The 16 Best Breweries in Miami

Perhaps the greatest feat of engineering Miami has seen since we dredged a swamp and built a city is the beer setup at this Thai Barbecue restaurant in Brickell City Centre. Because tucked behind the main bar and next to the kitchen—in a shopping mall, mind you—Todd Space has somehow set up an entire production brewery that cranks out some of the best suds in the city. Brief tours are often available, and everything on tap is perfect to cool the spicy stuff on the menu.
Beers to try: The Aromatic Snowy is a wheat beer lover’s dream, adding hints of Thai spices to the traditional orange-and-coriander notes. The Legend Lager is the move if you’re looking to cool down, and the Brickell Brown is made with coffee from Great Circle roasters.

Granted, these guys just started making a second beer beyond their flagship Super Good lager, but you try brewing beer, making food, and hosting the best brewpub north of Coral Gables in a space the size of a Foot Locker. This nano brewery puts out a couple of spectacular beers in a miniscule space, and complements it with food from the maize mind behind Taquiza. That means the cornbread around the house-made corn dog is guaranteed to be great, and when dipped in the everything-seasoned curry mustard is life changing. But don’t sleep on the smoked fish dip or fried chicken sandwich, either.
Beers to try: Remember, capacity is limited at Off Site, so if you wanna try house made stuff you’re going for the Super Good Lager or the new small batch Hazy IPA.

Delaware’s IPA aficionados made like every hedge fund in New York and set up a Miami outpost in 2021, taking over the old Concrete Beach space and putting a tropical twist on their usual lineup of hop-heavy stuff. You’ll find special-releases almost monthly, each one accompanied by a Saturday afternoon party with live music and loads of delicious food. The indoor-outdoor space makes any day at Dogfish Head relaxing, and having some of the nation’s best-known beer at your fingertips makes it even better.
Beers to try: The 60 and 90 Minute IPAs are Dogfish Head’s signature, but you can find those a lot of places. If you’re hanging at the Brewpub, try some of the Florida-special stuff, like the Must be the Mamey and Guava Belly sours. Or if that’s too adventurous, the smooth SoFlo pils is never a bad idea on a hot day.

Focal fills the old Bousa Brewing space in Little River, bringing a much-needed gathering spot back to the industrial area. The taproom is regularly filled with live music, where a menu of easy drinking beers makes the entire experience light and enjoyable. Non-beer drinkers can enjoy Focal, too, as you’ll find a pretty respectable selection of wine and prosecco available.
Beers to try: This newer brewery’s offerings are slim, but each of its four core beers are worth a taste. The Mayami Cangri is the most popular, an easy Caribbean lager reminiscent of the local beers you’ll find in the islands. The Frau Blackberry is the fruit fan’s favorite, a sour that doesn’t have near the bite you’ll find in other places.

Epoca is, quite literally, a hidden gem, tucked on a nondescript sidestreet in oft-overlooked North Miami. But take the time to find it and you’ll stumble into the best beer garden in Dade County, a light-strewn patio with lounge chairs and starry nights that feels completely removed from the city. The beers skew a little heavier than in most Miami breweries, as the owners sought to bring more global styles to their menu. You’ll also find frequent DJ sets and food trucks popping up on site, and if you’re looking for a brewery to make you look in the know this is definitely the place.
Beers to try: Nearly all the beers rotate at Epoca, but the flagship Zenith IPA is a consistent winner. It adds notes of strawberry and guava for a truly Floridian take on the classic.

A daylong venture down to the land of Robert is Here and Knaus Berry Farm should also include a stop at Miami Brewing. It sits on the same estate and Schnebly Redland’s winery, and if you’re not feeling avocado wine head across the tropical courtyard to the taproom. Its epic warehouse space allows MBC to do stuff like host line dancing lessons, concerts, and live professional wrestling. But even lacking an event, stopping in here for a flight is as much a part of the Homestead experience as waiting in line for cinnamon rolls.
Beers to try: The Big Rod Coconut Ale might be the most distinct beer in South Florida, and though some have accused it of tasting like carbonated sunscreen, if you’re into coconut flavors it’s tough to beat. And the Lychee Habanero is a must if it’s in season.

Before Miami had much of a craft beer scene, the city’s best place for suds was a bar called Abraxis, tucked into a residential neighborhood in South Beach. It closed in 2013, but owner Diego Escobar has teamed up with local beer fest all stars Chris Campos and David Morales to open this 11,000-square-foot facility in North Miami. The 26-tap bar pours out stuff you might recognize from the brewers’ days at 4th Age Brewing, like the Morenita Session Brown Ale, alongside a number of rotating guest selections and seasonal offerings.
Beers to try: The Morenita was the proverbial foot in the door for Campos and Morales, but the English-style restraint may not be for everyone. The Endless Summer Lager is a 4.6% light beer that’s far more complex than most in that category, while the Lemongrass Belgian Blonde is a refreshing citrus number, clocking in at a deceptively potent 6.4%.

Cuba’s oldest beer got new life in 2016 when La Tropical’s Original Ambar Lager launched in the United States. In 2021, La Tropical opened its own, glass-and-palm-filled brewery on the fringes of Wynwood, packing the place with couches, outdoor tables, and eats from chef Cindy Hutson. La Tropical is a far more upscale endeavor than most local taprooms, and though it’s not exactly fine dining, it’s as much a nightlife destination as it is a brewery.
Beers to try: The Ambar Lager may be the historical favorite, but unless you’re into Vienna lagers, it’s far from tops on the menu. The Nativo Key Suave is a fruity, 4.5% IPA where you’ll barely recognize the hops, and for something stronger, try the Tropilina, an 8% Double IPA that’s just a few points short of fueling your car.

Though it’s not quite yet Wynwood West, the Bird Road Arts District might be west Miami-Dade’s best destination for culture. Its centerpiece is Lincoln’s Beard, a multi-story brew house where live music, weekly events, and a penny-covered bar make it the funkiest watering hole in the area. Lincoln’s beers are fresh and fantastic, with an approachable selection of easy-drinking blondes and mild IPAs that make it a chill place to take less geeky beer drinkers.
Beers to try: The Morning Glory Blonde Ale is the go-to if you can’t decide, but Lincoln’s Beard can also get creative, as evidenced by their Rise of Takoro West Coast Triple IPA, a hop-filled collaboration with Shojo Beer Co. that clocks in at 10.4% ABV.

With monthly artisan markets, a cigar room, and a handful of 5K races, The Tank has become as much a community venue as it is a brewery. The taproom is a delightful place to waste away an afternoon sipping craft brews, and it’s worth a visit to try beers you’ve probably already had in bars fresh from the, er, tanks.
Beers to try: The Freedom Tower American Amber is Tank’s ubiquitous classic, but trust us, it tastes even better at the brewery. If you’re looking to venture out, go for the El Farito IPA, a citrusy, Miami-style take on the hoppy classic.

This 30,000-square-foot warehouse in The Leah arts district is the brainchild of UM philosophy PhD student Zach Swanson, who founded it to make beers he couldn’t find elsewhere. The space’s big windows and airy vibe lends itself well to Unbranded’s parade of events, from open mic nights to live wrestling. The brewery also boasts a weekend smokehouse, where you can pair Texas-style barbecue with all those delicious suds.
Beers to try: The Guava American Wheat Ale is a little sip of the city in a glass, a tribute to the guava-filled pastelitos that give Hialeah one of its signature smells. If you want one of the more civic-pride-inducing cans you’ll ever see, opt for the Hialeah Light, an American Light Lager served in a can adorned with images of the City of Progress.

Brewery names can sometimes be a little opaque, but not Tripping Animals, which features artwork inspired by animals who look like they ate the wrong kind of mushrooms. The 15,000-square-foot facility is kind of like a Disney movie in that way, where kids enjoy the cartoon animals and the Animal’s Roots and Rock Garden, and parents enjoy beers that can hover around 9 to 10% ABV. Or you can just fire up your Disney+ and get the stuff to go.
Beers to try: Tripping Animals is rarely the same experience twice, but the sours are generally the stars of the show. Currently, the Wake and Shake is a little like a boozy sour smoothie, and the Limonada De Kiwi Y Fresca is the Snapple you wish you had in Middle School. IPA lovers can geek out here too, as typically you’ll find ten or so on tap.

Perhaps the most recognizable can in South Florida is M.I.A.'s Miami Weiss, an Art-Deco number covered in pinks, blues, and bright golds. But unlike a great many things in Miami, the insides here far exceed the external aesthetics. At the brewhouse, you’ll find over 50 beers on draft from M.I.A. and other local brewers. Its sunny patio is also a big reason the brewery has become a hotspot for events, with weekly parties and occasional live music.
Beers to try: The 305 Golden Ale might be the most underrated of M.I.A.’s offerings, and definitely the go-to move if you’re planning to down more than one. You also can’t go wrong with the original Miami Weiss, pink can or not.

The only thing better than the beer at J. Wakefield is the story behind it. Once upon a time, Jonathan Wakefield was a massively talented home brewer who crowdfunded $110,000 to get his commercial operation off the ground. Since then, he’s been wowing Miami beer drinkers with fruity concoctions like the Dragon Fruit Passion Fruit (DFBF) Berliner Weisse. But that’s not to say Wakefield has been resting on his laurels—it’s always worth stopping into the Star Wars-themed taproom to see what kind of cutting edge invention his team has lined up.
Beers to try: The DFBF Berliner Weisse sells out every time it’s released, but don’t sleep on the El Jefe, which also boasts one of the coolest cans in the city. Hop heads make a beeline for Hop for Teacher, J. Wakefield’s standard-bearing IPA.

Much like Wynwood itself, the Miami craft beer scene was once a desolate wasteland that no tourist would even think about venturing into. Flash forward to 2022, and the colorful arts district is on every visitor’s must-do list, as well as home to Wynwood Brewing, the first production brewery and taphouse in the city of Miami. The small space right next to I-95 is full of Miami-centric murals and a constant lineup of fresh creations like the Father Francisco Belgian Style Golden Ale, a clove-and-sugar combo that packs a much boozier punch than you might expect.
Beers to try: You can get La Rubia pretty much anywhere in Miami now, so if you’re not afraid of dark beer go for the Pops Porter, which took gold at the Great American Beer Festival.

Veza Sur masterfully reproduces the light, warm-weather flavors you’ll find in Latin America, whether it’s the Brazilan Chopp served at below-freezing temps and capped by a fluffy three-inch head or the Spanglish Latin Lager, which tastes exactly like every domestic beer you crushed when traveling through Central America. Veza Sur is also home to the biggest brewery pachangas in the city, celebrating everything from Copa America futbol to independence days for various Latin American countries. Oftentimes, that party also includes a giant, inflatable abuela—go figure.
Beers to try: Though the traditional Latin beers are its backbone, Veza Sur’s more experimental side shines with offerings like Mangolandia Mango Blonde Ale and Chifles Blonde, a beer brewed with actual plantain chips