Charleston, South Carolina is a city of taste with plenty of breweries at every turn. As a culinary hotspot with so many fantastic Charleston restaurants, it’s known for crafting some of the most delicious dishes on the East Coast. Lucky for us, their flair for all that is artisan extends to the wild world of craft beer.
The Holy City has become a haven of microbreweries that are consistently cooking up cutting-edge creations that both excite the industry and honor its traditions. Find your favorite beverage at any one of these impressive Charleston breweries and enjoy that refreshing, crisp pint with a heaping side of cool Southern charm.
Best Charleston Breweries
Revelry Brewing Co.
To start off this list of my favorite Charleston breweries, Revelry is on it! The rooftop view at Revelry is unbeatable, and you’ll be thrilled to find that they have the beer to match. A well-done brew of every variety can be found on the taps here. Ask the staff for recommendations if you are unsure—they are a bounty of information best-taken advantage of. It’s an impressive feat to name a Belgian brew God’s Favorite and have it live up to the hype!
With plenty of tasty bites inspired by Asian and Latin flavors and a lively local band providing fun performances, this space is, without fail, one of the happiest places to be in the whole city. They also have an offshoot called the Hold, which has its own identity as an intimate and eclectic tasting room. It has become a sanctuary for true brew aficionados, where the sours are the show’s star.
Palmetto Brewing Co.
Considered the godfather of beer in South Carolina, they were the first licensed brewery to open in the state since prohibition. Needless to say, heading here is one of the best things to do in Charleston. They played an essential role in the development of the thriving craft beer scene of Charleston. Palmetto was founded in the mid-1800s and fell victim to the prohibition era in the 1920s. They were reborn again in 1993 to honor and carry on the former glory and legacy.
They have since merged with Catawba Brewing, and the two have ridden off into the proverbial pale ale sunset together ever since. Here you will find a constantly rotating selection of mainstay and seasonal beers, along with experimental and small batch efforts all on tap. The personal on-site tours provided give an interesting insight into the process and the pints for any beer buff.
Holy City Brewing
What started as a seasonal home brewing operation, has since blossomed into a craft creating giant in the Charleston community. Imagine two friends making beer together in their garage, on a system made of used welded bike parts. You can still see this original contraption at the current brewery, as so many of the tasty tap offerings were born on that very machine. They now operate out of a large warehouse space that can fit over 300 heads.
Holy City Brewing has become a gathering space for locals and visitors in Charleston to share their lives over a cold, refreshing pint. They serve up all the classic bar food, along with their vast selection of beers at an elevated standard to match. The rotating taps are full of favorite American IPAs and several fun seasonals such as the Madam Basil Saison. You can tour the facilities for free here and learn about their process, ethos, and all the delicious creations.
COAST Brewing Company
COAST is the king of straightforward, enjoyable beverages. They make beer that is simple, done well, and that people like to drink, which all come across in the experience of visiting the brewery. Located in an old navy base, they are a small family-owned operation and one of the most beloved breweries in Charleston.
They use organic and local ingredients, as they believe that considering the environment in everything they do is part of their duty as a brewery. They are an integral component of the local craft beer advocacy group, and they aim to live life fully and sustainably. Go for the HopArt IPA but stay for the tour and tastings. They utilize alternative methods to brew beer using less energy with an always unique and delectable outcome. For the best organic beer around, you’ve got to go to COAST.
Commonworks Aleworks
While they are in the business of beer, they prefer to think of it as the business of people and relationships. This microbrewery was formed over friendships and a love of frothy beverages in back porch beer sessions. Viewing beer as a central component for all American communities, they aim to use the brewery as a way to create a positive and lasting impact.
Bringing people together to congregate for comradery, they hold plenty of theme nights such as BBQ and Bluegrass. The Freight Hopper is a coveted brew, an aromatic hoppy lager that delights all the senses leaving the drinker with a warm and satisfied glow. They provide a charming outdoor space to facilitate the gathering and connecting they so support.
Rusty Bull Brewing Company
Their selection is a diverse one, ranging from traditional to experimental. Rusty Bull was started by two true friends who have always had a passion for great beer. They focus on the flavors and letting them speak for themselves, creating a liberating environment for enjoyment. The names reflect this ethos, with pints such as Dance Naked, Livin Easy, and Free the Trippel.
They host plenty of live music and have ample space for festive listening and dancing. Their rotating taps have as many as 14 standard and seasonal beers. Relax on their front porch with some boiled peanuts and a satisfying beverage and take it all in. It’s a family-friendly atmosphere, and they often have local food trucks in to provide excellent snack pairings as well. Of all the breweries in Charleston, Rusty Bull is a must-visit.
Freehouse Brewery
With craft creations inspired by their idyllic scenery along the Ashley River, Freehouse serves up seasonal, drinkable, local, and organic beers for everyone. They offer artisanal brews in a natural setting. Their beers are free from GMOs, pesticides, chemical fertilizers, and artificial ingredients. They aim to protect and honor our dear mother nature.
Little Nug Hoppy Hazy Pale Ale is the beer of all our dreams – clean, crisp, and juicy all at once. Of course, with so many creative concoctions pouring, we recommend getting a flight of four to tantalize your taste buds with a vast variety of deliciousness. The beautiful views combined with the beautiful beers creates a comfortable and tranquil way to spend a day.
Munkle Brewing Company
No question about it – Munkle Brewing is one of the best breweries in Charleston. Calling all Belgian beer lovers – Munkle Brewing is bringing Belgian-style beverages to Charleston. They use old world traditional techniques to make the best that Belgian beer has to offer. The team behind Munkle discovered brewing during their time spent in a Benedictine monastery – it’s a time-honored endeavor in these spaces. They gravitated toward and focused their energies on these Belgian and German styles of beer as they are typical for monastic brewing.
With a unique perspective and a classic take on beer, Munkle truly offers its own gift to Charleston. They love making and sharing world-class beers, and we are so happy that they do with scrumptious selections such as the Gully Washer Wit and Dinner Bell Dubbel. The taproom is tucked away and has a quaint and cozy atmosphere. Their outside space offers firepits, games, rocking chairs, and food trucks, completing that warm and fuzzy feeling they cultivate.
Lo-Fi Brewing
The focus at Lo-Fi is on making a handful of beers very well, and that they do. A newcomer and frontrunner in the Charleston craft scene, Lo-Fi is lousy with individuality and quirk that helps them stand out from the crowd of breweries in Charleston. Be sure to meet the aloof brand ambassador and brewery cat, Kit Kat when you stop in.
Their standard original brew is a Mexican lager called Lo-Fi Lager. All the beers are made with whole leaf hops. The aim is a luxury beer experience, and the flavors definitely reflect this. The space is a no-frills industrial warehouse that is unassuming and easy to miss. The music is good, and the people are friendly, but it really is all about those few taps. The Lo-Fi Glitter Pony has made quite a name for itself as deceptively drinkable and a complex modern classic.
Cooper River Brewing Company
These guys are friends first and experts in their craft second, all making for some fantastic brews. Located in a renovated warehouse, they strive to provide that back porch feeling. They use all American-made equipment, and love honoring Charleston’s historical character. Each beer is special and full of flavor, giving a new feel to the traditional techniques being used here.
Cooper River is home to such events as pizza, beer, and tunes night – an evening any group of friends can get behind. Their whole atmosphere is comfortable and relaxed. We love to have a seat at the bar and watch the process at the open window factory while we sip their delicious offerings. With such a large selection, this is a great place to get a flight and we recommend trying out the Watermelon Wheat for sure.
Frothy Beard Brewing Company
Heading to this Charleston Breweries is a fantastic thing to do in South Carolina. Frothy Beard is a nanobrewery putting up the most adventurous brews in the low-country. The brewers are all bearded, as you may imagine, and long-time friends with an even longer history of creative passion for brewing tasty beers. They love zombies, epic novels, board games, and the great outdoors. They bring all of this into their craft with their space, beer names, and inspirations.
With over 15 beers on tap and a state-of-the-art system, there is something of every flavor here. The frothier the better – life’s too short to drink boring beer, as they say. Try out the Pelican Pils or the Sip Sip Pass IPA for a fun take on the usual beer suspects. Their Andale Pale Ale is made with jalapeno and cilantro and has become a recent favorite among those in the know. Inside, they house Zombie Bob’s Pizza, which uses the Back From The Dead Porter in their astoundingly incredible dough.
Low Tide Brewing
A low-country gem, this brewery takes inspiration from Charleston’s iconic coastline. The Peach Shortshake is a delicious IPA milkshake creation that keeps the masses coming back for more. The Low-country Time Pink Lemonade is a sour that will keep you pleased and puckered ‘til the pint is empty.
They work with local restaurants and bars to create a unique beer that is made to pair perfectly with a dish of their choosing at any time. So many incredible combinations have been born out of this unique practice. Located on Johns Island, a beachy flair creeps into all they do. It’s a casual atmosphere with a charming beer garden, complete with picnic tables, food trucks, and a refreshing sea breeze. Their rotating taps feature their staple selections along with a few always fun custom concoctions.
Fatty’s Beer Works
The central eponymous character created by this unique outfit is Fatty, a brewmaster who has traveled through the expanse of time creating world changing beverages. Each brew has its own Fatty story and is named for the anecdote attached. They’re also the first brewery in the area to tout a THC vending machine. It’s a newer brewery on the scene, but its fast-growing reputation precedes it.
The space fits their nonconformist attitude in a relaxing and comfortable garage setting that definitely feels inviting. Many materials used are refurbished from old antebellum era homes. The 710 SMaSH is a single hop and single malt CBD infused brew. We also love the newer Circles on Circles Sour IPA – we can’t wait to hear the tale of how Fatty came up with this one. They offer orders in every size so feel free to get just a taste or a whole pitcher of one of their original libations.
Edmund’s Oast Brewing Co
This is an iconic craft brewery, taproom, and restaurant in the Charleston area. They focus on quality first in everything they do. The space is trendy, perfect for serving up their avante-garde brews and high-concept foods. Enjoy their offerings alfresco, in their stunning courtyard setting. They also offer an in-house charcuterie program, perfect for pairings. Their beers range in style, taste, and strength, making it easy to please all palettes.
The Lord Proprietor beer is a local favorite, made with loose leaf from the Charleston Tea Garden. The Vagueries of Time and Space is an American Strong Ale Dark Sour, and it’s just as impressive as it sounds. They host all kinds of events in their large and welcoming space – local live bands, pop ups, workshops, and interactive drag shows. Things are always rotating and changing, so you will never be bored by the offerings at Edmund’s. Check out what all the fuss is about and stop in here for a cold one.
