Do the “Brew”!
We all know about the huge beer breweries that have existed for over a century, like Anheuser-Busch & D.G. Yuengling, but micro-breweries are starting to pop up all over the country. One of the great things about living in Birmingham is that we have a bunch of breweries with great craft beers. I’m a self-proclaimed Bar Snob, but as a native country girl, I do love a good beer. Check out this list and add them to your route if you’re looking to get into craft beer!
Good People Brewing Company
Good People Brewing Co. is the oldest and largest brewery in the state of Alabama. My first encounter with the company was about 8 years ago. At that time, their IPA, Pale Ale and Brown Ale were the most popular and they still are pretty popular. Since then, they’ve put out many others. Most notably, my favorite from this company is their Mexican-style lager, Muchacho. It’s light, crisp, refreshing and has an 4.8% ABV. It pairs well with several different dishes as well! If you can’t get over to the brewery, no worries! You can find several of their beers in your local grocery store and select bars.
Website: https://www.goodpeoplebrewing.com/
Ghost Train Brewing Company
Ghost Train Brewing Co is a cool little micro-brewery on 3rd Ave S! If you’re not careful, you could easily pass right by it without noticing. Not only do they have a nice selection of craft beers, but they offer liquor options and food as well. (Major shoutout to OffBeat Catering, owned by Krista Stewart, who set up pop-up kitchens there weekly!) My favorite Ghost Train brew is the Kaleidoscope Kettle Sour. If you’re into sour brews, this is one is really good. It’s sour wild berry flavored and it has a 4.9% ABV. You can also find some of their brews in your local grocery store and select bars.
Website: http://www.ghosttrainbrewing.com/
Cahaba Brewing Company
Started in 2011 by a group for beer loving friends, Cahaba Brewing Co. has quickly grown into a BHAM Beer fav! Named after the Cahaba River, this brewery not only has a great beer and spirit selection, but they are diverse and support all types of business around the city. Our friends over at Simone’s Kitchen ATL have hosted a number of brunches, food truck festivals and events at this brewery. My favorite craft beer from Cahaba is their Blonde Ale. It has 5.2% ABV and IBU of 23. It’s light bodied and perfect for the hot, summer days ahead! You can also find select Cahaba products at your local grocery store and select bars.
Website: https://cahababrewing.com/
Back Forty Beer Company
Located directly across from the Historic Sloss Furnaces, Back Forty Beer Company is the perfect place to kick back for some good food and beer. Bring the kids, the dog and your friends and dive into the wide selection of hops they have to offer. Home of the Naked Pig Pale Ale & Truck Stop Honey, there’s plenty try. My favorite choice at Back Forty is the BamaMosa. It’s a handmade brut ale made with orange juice. It’s citrusy, crisp and refreshing! It’s what you’d get if a mimosa and a beer had a baby. Yum! Their food is also top tier. If you’re ever there and looking for a bite to eat, try their burger! You can find a good number of their beers in your local grocery store and select bars.
TrimTab Brewing
Located in the heart of Lakeview Downtown, TrimTab was founded in 2013. They offer IPAs, stouts and fruited sours. I’ve spent many afterwork happy hours with coworkers at TrimTab and it’s always a good time. Most notable of their beer offerings is the Paradise Now brew! This raspberry Berliner Weisse is delicious, sour and satisfying. It has a 5.2% ABV and a 7 IBU, so it’s not too hard to take down. The other great thing about TrimTab is that they experiment with brews. A LOT! There’s always something new to try and you never know which one you’ll fall in love with. You can find some of their brews in your local grocery store or select bars, as well.
Website: https://www.trimtabbrewing.com/
Okay, so what are you waiting for? This list should get you started and give you a nice push into the rabbit-hole that is locally-made craft beer! Order a flight and give yourself some fun options to get acclimated with different flavors, hops and strengths. While this isn’t a complete list of BHAM breweries, there are plenty others to try that aren’t listed and more popping up throughout the south, so stay thirsty my friends!