Missouri needs no introduction. It’s the home of Budweiser, for goodness sake! But the Show-Me State’s brewery story is so much more than that. Missouri has a fast-growing beer industry with over 150 independent craft breweries employing more than 9,000 people, boosting the state’s economy by a whopping $1.2 billion.
Craft brewers have benefited immensely from the state’s passionate ‘support local movement’. Every beer drinker, whether urban, suburban, or rural, is looking for a taproom in their neighborhood. Craft brewers keep improving their brew quality and experimenting with inventive flavors that keep their patrons coming back for more.
If you’re looking for something more local, you can check out our other Missouri brewery articles below.
You can also look at our best breweries in America article if you are looking for something in a different city or state.
Talented brewmasters in every corner of the state are producing everything from ales, lagers, stouts, and porters. Here is a list of our favorites to help you find your new favorite Missouri beer.
- Anheuser-Busch Brewery
- Boulevard Brewing Company
- Mother’s Brewing Company
- Logboat Brewing Company
- Kansas City Bier Company
- Perennial Artisan Ales
- Martin City Brewing Company
- 4 Hands Brewing Company
Anheuser-Busch Brewery
(314) 577-2626
You can’t visit Missouri and ignore this beer giant. Anheuser-Busch Brewery is home to the ing of the beers: Budweiser, America’s favorite beer brand. When German immigrants introduced lager beer to the US in the 1800s, they started a brewing industry revolution.
With over 100 brands, 12 breweries in the country, and over 50 more worldwide, this brewery is a global beer machine. A visit to their massive campus is so much more than beer. It is a journey to a vital part of American history and business. Check out their website to book a tour to see how the beer is made and experience the 19th-century industrial architecture, the Biergarten, and Clydesdales stables. Then finish the day with a beer right off the factory production line.
Along with the originals, there are flavor variations like Budlight Lime and Orange, Michelob Ultra Pure Gold to craft beers, hard seltzers, canned cocktails, and canned wines. The list goes on and on. There is something for everyone and their grandmother.
Boulevard Brewing Company
(816) 474-7095
Boulevard Brewing Company, Kansas City’s first craft brewery started in 1989 and has since expanded to become the Midwest’s largest craft brewery. Here, they employ old and new techniques with traditional ingredients to produce crisp, delicious beer, making them an industry front-runner. Boulevard’s rise in popularity led to the building of the Tours and Recreation Center in scenic Downtown Kansas City. This beer hall taproom combo offers excellent city views and is a starting point for informative and entertaining tours that you can book on their website.
Take a sip of the Midwest’s best-selling craft beer, Boulevard Unfiltered Wheat Beer, or their flagship Boulevard Pale Ale while you hang out in their beer hall with plenty to explore.
Mother’s Brewing Company
(417) 862-0423
Tucked away in a 1902 building with original reclaimed materials, Mother’s Brewing Company is a homely craft brewery that makes its beer with a special ingredient: a mother’s love. Their taproom has 21 different offerings on tap, and their tasting room has a variety of year-round and seasonal samplers. They are also open for tours and welcome families with kids and pets. With lots of indoor/outdoor seating, a playground, and tons of outdoor space, it’s also the perfect picnic spot.
If you are in the mood for some great Springfield beer, try MILF, a complex, flavorful Imperial Stout brewed with raisins and cocoa nibs and then aged in rum, sherry, bourbon, brandy, and whiskey barrels.
Logboat Brewing Company
(573) 397-6786
The Logboat is a laidback place that gives real rustic vibes with the taproom made of reclaimed wood and has plenty of space near the bar and upstairs overlooking the beer production. Add the gorgeous patio, picnic tables, and pristine lawn, it’s a great family-friendly and pet-friendly space. They host events and have food trucks, making it a great place to de-stress after a long day.
Here guests have a selection of year-round and seasonal offerings. Try their Snapper IPA, a hoppy beer with peachy-pear notes. Other favorites are High Tide and Mamoot. The former is an American wheat beer brewed with citrus hops, orange peel, and zest. While the latter is a mild ale with notes of coffee, jam, and chocolate. Grab a drink and de-stress after a long day.
Kansas City Bier Company
(816) 214-8691
In Kansas City’s Waldo neighborhood, you can get that authentic German brew that is made from traditional ingredients straight from Germany. Mainly a production factory, there is a tasting room inside where customers can try the craft brews and a beer garden outside where you can relax with your friends, family, and pets.
Their specialties include the Dunkel, a traditional Munich brown beer, the Pils, a northern German-style pale lager, and the Festbier, the Oktoberfest beer. And to bring home that German spirit, complimentary snacks like sausages and pretzels are available.
Perennial Artisan Ales
(314) 631-7300
This microbrewery has a handcrafted approach to its small-batch production where it’s all about the adventurous drinker. Inspired by the Belgian and American brewing styles, Perennial takes traditional barrel-aging methods to produce an eclectic collection of ales made from locally sourced organic seasonal ingredients, wild yeasts, and spices. Their artisanal style is a sight to see. Take advantage of their tours so you can understand their bohemian way of backyard brewing. Check their website for timings.
Offerings that deserve a try are their Belgian-style Saison de Lis, made with chamomile flowers, and their Rye barrel-aged Mexican Chocolate Stout.
Best Breweries in Missouri With Food
Nothing is better than a cold beer and a hearty meal. Here are a couple of favorites that have that winning combo.
Martin City Brewing Company
This microbrewery was founded by two sailing buddies looking to build something special. Their two families came together to build this brewpub that offers a wide selection of delicious snacks, stone-fired pizzas, and craft beers. It’s a happening location with many live music events hosted every month.
On tap, you can find the best beers you will ever have: the Abbey Belgian Ale, a rum barrel-aged stout and worthy companion to their Supremo Pizza, a hearty pie with Italian sausage, pepperoni, black olives, wild mushrooms, roasted yellow onions, and a medley of roasted peppers.
Beer and pizza. It doesn’t get any more American than that.
4 Hands Brewing Company
(314) 436-1559
4 Hands is situated in the LaSalle Park neighborhood of St. Louis, a stone’s throw away from Busch Stadium. A refurbished warehouse, their two-story beer hall has something for everyone. The stylish tap room has large windows right into the brewing facility and upstairs has even more seating with skeeball and a retro arcade with all the classic games free of charge.
The tasting room has four house offerings on tap, a selection of seasonal brews, barrel-aged beers, and tasty treats like pretzels, nachos, burgers, and hot dogs to nibble on while you sip your drink.
Try their Incarnation IPA, a local favorite with its sweet maltiness and notes of pineapple, passion fruit, and candied citrus. Don’t forget the City Wide Pils with its crisp, juicy finish and light hoppiness.
