defiance Brewing Co.

Where: Hays, downtown brewery
Top beers: west coast ipa, kölsch, stout series
Guests like: road-trip stop vibes, friendly bartenders, solid classics

46. Kentucky: Dreaming Creek Brewery

Where: Richmond, historic depot district
Top beers: kentucky kölsch, hazy ipa, brown ale
Guests like: small-town charm, live music nights, welcoming service

45. West Virginia: Weathered Ground Brewery

Where: Cool Ridge, Flat Top exit
Top beers: farmhouse ales, hoppy pale, porter
Guests like: country-setting patio, pizza pairings, laid-back staff

44. Louisiana: Parleaux Beer Lab

Where: New Orleans, Bywater
Top beers: pilsner, mixed-ferm saison, rotating ipa
Guests like: lush garden, neighborhood feel, inventive small batches

43. Nebraska: Boiler Brewing Company

Where: Lincoln
Top beers: pastry stouts, fruited sours, small-batch lagers
Guests like: intimate pours, adventurous specials, downtown location

42. South Dakota: Lost Cabin Beer Co.

Where: Rapid City
Top beers: amber ale, hazy ipa, seasonal stout
Guests like: outdoorsy vibe, merch and events, balanced lineup

41. Nevada: Imbib Custom Brews

Where: Reno, Midtown
Top beers: barrel-aged sours, pils, ipa series
Guests like: geeky beer program, relaxed tasting room, knowledgeable staff

40. Delaware: Revelation Craft Brewing Company

Where: Rehoboth Beach, Coastal Hwy
Top beers: ipa, blonde ale, fruited wheat
Guests like: beach-casual patio, rotating food trucks, easy drinkers

39. New Jersey: The Seed: A Living Beer Project

Where: Atlantic City, off boardwalk
Top beers: mixed-culture saisons, pale lager, delicate farmhouse ales
Guests like: airy minimalist space, ingredient focus, low-abv nuance

38. Missouri: Main & Mill Brewing Company

Where: Festus
Top beers: pastry stout series, pale ale, pils
Guests like: friendly staff, family vibe, creative limited releases

37. Oklahoma: Heirloom Rustic Ales

Where: Tulsa, Kendall-Whittier
Top beers: lagers, saisons, soft ipa
Guests like: plant-filled taproom, thoughtful glassware, subtle balanced profiles

36. Texas: Celestial Beerworks

Where: Dallas, Medical District
Top beers: hazy dipa series, pale ales, pastry stout drops
Guests like: cosmic theme, fresh can releases, taproom energy

35. Florida: Sideward Brewing Co.

Where: Orlando, Milk District
Top beers: west coast ipa, porter, crisp lager
Guests like: scratch kitchen, neighborhood crowd, honest balanced beers

34. Georgia: Good Word Brewing & Public House

Where: Duluth, Town Green
Top beers: cask bitters, continental lagers, saisons
Guests like: gastropub menu, European lean, attentive service

33. South Carolina: Charles Towne Fermentory

Where: Charleston, Avondale
Top beers: ipa, foeder-lager, kettle sour
Guests like: small-batch creativity, walkable location, casual patio

32. North Dakota: Atypical Brewery & Barrelworks

Where: Minot, south side
Top beers: mixed-culture saisons, barrel-aged sours, pils
Guests like: tiny blendery vibes, rotating bottles, staff passion

31. Idaho: Barbarian Brewing

Where: Boise & Eagle taprooms
Top beers: barrel-aged sours, imperial stouts, ipa
Guests like: adventurous flights, cozy spaces, beer-nerd friendly

30. Indiana: Bare Hands Brewery

Where: Granger, neighborhood strip
Top beers: thai ipa, cream ale, stout
Guests like: hidden-gem feel, pizza next door, friendly regulars

29. Iowa: Lua Brewing

Where: Des Moines, Sherman Hill edge
Top beers: pastry stout, ipa, saison
Guests like: chef-driven bites, sharp design, inventive collabs

28. Alaska: Girdwood Brewing Company

Where: Girdwood, ski-town center
Top beers: kölsch, ipa, coffee stout
Guests like: mountain views, outdoor fire pits, après-ski atmosphere

27. Montana: Philipsburg Brewing Company

Where: Philipsburg, historic block
Top beers: hefeweizen, rye pale, session pale
Guests like: old-west charm, friendly bartenders, small-town warmth

26. New Mexico: Bow & Arrow Brewing Co.

Where: Albuquerque, La Mesa area
Top beers: desert-inspired sours, hazy ipa, lagers
Guests like: Indigenous-owned story, bold branding, lively taproom

25. Arizona: Dark Sky Brewing Co.

Where: Flagstaff, downtown
Top beers: rotating ipa collabs, barrel projects, dark ales
Guests like: mountain-town energy, creative one-offs, great pizza partner

24. Utah: Templin Family (TF) Brewing

Where: Salt Lake City, Granary
Top beers: helles, pils, pale ale
Guests like: immaculate lager pours, side-pour ritual, clean crisp profiles

23. Wyoming: Ten Sleep Brewing Company

Where: Ten Sleep
Top beers: pale ale, wheat, brown
Guests like: campground and stage, cowboy-casual vibe, sunset sips

22. New Hampshire: Schilling Beer Co.

Where: Littleton, on the Ammonoosuc
Top beers: czech pils, landbier, berliners
Guests like: alpine views, wood-fired pizza next door, euro lager focus

21. Connecticut: Fox Farm Brewery

Where: Salem
Top beers: pils, pale ale, farmhouse ales
Guests like: pastoral setting, calm tasting room, meticulous balance

20. Rhode Island: Tilted Barn Brewery

Where: Exeter
Top beers: double ipas, pale ales, seasonal lagers
Guests like: barnyard patio, rural views, fresh-hopped releases

19. Maryland: Sapwood Cellars Brewery

Where: Columbia
Top beers: hop-saturated ipas, mixed-ferm saisons, dessert stouts
Guests like: geeky beer notes, educational staff, tight quality control

18. Massachusetts: Remnant Brewing

Where: Somerville, Bow Market
Top beers: neipa, flowers-leaning ipa, fest lager
Guests like: indie courtyard vibe, small-batch variety, chill patio

17. Illinois: Energy City Brewing

Where: Batavia
Top beers: bistro fruited series, hazy ipas, pastry stouts
Guests like: bold flavor bombs, friendly staff, fun weekend drops

16. Minnesota: Little Thistle Brewing Co.

Where: Rochester
Top beers: scottish amber, hazy ipa, lager
Guests like: family-friendly space, approachable styles, welcoming team

15. Wisconsin: Hacienda Beer Co.

Where: Baileys Harbor & Milwaukee taproom
Top beers: west coast pils, pale ales, ipa series
Guests like: modern design, Door County getaway, creative seasonals

14. Tennessee: Barrique Brewing & Blending

Where: Nashville, Wedgewood-Houston
Top beers: oak-aged lagers, mixed-culture ales, barrel projects
Guests like: world-class wood program, elegant pours, intimate space

13. Ohio: Wooly Pig Farm Brewery

Where: Fresno
Top beers: zwickl, dunkel, helles
Guests like: countryside setting, fresh-baked pretzels, meticulous German lagers

12. Virginia: Benchtop Brewing Company

Where: Norfolk, Chelsea district
Top beers: hop-forward pales, crispy pils, mixed-ferm one-offs
Guests like: experimental edge, cozy room, fun collabs

11. North Carolina: Zillicoah Beer Company

Where: Woodfin
Top beers: open-fermented lagers, farmhouse ales, pils
Guests like: spacious river lawn, food pop-ups, lager discipline

10. Pennsylvania: Forest & Main Brewing Company

Where: Ambler
Top beers: best bitter on cask, saison, house lager
Guests like: candlelit rooms, english & belgian traditions, understated charm

9. New York: Plan Bee Farm Brewery

Where: Poughkeepsie
Top beers: barn beer, spontaneous ales, honey-driven saisons
Guests like: true farmstead ethos, rustic setting, wild-yeast character

8. Washington: Structures Brewing

Where: Bellingham
Top beers: mixed-ferm saisons, west coast ipa, pale lager
Guests like: minimalist space, focused lineup, nerdy hops and saison lovers

7. California: There Does Not Exist

where: San Luis Obispo
top beers: west coast ipa, pale, lager
guests like: surf-skate aesthetic, pristine execution, low-key hype without lines

6. Michigan: Speciation Artisan Ales

Where: Grand Rapids
Top beers: wild ales, spontaneous blends, farmhouse lagers
Guests like: terroir-driven bottles, intimate flights, meticulous blending

5. Colorado: Amalgam Brewing

Where: Denver
Top beers: barrel-aged sours, ipa collabs, saisons
Guests like: tiny releases, community bottle shares, passionate owners

4. Maine: Sacred Profane Brewing Co.

Where: Biddeford
Top beers: pale lager, dark lager, side-pour lukr service
Guests like: crispy-lager temple, foam-rich mugs, Czech-style tap ritual

3. Oregon: The Ale Apothecary

Where: Bend
Top beers: la tache, sahalien, spontaneous series
Guests like: wild barrel-fermented ales, foraged ingredients, rare bottle pours

2. Hawaii: Beer Lab HI

Where: Honolulu and satellite taprooms
Top beers: fruited sours, pastry stouts, ipas
Guests like: experimental flights, island-casual vibe, frequent small batches

1. Vermont: Red Clover Ale Company

Where: Brandon
Top beers: pils, vienna lager, rotating ipas
Guests like: tiny community-first spot, attentive service, clean balanced beers