Quick answer
Austin's craft beer scene is as bold, creative, and laid-back as the city itself. With over 70 breweries in the metro area, the capital of Texas has become one of the most exciting beer destinations in the American South — punching well above its weight with farmhouse ales that rival Belgium, German-style lagers that'd make Munich jealous, and hazy IPAs that compete with anything on the East Coast.
- Best overall
- Jester King Brewery
- Top pick
- Jester King Brewery
Top verdicts
- Jester King Brewery: It's a 30+ minute drive from central Austin and gets packed Saturdays — go on a Sunday afternoon.
- Lazarus Brewing Co.: Walking distance to East 6th's bar circuit; a good first stop on a brewery crawl.
- Austin Beerworks: Easy, no-pretense taproom — useful as an early-evening stop before dinner.
Area map
All 12 spots at a glance
| # | Name | Style | Price | Area |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jester King Brewery | farmhouse-&-wild-ales | mid | Austin |
| 2 | Lazarus Brewing Co. | craft-beer-&-tacos | mid | Austin |
| 3 | Austin Beerworks | iconic-cans-&-ipas | mid | Austin |
| 4 | St. Elmo Brewing Company | neighborhood-gem | mid | Austin |
| 5 | Pinthouse Brewing | hazy-ipa-kings | mid | Austin |
| 6 | Live Oak Brewing Company | german-style-lagers | mid | Del Valle |
| 7 | Meanwhile Brewing Co. | beer-park-&-community | mid | Austin |
| 8 | Hold Out Brewing | west-side-cool | mid | Austin |
| 9 | Zilker Brewing Company | east-6th-energy | mid | Austin |
| 10 | Oddwood Brewing | mixed-fermentation | mid | Austin |
| 11 | Central Machine Works | industrial-event-space | mid | Austin |
| 12 | Southern Heights Brewing Company | hidden-gem | mid | Austin |
1Jester King Brewery
Farmhouse & Wild AlesQuick comparison
- Best for
- Wild-ale destination drinking in Hill Country
- Strengths
- Known for Farmhouse & Wild Ales · Austin
- Price / value
- $$
- Why it made the list
- Austin's farmhouse and wild ale headquarters, on a working ranch in Hill Country southwest of the city. The brewery the rest of Austin's craft scene measures wild fermentation against.
- What to order
- Order one of the spontaneous-fermentation or barrel-aged saisons — the styles Jester King built its reputation on.
🕐 Opening hours
2Lazarus Brewing Co.
Craft Beer & TacosQuick comparison
- Best for
- Beer-and-tacos under one roof
- Strengths
- Known for Craft Beer & Tacos · Austin
- Price / value
- $$
- Why it made the list
- An East 6th brewery with a tap room, taco kitchen, and patio rolled into one — Austin's beer-and-tacos pairing taken seriously. Reliable mid-range craft beer with a strong food program.
- What to order
- Pair a hazy IPA with the brisket tacos — the house combination.
🕐 Opening hours
3Austin Beerworks
Iconic Cans & IPAsQuick comparison
- Best for
- Iconic Austin cans straight from the source
- Strengths
- Known for Iconic Cans & IPAs · Austin
- Price / value
- $$
- Why it made the list
- Austin's most-recognizable can — Austin Beerworks' Pearl-Snap Pilsner is the unofficial city beer. The original Austin craft brewery many residents have a sentimental loyalty to.
- What to order
- Order a Pearl-Snap or whichever flagship IPA is on tap — that's the Beerworks identity.
🕐 Opening hours
4St. Elmo Brewing Company
Neighborhood GemQuick comparison
- Best for
- Lagers and food trucks in the St. Elmo industrial corridor
- Strengths
- Known for Neighborhood Gem · Austin
- Price / value
- $
- Why it made the list
- A St. Elmo industrial-park brewery that's grown into a full neighborhood gem. Tight, well-edited beer list — fewer SKUs, all of them solid.
- What to order
- Order whichever German-style lager is on draft — St. Elmo's strongest category.
🕐 Opening hours
5Pinthouse Brewing
Hazy IPA KingsQuick comparison
- Best for
- Hazy IPA hunting in Austin
- Strengths
- Known for Hazy IPA Kings · Austin
- Price / value
- $$
- Why it made the list
- Austin's most-decorated hazy IPA brewery — Pinthouse's Electric Jellyfish has shown up on national best-of lists for years. Multiple locations across the city.
- What to order
- Order Electric Jellyfish DIPA — the beer that put Pinthouse on the national radar.
🕐 Opening hours
6Live Oak Brewing Company
German-Style LagersQuick comparison
- Best for
- German lagers without crossing the Atlantic
- Strengths
- Known for German-Style Lagers · Del Valle
- Price / value
- $$
- Why it made the list
- Austin's German-and-Czech-lager specialist, in Del Valle near the airport. Live Oak's Pilz pilsner is the lager Austin lager-drinkers default to.
- What to order
- Order Pilz or Hefeweizen — Live Oak's flagship German-style lagers and weizens.
🕐 Opening hours
7Meanwhile Brewing Co.
Beer Park & CommunityQuick comparison
- Best for
- Family afternoons with food trucks and lawn space
- Strengths
- Known for Beer Park & Community · Austin
- Price / value
- $$
- Why it made the list
- A massive South Austin beer park — multiple food trucks, expansive lawn, kid- and dog-friendly. Less about chasing rare drops, more about hosting an entire afternoon.
- What to order
- Order whichever IPA is the tap-list flagship and grab food from one of the on-site trucks.
🕐 Opening hours
8Hold Out Brewing
West Side CoolQuick comparison
- Best for
- West 6th craft beer with a real kitchen
- Strengths
- Known for West Side Cool · Austin
- Price / value
- $$
- Why it made the list
- A West 6th Street brewery — Austin's cooler-side-of-downtown craft option. Strong tap list and a kitchen that doesn't feel like a brewery afterthought.
- What to order
- Order a hop-forward IPA and one of the kitchen's burgers.
🕐 Opening hours
9Zilker Brewing Company
East 6th EnergyQuick comparison
- Best for
- East 6th brewery hopping
- Strengths
- Known for East 6th Energy · Austin
- Price / value
- $$
- Why it made the list
- An East 6th Street brewery in the heart of the East Side bar district. Smaller production scale, energetic taproom.
- What to order
- Order Marco IPA — Zilker's most-poured beer.
🕐 Opening hours
10Oddwood Brewing
Mixed FermentationQuick comparison
- Best for
- Mixed-fermentation for Jester King fans
- Strengths
- Known for Mixed Fermentation · Austin
- Price / value
- $$
- Why it made the list
- Austin's mixed-fermentation specialist — the brewery to visit if you came up via Jester King and want something else in that lane. Smaller, focused operation.
- What to order
- Order whichever wild ale or saison is currently in rotation; the program rotates often.
🕐 Opening hours
11Central Machine Works
Industrial Event SpaceQuick comparison
- Best for
- Brewery-as-event-space hangouts
- Strengths
- Known for Industrial Event Space · Austin
- Price / value
- $$
- Why it made the list
- An East Austin brewery and event space in a converted industrial building — bigger footprint than most, regularly hosts live music, weddings, and pop-ups.
- What to order
- Order a flagship IPA or lager; CMW's strength is broad approachability rather than rare styles.
🕐 Opening hours
12Southern Heights Brewing Company
Hidden GemQuick comparison
- Best for
- Quiet North Austin pints away from East 6th
- Strengths
- Known for Hidden Gem · Austin
- Price / value
- $
- Why it made the list
- A North Austin neighborhood brewery that hasn't yet broken through to tourist-circuit status. Smaller, locals-mostly crowd.
- What to order
- Order whatever flagship the bartender steers you to; the menu is small enough that everything's been refined.
🕐 Opening hours
Frequently asked questions
What is the best brewery in Austin?
Jester King Brewery is widely considered the best brewery in Austin and one of the finest wild ale producers in the world. Located on a 165-acre ranch in the Texas Hill Country, Jester King specializes in farmhouse ales and spontaneous fermentation — their SPON series has been compared to authentic Belgian lambics. For IPAs, Pinthouse Brewing (Electric Jellyfish) is the consensus pick. For German-style lagers, Live Oak Brewing is unmatched. St. Elmo Brewing has the highest Google rating (4.8★) for a neighborhood brewery experience.
How much does craft beer cost in Austin?
Craft beer in Austin typically costs $5–$12 per pint depending on the brewery and beer style. Standard pints of flagship beers run $6–$8. Specialty releases, barrel-aged beers, and wild ales at places like Jester King can run $8–$15+ for smaller pours. Flights are usually $10–$16. Compared to other major craft beer cities, Austin is very affordable.
What is Austin's craft beer scene known for?
Austin's craft beer scene is known for three things: world-class farmhouse and wild ales (Jester King), excellent hazy IPAs (Pinthouse, Zilker), and surprisingly good German-style lagers (Live Oak). The city has over 70 breweries in the metro area and benefits from a culture that values outdoor drinking.
What are the best brewery neighborhoods in Austin?
East Austin (especially East 6th Street) has the highest concentration of breweries — Lazarus, Zilker, and Central Machine Works are all walkable. South Austin around St. Elmo Road and Ben White Boulevard has St. Elmo Brewing and Pinthouse. The Hill Country west of Austin is home to Jester King.
Are Austin breweries family-friendly?
Most Austin breweries are very family-friendly, especially during daytime hours. Jester King has a sprawling ranch with space for kids to run, Meanwhile Brewing has a massive beer park with lawn games, and St. Elmo has a relaxed neighborhood vibe. Many breweries are also dog-friendly on their patios.
When is the best time to visit Austin breweries?
Spring (March–May) and fall (September–November) are the best times to visit Austin breweries. Summer temperatures regularly exceed 100°F, which makes outdoor brewery patios uncomfortable during peak afternoon hours. Winter is mild and perfectly pleasant. SXSW (March) brings special brewery events but also massive crowds.