The Best Breweries in Louisville, KY

In the heart of Kentucky, Louisville is world-famous for its culinary and athletic exploits. The city, being the home of Muhammad Ali, has its food and drink also pack a punch. If you want authentic Kentucky fried chicken along with bourbon, Louisville is the place to be.

Even the bourbon capital was not exempt from the craft beer takeover. The city utilized its locally grown grain was used mostly to produce bourbon, to establish one of the fastest-growing craft beer scenes in the United States.

Louisville is home to many fantastic breweries that take great pride in their beer and provide their own special touch to the drink. We have compiled a list of the 7 best breweries in Louisville. Hit these spots the next time you’re in town. After all, nothing beats a good fried chicken and beer combination.

Louisville is one of the cultural hotspots of the United States and home to many iconic US symbols. It has also gotten in on the act in the craft beer scene. Louisville is a haven for beer lovers and food lovers alike. These breweries further establish Louisville as a big player in the US craft beer scene.

• Great Flood Brewing Co.
• Goodwood
• Falls City Beer
• Mile Wide Brewing Co.
• Against the Grain Brewery and Public House
• Monnik Beer Co.
• Chimera Brewing Co.

Great Flood Brewing Co.

Great Flood Brewing Co. was started by 3 college friends in 2014 and quickly became a bustling hotspot in the Highlands neighborhood of Louisville. The name of the brewery establishes the founders’ roots in Louisville as it references the Great Flood of 1937, one of the biggest natural disasters the city has ever faced. These young Louisville brewers are living their dream as they have now opened a restaurant in a separate location while the original taproom is in Highlands.

Great Flood has twenty taps of home brews which leaves the customers spoiled for choice. They take pride in their process and their utmost priority is the freshness of their brews. To share the love, Great Flood also lets other local brewers take over their taprooms and further propel the Louisville craft beer scene forward.

Try their year-round favorite ’37 Coffee Porter for a rich, warm undertone. Made from locally roasted cold brew coffee, the beer is a hit among locals and visitors. Their Citrus Saison is another must-try.

Goodwood

Goodwood is a brewery located in downtown Louisville. As its name suggests, Goodwood is dedicated to brewing beer that is touched by wood. The use of wooden barrels and casks for the brewing of different types of alcohol is a longstanding tradition, one that has been now ditched in favor of more convenient storage materials such as metal. This split of tradition is even more common in the beer brewing industry even though wood such as oak provides distinct flavor profiles to the beverage.

Goodwood makes sure that all its beer is brewed in reclaimed oak casks that were once used for bourbon or wine. Goodwood is a veteran in the Louisville craft beer scene and it continues to keep the city’s traditions alive. Besides the taproom, the brewery also offers yoga classes for its customers twice a month.

Goodwood’s beers also start with limestone water just like bourbon. All their beer has a distinct Kentucky bourbon touch to it. We recommend trying their Goodwood Bourbon Barrel Stout for a classic Kentucky experience.

Falls City Beer

Falls City is the oldest operating brewery in Louisville. It has a rather fascinating history attached to it as the brewery’s inception was for one purpose: sticking it to the man. In the early 1900s, local breweries in the city were being bought by large beer conglomerates.

In 1905, a bunch of local brewers found Fall City Beers to show that they were standing their ground and their city was not for sale. Their plan clearly worked as to this day, Fall City is one of the most popular breweries in Louisville.

Falls City has a taproom and its products are also carried by many retailers across the state. They also have a huge beer garden where you can sit outside and enjoy a nice day in Louisville with craft beer.

Try one of their flagship beers. The aptly named Hipster Repellent IPA is always a good choice.

Mile Wide Brewing Co.

Named after the Ohio River, Mile Wide Brewing Co. looks to keep flowing forward and push boundaries in the craft beer scene. They carefully handcraft beers with interesting flavors and promote experimentation. Located in an old biscuit factory, Mile Wide’s taproom is in the heart of Louisville and has plenty of outdoor space to kick back and enjoy the variety of eclectic beers on offer.

Mile Wide is known for its IPAs but their barrel-aged stouts are not to miss. Try Uncle Disheveled, their southern pecan coffee stout for a true Kentucky beer experience.

Best Breweries in Louisville with Food

Louisville is renowned for its food scene. The city does not mess around when it comes to flavors. What better way to enjoy the food than with some craft beer? These are the best breweries in Louisville that serve food along with their brewed masterpieces.

Against the Grain Brewery and Public House

Against the Grain is a labor of love of its founders who wanted to improve upon the dismal beer scene of Louisville as they witnessed it in the 90s. The founders used to work at a brewery but were dissatisfied with the culture and decided to open their own brewery. Thus, Against the Grain was conceived and the brewers produced a different array of beers to make sure that it never got boring.

The Public House is a different location from the original smokehouse but it nails the burger and beer combination to perfection. Try their Albuquerque Burger and pair it with Louisville Proper for a stronger kick.

Monnik Beer Co.

Located in the Schnitzelburg neighborhood commonly known as Germantown, Monnik draws inspiration from the area’s European roots. It serves both American and European fare in its brewery and restaurant. Named after the Dutch word for Monk, Monnik symbolizes the intense focus the company brings to its brewing process.

It provides a curated range of 20 beers on tap, a selection of flagships, and seasonal favorites. Try their Sunny Schnitzel for a flavor of Europe in Southern America. Pair it with Strange Attractor, a Belgian beer and mead hybrid to up the ante even more.

Chimera Brewing Co.

Chimera is a brewery with a conscience. It produces vegan beer for all the vegan drinkers of Louisville who usually cannot consume the drink due to the use of ingredients such as gluten and honey. The money earned from selling a portion of beer also goes to local organizations working for racial equality. If you want to drink beer and do some good, head to Chimera.

Chimera also has a completely vegan menu if you want to enjoy food along with your beer. Try a vegan twist on the classic Kentucky fried chicken by ordering their wings. Chicken-fried oyster mushrooms are a perfect replacement. Pair it with their It Takse a Village New England IPA for an unbeatable combination.