During these brewery-saturated times, finding great craft beers is a breeze. Finding a memorable place to drink ’em is a different story. Many craft breweries are based in industrial locations that offer not-so-stunning views of former factories, concrete, parked cars, and rusted steel as far as the eyes don’t want to see.
While beer is easy on the eyes, the aesthetic of it poured in a glass—its color, foam, and carbonation—is only half of what makes drinking at a brewery a memorable experience. “The other important part is the environment you and that beer are in,” says Garth E. Beyer, certified cicerone and owner/ founder of Garth’s Brew Bar in Madison, WI. The right setting can elevate imbibing into a memorable experience that lingers long after the last taste of that hazy IPA.
Some could argue it makes the beer taste better. Think about it like this: Would you rather sit in a cramped, dark taproom or on a bright, outdoor balcony overlooking an epic mountain range, a sprawling valley, or a beautiful body of water?
“If the name of the beer game is to be remarkable—as in, being unique enough that someone remarks about you—then having a great view is a must-have after making great beer,” Beyer adds.
There’s more to marvel at than stainless steel vats at these scenic craft breweries, which offer big flavors and bold settings. Rather than giant factories, stellar brews are being crafted in places you wished you lived.
From mile-high mountain views to sights of swells and world-class windsurfers, here are the most scenic craft breweries in America.
Most Scenic Craft Breweries in America
1. Howe Sound Inn & Brewing
Location: Squamish, British Columbia
The view: Stawamus Chief Mountain
The beer: Viking Funeral Kveik IPA—now that’s how you name a beer!
A microbrewery that’s also an inn, this retreat sits beneath “The Chief”—one of the world’s largest granite monoliths and namesake of a stunning provincial park overlooking Howe Sound.
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2. Full Sail Brewing Co.
Location: Hood River, Oregon
The view: Columbia River Gorge
The beer: Session Premium Lager—winner of 28 gold medals
Full Sail was declared Oregon’s Brewery of the Year at 2020’s New York International Beer Competition. As impressive is the microbrewery’s outdoor deck, which has sweeping views across the Columbia River Gorge into Washington state, complete with Columbia River wind- and kite-surfing entertainment.
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3. Dirt Farm Brewing
Location: Bluemont, Virginia
The view: Blue Ridge Mountains
The beer: Tart 31 Cherry Ale—with farm-picked Montmorency cherriesIn prime
Blue Ridge country, the lofty patio of this brewhouse and family farm known for its fresh “plow to pint” seasonals hovers 1,000 feet above the bucolic Loudoun Valley. Arrive early for an outdoor seat on summer weekends.
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4. Oasis Texas Brewing Company
Location: Austin, Texas
The view: Lake Travis
The beer: El Grito Göse Lager—brewed with fresh lime juice
With Texas Hill Country rolling in the distance, the views at this favorite Austinite haunt are even bigger than the legend of its jaw-straining cheeseburgers. Most microbreweries pale in comparison to Oasis.
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5. Two Goats Brewing
Location: Hector, New York
The view: Seneca Lake
The beer: Golden Crush NEPA—lactose-free pale ale with citrus notes
The Finger Lake patio views alone make this 70 percent solar-powered craft-beer barn, housed in a converted 19th-century farm building, a favorite stop in Upstate New York’s wine, cider, and microbrew country. So does Two Goats’ single menu item—a magnificent sandwich with homemade bread called Beef on Weck.
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6. Ferment Brewing
Location: Hood River, OR
The View: Columbia River Gorge
The Beer: Hana Pils, a Japanese-style lager with a hint of fruit and melon
Watch top-flight windsurfers whoosh across the blustery Columbia River Gorge from the patio at Ferment Brewing. It leans heavy into beers fermented with native yeast and flavored with local fruit and foraged ingredients, including tips from Douglas fir trees.
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7. Steuben Brewing Company
Location: Hammondsport, NY
The View: Keuka Lake
The Beer: The NY Pils, made with citrusy Cascade hops
Chad Zimar turned his family’s former vineyard into one of the Finger Lakes region’s top craft breweries for lagers, brown ales, and IPAs made with native hops and grains. Grab a pint, sit outside, and soak up picturesque views of Keuka Lake.
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8. Ouray Brewery & Restaurant
Location: Ouray, CO
The View: San Juan Mountains
The Beer: Box Canyon Brown Ale
To take in the craggy splendor of Colorado’s San Juan Mountains, head to the high-alpine town of Ouray, perched at 7,800 feet elevation. Gain a few extra feet by heading to the roof deck of Ouray Brewing, where panoramic views are partnered with pinpoint takes on classic styles such as porters and Scottish ales.
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9. Old Stove Brewing
Location: Seattle, WA
The View: Elliot Bay and the Olympic Mountains
The Beer: Piston Hondo double IPA
After wandering through the historic Pike Place Market, head upstairs to Old Stove for IPAs packed with Pacific Northwest hops and well-seasoned barrel-aged stouts. The windows provide postcard views, but better still is sitting al fresco when the sun shines on Seattle. It goes without saying: Sunsets are insane here.
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10. von Trapp Brewing
Location: Stowe, VT
The View: Green Mountains
The Beer: Dunkel lager, a toffee-scented treat
In 1950, Austria’s melodic von Trapp family of The Sound of Music fame opened a lodge that evolved into a 2,500-acre ski resort, now featuring Stowe’s largest cross-country trail system. Unclick your boots and après-ski with the resort’s lovely range of European-inspired lagers.
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11. Schilling Beer
Location: Littleton, NH
The View: Ammonoosuc River
The Beer: Alexandr, just about the best Czech-style pilsner this side of the Atlantic
Amid New Hampshire’s majestic White Mountains, Schilling Beer rebooted an 18th-century gristmill overlooking the churning Ammonoosuc River into one of New England’s premier producers of lager.
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12. West Kill Brewing
Location: West Kill, NY
The View: Fall foliage in the Catskill Mountains
The Beer: Kaaterskill IPA, named after the picturesque falls
Drive about five miles down a dead-end road in New York’s rugged Catskills region and you’ll find a former dairy farm turned destination brewery featuring beers like Brookie, a corn lager, and Saphouse, a brown ale flavored with maple syrup and maple bark.
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13. Woods Beer & Wine Co.
Location: San Francisco, CA
The View: San Francisco Bay
The Beer: The Czech-style Retro Pilsner
The team behind Woods turned an old airplane hangar on Treasure Island, floating between San Francisco and the East Bay, into the seasonal Woods Island Club. Expect sand, palm trees, and striking views of the Golden Gate Bridge.
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14. TopWire Hop Project
Location: Woodburn, OR
The View: Towering rows of hops and Mt. Hood
The Beer: Whatever’s freshest. The taps regularly rotate.
Crosby Hop Farm turned part of its estate into a beer garden called TopWire Hop Project, a liquid showcase for its homegrown hops. TopWire serves beers created by the country’s best breweries, with distinct hop varieties highlighted on the menu. There’s no closer connection between agriculture and imbibing.
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15. Jester King Brewery
Location: Austin, TX
The View: Bucolic farmland
The Beer: Le Petit Prince, a low-alcohol farmhouse ale
During the pandemic, the Hill Country brewery turned its 165-acre spread into a nature preserve filled with winding trails, dwarf goats, fruit trees, and even hemp. Grab a pizza and spend a day lazily sampling Jester King’s homemade wine, cider, and complex farmhouse ales.
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16. Waterfront Brewery
Location: Key West, FL
The View: Gulf of Mexico
The Beer: Island Life Lager
Steer toward the southern tip of the Florida Keys, seek out the city’s historic seaport, and you’ll find the aptly named Waterfront Brewery. The marina location offers easygoing fruited sours and blonde ales to accompany sterling views of technicolor sunsets. Pro tip: Request a seat on the roof deck.
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17. Solera Brewery
Location: Parkdale, Oregon
The View: Mt. Hood
The Beer: Hedonist IPA is the brewery’s highly rated 7% flagship West Coast IPA
Opened in 2012, Solera is well-known for its ever-changing, innovative tap list as well as its truly majestic views of Mt. Hood. You’d have a tough time finding a better view in the Pacific Northwest unless you prefer ocean views.
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18. Hill Farmstead Brewery
Location: Greensboro Bend, Vermont
The View: Quaint Vermont foliage
The Beer: Hill Farmstead Edward is its highly regarded American pale ale brewed with Chinook, Centennial, Simcoe, and Columbus hops
Vermont is well-known for leaf peeping and there are few places better than Hill Farmstead’s outdoor beer garden. Enjoy delicious, award-winning beer at arguably the best brewery in America while you take in all the colors of fall.
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19. Pelican Brewing
Location: Pacific City, Oregon
The View: The Pacific Ocean
The Beer: Head Out, Pelican’s American-style hefeweizen is brimming with flavors of citrus, melon, and florals. It’s the perfect complement to its beach setting
If you’re a fan of the ocean, can you think of a better place to drink a beer than on the beach itself? At Pelican Brewing’s Pacific City location, you can sit beachside without getting any sand in your swim trunks.
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20. Elevation Beer Co.
Location: Poncha Springs, Colorado
The View: Colorado Mountains
The Beer: Try Elevation’s 8 Second Kolsch-style beer. It’s brewed with Tettnanger and Magnum hops and is known for its crisp, fruity, easy-drinking flavor profile
Elevation Beer Co. is all about diversity: light, crisp beers; bold, hoppy ones; dark, malty, barrel-aged brews; and more. It’s also got an awe-inspiring vista of the white-capped Rocky Mountains.
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21. The Alchemist Brewery
Location: Stowe, Vermont
The View: Epic foliage
The Beer: Heady Topper is the juicy, hazy New England-style IPA that arguably started the now-rabid hazy IPA craze
Stowe, Vermont is not only the home of The Alchemist, one of the most respected breweries in America, it’s also the city that constantly gets ranked as the best place to see fall foliage in the entire country. That’s reason enough to visit.
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22. Ten Sleep Brewing
Location: Ten Sleep. Wyoming
The View: Big Horn Mountains
The Beer: Wyoming seems like a land of outlaws so it only makes sense this brewery would have a malty, lightly hopped beer called Outlaw Amber
If you’re searching for old-west vibes, Ten Sleep is the place for you. Overlooking the Big Horn Mountains, this unique brewery looks more like an old mining camp than a brewery—in the best way possible.
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23. Rhinegeist Brewery
Location: Cincinnati, Ohio
The View: Cincinnati skyline
The Beer: We love a good lager and Rhinegeist Cheetah, with its crisp, refreshing, slightly sweet taste is exactly what we crave
You might not immediately think of Cincinnati as picturesque, but if you visit Rhinegeist you’ll not only be treated to great beers, but great views of the Cincinnati skyline. Come for the beers and stay to watch a Bengals game.
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24. Pryes Brewing Company
Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota
The View: The Mississippi River
The Beer: Miraculum is a 6.4% ABV “Midwest IPA” known for its fruity, citrus flavor and mix of West Coast hops and East Coast malts
If you’ve never been to Minneapolis, you might not realize the Midwest city is located along the Mississippi River. Pryes Brewing, with its long list of award-winning beers, and great food offers views of the river in the North Loop area.
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