In the spirit of Best of Charleston voting starting in March, we thought it would be a good time to let you know the best place to, well, do a lot of things, at some of your favorite breweries around the area.
This list is created from experience and in the spirit of fun — these places are more than just a superlative, after all. We didn’t include every one of the area’s approximately 40 breweries, but we did focus on spots that offer something new, such as a recent kitchen collaboration; are seasonally appropriate, such as those that offer covered outdoor patios; or are just plain useful — aka the best place to wait out traffic on Interstate 526. So without holding our noses, we’ll jump right in:
Best place to grab a hard kombucha
Head to Bevi Bene (Downtown) for all your hard kombucha needs. With flavors like lychee lime and cranberry ginger, these lower ABV options are a refreshing change-up from your normal go-to bevs. Fear not. You can always drink beer here, too, like the Baltic porter or side-pull lagers.
Best place to nosh on empanadas
Food truck Buena Compania recently opened a spot in Brew Lab’s kitchen (Downtown). Pair your carne y papas with an Elliptical Haze IPA.
Best place to drink on a wraparound porch
Don’t sleep on Coast Brewing’s (North Charleston) recently expanded taproom, which features a gorgeous wraparound porch that catches a great breeze from the nearby marsh.
Best place to catch an Arsenal game
OK, Edmund’s Oast Brewing Co. (Downtown) is so much more than a place to watch soccer, err, football, but the energy during an Arsenal match (EO Brewing is home base for Charleston’s Arsenal fan club) is really fun. Check out a variety of sportsball games on EO Brewing’s TVs all week long.
Best place to recaffeinate
Estuary Beans and Barley (Johns Island) is home to a full coffee bar, in addition to a wide variety of beer (of course) and a smaller selection of wine and cocktails. Nothing fuels a good brewery drinkin’ day like a little boost of caffeine after a few IPAs, if we do say so ourselves.
Best place to slurp fresh oysters
Holy City Brewing Co. (North Charleston) recently celebrated the grand opening of its raw bar, a collaboration between the brewery and local “master mermmelier” Kevin Joseph. Holy City’s currently the only brewery in town offering a permanent raw bar experience, but we doubt it will be the last.
Best place to escape traffic
Indigo Reef Brewing Co. (Daniel Island) is home to some really great beer and a cute outdoor patio — and with its convenient location off of Clements Ferry Road, it is a great place to head to after work, before jumping into the sludge that is rush hour on I-526.
Best place for ship viewing
Freehouse Brewery’s location (North Charleston) on the Ashley River is prime for all kinds of sightseeing. If you’ve got a heavy machinery-obsessed toddler in tow, though, it’s really quite a perfect spot to sit on a picnic table and watch the big boats floating by.
Best place to take your out-of-town pals
Head to Revelry Brewing’s rooftop (Downtown) to really impress your visiting friends. While the views aren’t as grand as they once were, the vibes are always high on the rooftop. Be sure to check out DJ Sparkbox from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. every Saturday. Bonus superlative: Revelry’s new Folly Beach outpost is also a cool place to take pals, but we really like the idea of heading there for a refreshing solo beverage after a long walk on the beach.
Best place for live music
While a lot of local breweries offer great live and local music, we’re partial to the loading dock at Palmetto Brewery (Downtown). With an outdoor area that underwent a complete overhaul in 2019, Palmetto is the perfect spot to catch some live tunes.
Best guaranteed good outside time
New Realm Brewing Co. (Daniel Island) offers the best of both worlds when it comes to brewery visits. The full service restaurant offers indoor and outdoor seating. The large outdoor patio is covered (speaking from experience, you can enjoy a beer on a couch while a thunderstorm rages overhead).
Best place to try new-to-you beers
Since opening in 2010, Westbrook Brewing Co. (Mount Pleasant) has been brewing a wide variety of beers and few things are as titillating to a beer connoisseur as a yummy tasting flight at this spot.
Best place to play video games
High Score Brewing (North Charleston) opened at the end of last year and features arcade and console games from the 1970s to 2000s. Enjoy beer or some of the spot’s house-made craft sodas.
Best place for Main Street vibes
We love visiting Frothy Beard Off World in Summerville. Located on the town’s Main Street, this offshoot of the West Ashley brewery is the perfect spot for sipping a beer by the window and taking in Summerville’s quaint downtown.
Best place for rule-following kids
Last year, The Garden by Charles Towne Fermentory (West Ashley) posted new rules for kids (and their parents) on Instagram and around the brewery. The very reasonable rules set a new precedent for how families — often breweries’ most frequent visitors — should act at a brewery.
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