Where Fort Worth drinks local: brewpubs, taprooms and the new wave.
Taprooms, brewpubs and the local beer scene in Fort Worth worth taking a tram to.
Martin House Brewing Company in Fort Worth runs up to 40 taps of house-brewed sours, stouts, and IPAs with a new release dropping nearly every week.
Order: Best Maid Sour Pickle Beer; Imperial Texan lager; Friday IPA.
Tip: Thursday wristbands (4:00-21:00) give you four pours for a flat fee, ideal for sampling the rotating sour lineup.
HopFusion Ale Works in Fort Worth brews every drop on-site, offering 20 taps in a colourful taproom with three garage doors opening onto a lively patio.
Order: Feisty Blonde honey ale; El Gran Pepinillo pickle beer; Fur Slipper milk stout.
Tip: Arrive early on Friday for the 19:00 live music session, when the covered patio fills up fast with local regulars.
Wild Acre Restaurant and Beer Garden occupies the old Ranch Style Beans factory east of downtown Fort Worth, with 26 taps, bocce, and a sprawling beer garden.
Order: Texas Blonde session ale; Juice Slinger IPA; Agave Americana.
Tip: The grassy lawn hosts live music most weekends; arrive by 17:00 to claim a picnic table before the crowd builds.
Second Rodeo Brewing in the Fort Worth Stockyards pours house-crafted Texas lagers and sours across 14,000 sq ft with three live music sets every day.
Order: Barrel Queen sour; Sidewalk Flower wheat; Cadillac Job lager.
Tip: Weekday afternoons are the calmest time to get a seat close to the stage; weekends draw large crowds for the western swing sets.
Cowtown Brewing Company in Fort Worth pairs house-brewed lagers and IPAs with on-site smoked barbecue in a 5,000 sq ft taproom with a generous outdoor deck.
Order: Rhinestone Cowboy Kolsch; Sim City double dry-hopped IPA; Canvas milk stout.
Tip: Saturday brunch starts at 09:00 when smoked brisket is at its freshest; the outdoor deck is shadiest in the morning hours.
Maple Branch Craft Brewery in Fort Worth, 2024 Texas Brewery of the Year, pours 20-plus award-winning small-batch ales in a 14,000 sq ft biergarten.
Order: Raspberry Fields fruited wheat; Romanov's Revenge imperial stout; Monkey Business Hefeweizen.
Tip: Wood-fired pizzas from the in-house kitchen pair well with the Eastern European lager lineup; order both at the bar to avoid separate queues.
Three Wide Brewing Co. in far north Fort Worth serves core IPAs, a pilsner, and rotating seasonals in a production taproom next to Texas Motor Speedway.
Order: Outer Groove Hazy IPA; Tropic Groove Coconut Hazy IPA; Everyday Pilsner.
Tip: Race weekends at the Speedway bring large crowds; visit on a Tuesday or Wednesday for a quieter session and a chat with the brewer.
Malai Kitchen in Fort Worth brews Asian-inspired lagers and IPAs in-house, served alongside Thai-Vietnamese food in a bright Clearfork dining room.
Order: Bia Hoi Vietnamese rice lager; Thai-PA lemongrass IPA; 3C Porter with Thai chilli and coconut.
Tip: Sunday happy hour runs all day, making it the best value occasion to sample the full house-beer lineup alongside the Bangkok street food menu.
Old Texas Brewing Co. on Camp Bowie in Fort Worth pours 48 rotating craft taps with a frost-rail bar, 30-plus TVs, and a much-loved west-side patio.
Order: Rotating local Texas drafts; handcrafted cocktails; 48-tap selection of regional and imported craft beers.
Tip: The patio is west-facing and sunsets can be strong in summer; arrive after 19:00 or grab a table under the covered section on the left.
Southside Cellar in Fort Worth's Near Southside curates deep local and regional craft taps alongside a bottle shop and an in-house pizza kitchen on S Main.
Order: Curated Texas draft rotating taps; local bottle-shop selections to go; craft pizza from the in-house kitchen.
Tip: The bottle shop carries limited-release cans not on draft; ask the bartender for what just came in if you want something genuinely rare.