Disclosure: Some links in ‘Best Charleston Breweries‘ may be affiliate links. If you make a purchase through one of these links, I will earn a small commission at no cost to you. I only recommend companies and products I use.
In a place where fresh seafood meets authentic southern comfort, it’s no wonder Charleston is such a foodie destination. I can’t stop raving myself about the shrimp and grits, flaky biscuits, and tangy melt in your mouth barbecue! However, the craft beer scene in Charleston has grown drastically in the last couple of years. In fact, Charleston now has an entire brewery district!
With fabulous rooftops, colorful murals and outdoor games, Charleston’s breweries are one of the best place to meet up with friends while sampling some incredible beer. And let me tell you, there’s nothing like experiencing Charleston’s culture through the craft beer scene!
Be sure to take the FREE Charleston Brewery Trolley:
Wait! Before you visit any breweries, check out Charleston’s free brewery trolley! Nine breweries worked together to create the perfect brewery trail with a trolley that makes stop at each one. The Charleston Brewery Trolley runs every Saturday from 1:00 PM – 9:00 PM, and is FREE of charge. Hop on, and hop off at whichever stop you like and enjoy the breweries without worrying about a designated driver or cost of an uber.
When it comes to top Charleston breweries Edmund’s Oast will always be towards the top! They have incredible ratings on Untapped, meaning their craft beer is highly sought after.
First thing to know about Edmund’s Oast, is that they technically have three different locations:
Their brewpub and restaurant is more sit down style dining, with quality comfort food, specialty beer, wine and cocktails. The other location at King Street is more of a small brewery taproom with casual dining. The third, which they refer to as The Exchange, is a retail store and bar that also sells other local craft beer and wines from around the world.
After some confusion, our uber ended up taking us to the wrong location. We had originally wanted to go to the casual King Street location, but ended up making our way into The Exchange. Although this wasn’t the original plan, it worked out amazingly! We ended up sampling some beer with less crowds, which was great for learning more specifics about the beer brewed at Edmund’s Oast. Plus, the little tasting room had the cutest plant wall!
Edmund’s Oast has an incredibly large selection of beer. With delicious hazy IPAs, fruity sours, and a variety of interesting combos, there is a selection for anyone! We ended up trying a peanut butter and jelly beer that I am still thinking about weeks later. Unlike other beers of this style, it wasn’t too sweet or too dark. It was the perfect combo of flavor and was light enough to be super drinkable! I really enjoyed this beer and highly recommend if they have it on tap when you visit.
When in Charleston, you have to taste some beer from Palmetto Brewery! In the late 1980’s, two friends in their late 40s ended up building this brewery and naming it after the state tree of South Carolina, the Palmetto tree. The first beer was poured in 1993, and is family run and operated to this day.
When visiting Palmetto Brewing Company, you’ll see their facility includes a courtyard for entertainment and games, a warehouse taproom and a speakeasy taproom. Palmetto has a variety of different beers, with their Hunger Street IPA as their main staple. If you can’t make it to the brewery itself, you’ll find Palmetto beers on tap at many local bars and restaurants throughout Charleston.
Known for their laid back vibe, Fatty’s Beer Works is open seven days a week! With an indoor-outdoor style tasting room, they put on many events with live music and often have delicious food trucks.
Fatty Beer Works has a variety of beer on tap and also cans available to purchase if you want to take some home. Their Lazy Hazy IPA is brewed with Citra and Mosaic hops and has notes of fruit punch, mango and passionfruit.
Locally owned with 32 different tap lines, Brewlab is known for having unique, high-quality beers in a fun environment. Their 5000 square foot brewery has a colorful taproom. Serving lots of food, wine and custom drinks, Brewlab is great place to hang out for everyone. Keep an eye on their event calendar! They often host burger nights, bingo, or have taco specials.
Although Brewlab has a rotating beer menu, they will always have a variety of sours and IPAs on tap. I ended up getting a flight with my favorites being the Tropical Vibrations Sour, and the Elliptical Haze IPA. Brewlab was definitely one of my favorites Charleston breweries to visit!
Munkle Brewing Company brought traditional Belgian style beer to the Charleston area. With the motto “hospitality, fun and great beer,” Munkle opened their brewery in 2016 with an indoor outdoor bar, area for billiards, and rocking chairs for relaxing.
Copper River has an indoor air conditioned tap room ideal for hot days, but also has an outdoor seating area with games. The tasting room is surrounded with glass windows so you can see where they brew all their beers! Started in 2015 by two friends, the brewery has become a well known name in Charleston’s brewery scene. With lots of beer options to try, Copper River is known most for IPAs, Golden and Amber Ales.
The new facility for Tradesman Brewing Company is able to brew up to 3000 barrels of beer every year. They distribute draft and canned beers throughout the entire state of South Carolina. With a variety of different styles, everyone will be able to find a beer they like at Tradesman Brewing Company! Their brewery has a laidback vibe with a large covered outdoor space with picnic tables. They’ll often have food trucks parked nearby.
Rusty Bull has two locations, one in North Charleston and another downtown on King Street which took over what was formerly Chucktown Brewing. The brewery was started in 2013 by two friends Brian and Ben. After a conversation on how to make their lives a bit more exciting, it was determined that brewing beer was the next step. As a mechanic, Brian used his skill set to put together the equipment and get started brewing. It quickly went from a hobby to an obsessed and just like that Rusty Bull was born.
I visited the King Street location of Rusty Bull and loved the vibe. There is an outdoor space or indoor bar area with a delicious food menu. I thoroughly enjoyed trying the Berry Stomp, a fruity wheat beer with notes of blueberry and raspberry. Their Juice Juice New England style IPA was also incredible. The unfiltered haziness with the combo of citra, el dorado and summit hops was a refreshing beer to sip on a hot day!
Although Charleston Beer Works is not a brewery, their specialty is serving all the best craft beers. Their location right on King Street makes it the perfect place to sample local beer if you aren’t able to get to any Charleston breweries during your visit.
Charleston Beer Works first floor indoor bar.
Charleston Beer Works is a modern day sports bar with two levels and an outdoor space filled with TVs. Perfect for football Sundays! The staff is super friendly and knowledgeable about beer and will be able to recommend something perfect depending on what kind of beer you prefer to drink.
Frothy Beard has a variety of options from sours, to amber ales, stouts, hoppy IPAs and even craft seltzers! They also have a menu with burgers, wings and other food perfect after a day of sampling beer.
At Frothy Beard Brewing Company you’ll find a fun environment inside, with a small outdoor area with seating and axe throwing!
Revelry Brewing Company is known for having one of the best rooftops in Charleston! Although, we got there around closing time, the rooftop can be packed around sunset. There is also a garage area on the first floor that has a small bar and outdoor seating if the rooftop isn’t your vibe.
At Revelry, you’ll find a bustling beer menu with a variety of styles from German Dopplebocks and Saisons to Bavarian Wheats and Wild Ales. Although they keep a rotating menu, they always have a great combo of different beers on tap so everyone will be able to find something they like.
If you love sour beer, head on over to Snafu Brewing! Although they have a draft list including different style beers, their sours menu offers tons of different unique flavors such as Italian Ice and Blueberry Cobbler.
Snafu is a fun environment with lots of games and a rotating food truck menu!
Located in Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina, Westbrook Brewing Company has made a name for itself throughout the entire US. It is hands down one of the most well known Charleston breweries. You’ll easily find their cans, drafts and bottles throughout the state and beyond. I personally love their sour beers and unique stouts such as Maple Bourbon Aged Imperial Mexican Biscotti Toasted Coconut Break (now thats a mouth full!)
Visiting the brewery you’ll find a tasting room, place to buy beer and other merch, and can even take a free brewery tour that leaves every hour. Be sure to check out their website for any events. Although they don’t typically have many food options, they may have a food truck there on special occasions.
***
When visiting these top Charleston Breweries, I promise you’ll have so much fun! Each brewery is so different, which makes it exciting to hop around and experience all of them. Whether they specialize in a certain type of beer or have a fun environment, I truly think a little brewery tour is one of the best ways to experience Charleston’s culture.
Overall, Charleston is such a charming city. Besides the main attractions, there is so much to see and do- like spooky ghost tours, or sunset harbor cruises.
Filled with incredible history, food, architecture, and of course beer, this small city truly is a perfect place for a girls getaway, romantic couples weekend or even a solo trip!
