Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Food & Drink

Birmingham Craft Beer Guide: Where to Find the Best ‘Bama Brews

Lee Heidel
By

Good People Brewing Company Beer
Alabama’s craft beer scene has come a long way over the last few years. Like many southern states, Alabama long suffered under archaic, post-Prohibition laws that limited alcohol percentages, rendered unfair taxes, and kept breweries from distributing their own libations. Thankfully, times have changed, and cities like Birmingham are brimming with creative craft breweries — so many, in fact, that it warrants a Birmingham craft beer guide. The next time you visit The Magic City, try a local beer from one of these hometown mavericks.

Good People Brewing Company

Good People Brewing Company
Good People Brewing Company/Facebook

Good People is somehow the elder statesman of the Birmingham craft movement, even though they haven’t yet reached 10 years in operation. The taproom, located in the Parkside district, is a great place to see the bustling, kinetic energy of the brewing team while you sit back and relax at the horseshoe-shaped bar. Be sure to get a glass of Good People’s flagship beer, the Double India Pale Ale Snakehandler.

TrimTab Brewing

Trimtab Brewing
Trimtab Brewing/Facebook

TrimTab may be relatively new on the scene, but it is making waves with its high quality limited lineup. Pillar to Post is a Rye Brown Ale that features seven different malts and citrus-forward hops. TrimTab’s seasonal Raspberry Berliner Weisse is a tasty thirst quencher for those hot Alabama days.

Cahaba Brewing Co.

Cahaba has some of the most adventurous brews in Birmingham, including Bourbon Barrel Aged Oka Uba IPA and Kiwi Kolsch. For those looking to expand their beer knowledge, Cahaba created a nine-part, single-hop pale ale series so you can really taste (and smell) how different hops affect the drinking experience. You’ll enjoy any of these beers even more if you consume them in the brewery taproom, a large, industrial space outfitted with high ceilings and skeeball machines.

If you’re only passing through Birmingham and don’t have time for the full brewery experience, stop in at Highland Package Store or the local Hop City location to grab some bottles and cans to share with friends back home.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Mcdonald’s explores automated store, so our dystopian future is one step closer
McDonald's newest endeavor is a super-sized mistake
adult happy meals are here nonthaburi bang yai 29 there is a 2017 logo mcdonald s

Well, it's finally happened, folks. At long last, robots have officially taken over. No, they didn't come for our cars, our computers, or our homes. They've come for our cheeseburgers.

Last month, in Fort Worth, Texas, McDonald's launched their first automated, no-humans-required, soulless and lovin' it restaurant, and people have feelings.

Read more
Grilling year-round: 10 incredible tips for winter barbecues
Grilling and winter are two things that can and should get along. Here's how to grill in the offseason.
gas propane grill barbecue snow winter

If the culinary world has taught us anything, it's that rules are meant to be broken. A daring mindset has gifted us everything from fusion cuisines to unique wines. Keep that in mind next time somebody tells you grilling is just for the summer months.

Granted, cooking outdoors is easier when the weather is better. But that's no excuse to abandon creating some of your favorite grilled dishes come winter. No risk, no reward. There's never a bad time for smoking meat, assembling beer can chicken, or throwing some vegetables on an open flame. In fact, in the winter, when we're craving some big time protein and heartier dishes, we may crave grilled foods even more.

Read more
Ramen noodles can be so much more than just a 2 am drunken mistake
Turn your instant ramen into a restaurant quality dish
instant ramen noodles packet better

Coming into true adulthood is a mixed bag of emotions. While the perks of bigger bank accounts, spaces to call our own, and the ability to appreciate really good wine are beautiful things, it's perfectly normal to find oneself nostalgic for simpler times. For most of us, gone are the good ol' days of few responsibilities, hangovers that magically vanish in no time at all, and living off 5-for-a-buck packages of instant ramen. And while we can't do anything about the hangovers (sorry), we can give that familiar little orange package an adult upgrade.

Now that your kitchen (hopefully) consists of more than a greasy microwave shared with five other students, it's time to view instant ramen as the insanely convenient, perfectly delicious ingredient it is. For the most part, we've outgrown the version that's simply boiled to death then sprinkled with a packet of delicious MSG magic (though we won't lie — this dish still slaps at 2 am after a long night). So how do we turn this coming-of-age staple into fare fit for grown-ups?

Read more