USA TODAY 10Best
Best brewpub? Readers choose The Brewery LBK
Best Brewpub (2021)
What's better than a craft brewery? A craft brewery with an on-premises bar where you can sit back, relax and enjoy a cold one. These 10 brewpubs serve their own house beers, often alongside guest taps and a menu of tasty food options.
The top 10 winners in the category Best Brewpub are as follows:
Photo courtesy of Alulu Brewery and Pub
No. 10: Alulu Brewery and Pub - Chicago
Alulu Brewery and Pub in Chicago is always introducing new beers for their customers to try. The seasonal menu takes inspiration from Eastern European and American pub cuisine, with dishes like beer cheese curds, made-from-scratch beer breads and frites.
Photo courtesy of iStock / Alena Kravchenko
No. 9: Wicked Barley - Jacksonville, Florida
Wicked Barley features a restaurant, taproom, covered patio, dog-friendly waterfront beer garden and a boat dock. Both the tap list of over a dozen brews and the food menu offer a bit of something for everyone, from kimchi pork belly fries and Left Leg Lager cheese curds to burgers, bratwurst and tacos.
Photo courtesy of Forbidden Root Restaurant & Brewery
No. 8: Forbidden Root Restaurant & Brewery - Chicago
Forbidden Root, Chicago's first botanic brewery, specializes in nature-inspired craft beers made from wild fruits and botanicals. The brewpub's menu of seasonal dishes designed to highlight the beers. When guests sample something they like, they can take the beer home in a growler.
Photo courtesy of Three Creeks Brewing
No. 7: Three Creeks Brewing - Sisters, Oregon
This dog-friendly brewpub in the small town of Sisters, Oregon brews their beers with Northwest hops and Cascade Mountains water. Get them in cans, bottles or on tap, alongside a menu of pizzas, sandwiches and other pub classics.
Photo courtesy of Steph Harding
No. 6: Salt Springs Brewery - Saline, Michigan
Salt Springs occupies a 122-year-old former church near a natural salt springs that has been sustaining communities for centuries. Diners will find a menu of ales, wine and cider, with beers made from locally malted grains and Michigan hops. The food menu focuses on seasonal, local ingredients.
Photo courtesy of From the Earth Brewing Company
No. 5: From the Earth Brewing Company - Roswell, Georgia
The three pillars of Georgia's From the Earth Brewing Company are quality, community and environment. Visitors are welcomed into the warm space to enjoy eight house draughts and farm-to-table fare – everything from sandwiches and tacos to steaks and seafood.
Photo courtesy of iStock / zoranm
No. 4: Stronghouse Brew Pub - Telluride, Colorado
The motto of Telluride’s Stronghouse Brew Pub is “Let’s Beer” – an invitation to grab a brew and some food after a day of adventure. The brewpub, housed within a historic 1892 building, serves a menu of Alpine comfort foods, like salted Bavarian pretzels, bratwurst and house-made corned brisket.
Photo courtesy of City Built Brewing Company
No. 3: City Built Brewing Company - Grand Rapids, Michigan
The people behind City Built Brewing believe that beer can bring people together. Especially when the beer list has something for everyone – everything from Mexican lagers and Czech pilsners to sours and pastry stouts. The food menu features Puerto Rican flavors with options like tostones, chicken chili, tacos and yuca fries.
Photo courtesy of HOMES Brewery
No. 2: HOMES Brewery - Ann Arbor, Michigan
HOMES Brewery opened for business in spring of 2017 with a focus on balanced hoppy beers and a variety of sours. Beer lovers can sample HOMES beers in the Ann Arbor brewpub or in limited release cans. Hungry beer lovers will find a menu of Korean and Thai-infused pub grub, like bulgogi fries, Korean barbecue wings and green coconut curry burritos.
Photo courtesy of The Brewery LBK
No. 1: The Brewery LBK - Lubbock, Texas
Beer lovers will find Lubbock’s newest brewpub inside the historic Pioneer Building in downtown. The Brewery LBK serves its brews in a modern industrial space, complete with a pet-friendly patio. Food options include wings, burgers, fried chicken and Crusty's Wood Fired Pizza.
A panel of experts partnered with 10Best editors to pick the initial nominees, and the top 10 winners were determined by popular vote.
Congratulations to all these winning brewpubs!
About 10Best Readers' Choice Awards
Nominees are submitted by a panel of experts. 10Best editors narrow the field to select the final set of nominees for the Readers’ Choice Awards. Readers can vote once per category, per day. For any questions or comments, please read the FAQ or email USA TODAY 10Best.
The Experts
Dennis Malcolm "Ale" Sharpton
Dennis Malcolm Byron aka Ale Sharpton is a... Read More
Dennis Malcolm Byron aka Ale Sharpton is a world-renowned beer authority, award-winning journalist, blogger (AleSharpton.com), photographer, event planner, host, speaker and beer judge to name a few of his roles. While passionately traveling the globe to cover everything from automobiles to culinary scenes, celebrity profiles, sports, hotel destinations, art, and what he terms “the world’s best beverage,” Ale has contributed to more than 30 magazines and websites combined. His current media outlets include USAToday, Thrillist.com, Craft Beer & Brewing, CraftBeer.com, Theinfatuation.com, ButterATL.com, James Beard Foundation, Atlanta Magazine, and others. Along with being featured in various publications, on the web, radio, podcasts, television, beer fests, conferences, and ongoing Cruisin’ For A Brewsin’ video series, Ale utilizes his Cornell University School of Hotel Administration education and vast work experience to consult in the culinary industry as well. Forbes, Smithsonian Institution, UNTAPPD, Good Beer Hunting, and numerous others have showcased Ale’s accomplishments. In a collaboration going on six years with brewing giant New Belgium, Ale has produced a beer he conceptualized called Piano Keys–a chocolate vanilla imperial stout–geared to support diversity and racial equality. This project with New Belgium also spawned his initiative, BrewGether, which raises funds to support nonprofits embracing the same mission as Piano Keys. Ale proudly owns AllWays Open Creative Solutions, an agency specializing in creative direction, logo design, branding, web design, video production, photography, consulting, and social media. Although a native New Yorker, Ale proudly calls Atlanta his home. Follow Ale’s globetrotting adventures on his captivating Instagram (@realalesharpton).
Dennis Malcolm "Ale" Sharpton
Dennis Malcolm Byron aka Ale Sharpton is a world-renowned beer authority, award-winning journalist, blogger (AleSharpton.com), photographer, event planner, host, speaker and beer judge to name a few of his roles. While passionately traveling the globe to cover everything from automobiles to culinary scenes, celebrity profiles, sports, hotel destinations, art, and what he terms “the world’s best beverage,” Ale has contributed to more than 30 magazines and websites combined. His current media outlets include USAToday, Thrillist.com, Craft Beer & Brewing, CraftBeer.com, Theinfatuation.com, ButterATL.com, James Beard Foundation, Atlanta Magazine, and others. Along with being featured in various publications, on the web, radio, podcasts, television, beer fests, conferences, and ongoing Cruisin’ For A Brewsin’ video series, Ale utilizes his Cornell University School of Hotel Administration education and vast work experience to consult in the culinary industry as well. Forbes, Smithsonian Institution, UNTAPPD, Good Beer Hunting, and numerous others have showcased Ale’s accomplishments. In a collaboration going on six years with brewing giant New Belgium, Ale has produced a beer he conceptualized called Piano Keys–a chocolate vanilla imperial stout–geared to support diversity and racial equality. This project with New Belgium also spawned his initiative, BrewGether, which raises funds to support nonprofits embracing the same mission as Piano Keys. Ale proudly owns AllWays Open Creative Solutions, an agency specializing in creative direction, logo design, branding, web design, video production, photography, consulting, and social media. Although a native New Yorker, Ale proudly calls Atlanta his home. Follow Ale’s globetrotting adventures on his captivating Instagram (@realalesharpton).
Gary Monterosso
Gary Monterosso is an award-winning critic, who... Read More
Gary Monterosso is an award-winning critic, who has written for national and regional publications. He is a regular guest on “You Oughta Know,” on WHYY-TV, a PBS station based in Philadelphia. Gary also hosts one-minute beverage updates on several southern NJ radio stations. From 2010-2017, he was seen on the History Channel show called “The Epic History of Everyday Things.” He is the author of the book, “Artisan Beers.” After a 41-year career as a NJ- based educator, Gary now teaches beer appreciation classes at Wilmington University. Gary has appeared on many television programs discussing craft beers and has guested on BBC radio offering an American perspective on the beverage. In late 2014, he lent his expertise to CBS News New York, by offering fall beer recommendations. One of the highlights of his career was a three-year stint on the Sirius Satellite Radio network, talking about the latest happenings in the beer world. In 2014, Gary was selected by Chilled Magazine to be a member of the “Chilled 100,” signifying him as one of the top 100 beverage personalities in the United States. He continues to be a fixture at regional beer events by hosting dinners and tasting seminars. He has qualified as a Certified Beer Server, a part of the Cicerone Certification Program, recognizing his knowledge of beer styles, culture, the brewing process and ingredients.
Gary Monterosso
Gary Monterosso is an award-winning critic, who has written for national and regional publications. He is a regular guest on “You Oughta Know,” on WHYY-TV, a PBS station based in Philadelphia. Gary also hosts one-minute beverage updates on several southern NJ radio stations. From 2010-2017, he was seen on the History Channel show called “The Epic History of Everyday Things.” He is the author of the book, “Artisan Beers.” After a 41-year career as a NJ- based educator, Gary now teaches beer appreciation classes at Wilmington University. Gary has appeared on many television programs discussing craft beers and has guested on BBC radio offering an American perspective on the beverage. In late 2014, he lent his expertise to CBS News New York, by offering fall beer recommendations. One of the highlights of his career was a three-year stint on the Sirius Satellite Radio network, talking about the latest happenings in the beer world. In 2014, Gary was selected by Chilled Magazine to be a member of the “Chilled 100,” signifying him as one of the top 100 beverage personalities in the United States. He continues to be a fixture at regional beer events by hosting dinners and tasting seminars. He has qualified as a Certified Beer Server, a part of the Cicerone Certification Program, recognizing his knowledge of beer styles, culture, the brewing process and ingredients.