Best Breweries in Birmingham (2026)

This is where Alabama craft beer grew up. Good People has been at it since 2008, and its IPA is still the one you'll find in every cooler in the state. The taproom sits right across from Regions Field, so it's packed on Barons nights and during big watch parties, and your dog is welcome inside.

Known for: Good People IPA (billed as Alabama's No. 1 selling IPA for the last 10 years) and Snake Handler double IPA

Avondale is part brewery, part concert venue, and it pulls off both. The backyard stage books real touring acts, the Sour Room handles barrel-aged pours and cocktails, and Sour Pash is the easy-drinking sour that made a lot of people sour fans. On a show night, get there early, because parking on 41st Street goes fast.

Known for: Sour Pash and A-OK IPA, plus the backyard concert stage and the Sour Room

Cahaba's taproom fills a building in the old Continental Gin complex, with long communal tables and garage doors that roll open to the patio. It's one of the easiest family picks in town: kids and leashed dogs are welcome, and The Current serves food most days. Start with the Blonde if you want something easy, or go for the Oka Uba if you want hops.

Known for: Cahaba Blonde and Oka Uba IPA

If you care about what's actually in the glass, start here. Beer bar pros told VinePair it's one of the 30 best breweries in the country, and the range runs from a clean Birmingham Pilsner to fruited sours and cold IPAs. The mining-themed names nod to the city's history, and Lose Your Way is the hazy that converts people who swear they don't like IPAs.

Known for: Lose Your Way hazy IPA and Birmingham Pilsner

Back Forty is the brewery to pick when the group wants a real meal and not just a food truck. The Gadsden-born brewer runs up to 25 taps by Sloss Docks, rolls out dozens of new beers a year, and backs it up with burgers and Neapolitan-style pizzas. Naked Pig Pale Ale is the classic order.

Known for: Naked Pig Pale Ale and a full kitchen with Neapolitan-style pizza and the Back 40 Cheeseburger

The Atlanta brewery's Birmingham outpost works as a full restaurant and bar, not just a taproom. You get 25-plus taps, from house favorites to rare barrel-aged stuff, along with tacos, cocktails and a patio where dogs can hang out. It's a good choice when part of the crew doesn't drink beer.

Known for: 25+ taps including small-batch Hop Hut IPAs and barrel-aged and sour beers from Monday Night Garage, plus Tex-Mex tacos

Ferus is Latin for feral, a nod to the wild yeast behind its sours, and that funky side is still the reason to make the drive to Trussville. The Daily Meal once picked it as Alabama's best beer based on Untappd ratings. Today the big converted warehouse has a taproom, a chef-driven kitchen, a patio and concerts in the Entertainment District.

Known for: Sours like the Fallen fruited gose and the Ursa Imperial Milk Stout

Hoover's hometown brewery sits right next to the Hoover Met complex, so it's the natural stop before or after a game. The tap list is huge for a neighborhood spot, with hazies and cold IPAs alongside stouts, sours and a festbier in season. It's proof you don't have to drive downtown for a good pint.

Known for: A deep rotating tap list including Derailed IPA, Freeze Warning cold IPA and Elvira Vanilla Milk Stout