BEST BEVERAGES Drink up the Austin way, where beers, spirits and wines are made with passion by masters of the small-batch craft. AUSTIN’S Zilker Brewing Company BREWERIES Mark your calendar for Austin Beerworks ’ ever-changing seasonal lineups and frequent collabs. Jester King Brewery crafts farmhouse ales with wild yeast on a 41-acre ranch. Sip refreshing lagers at European-style Live Oak Brewing under the shade of sprawling oak trees. Modern Zilker Brewing Company has a neighborhood feel, with an urban taproom and spacious patio. Inside a 1970s Quonset hut, Hold Out Brewing specializes in balanced IPAs, light lagers and wine-based cocktails. Relaxed Texas Hill Country spot Vista Brewing makes traditional beer styles with local limestone-filtered water. Fast Friends Beer Co. has something for everyone, from light lagers to bitter IPAs. Try the signature Celis White at Celis Brewery — it was the first Belgian-style witbier brewed in the U.S. Popular Pinthouse Brewing is beloved for both their award-winning beers and their chewy sourdough pizzas. Lazarus Brewing Co. serves up craft beer, house-roasted coffee and tacos in a cozy, community-focused space with eclectic decor and a story behind every detail. DISTILLERIES story whiskey rickhouse that’s designed to beat the Texas heat. Taste the complex whiskeys at 28-acre Treaty Oak Distilling while bluegrass bands play from a semi-truck stage. Southwestern-chic Desert Door Texas Sotol distills an earthy, agave-like spirit from wild-harvested sotol plants. At Texas Saké Co. , try local oak-aged saké or a saké bomb dropped into house-made rice lager. Nearby, Still Austin Whiskey Co. uses 100% Texas grains in their ryes and bourbons. After a tour of Dripping Springs Distilling , play lawn games and enjoy comfort fare in the oak grove. The flavored spirits at Deep Eddy Vodka are summer favorites, including sweet tea and ruby red grapefruit. Zero-waste Fierce Whiskers Distillery features a special five-WINERIES The 100% Texas Tempranillo at C.L. Butaud is a must-try in their sleek, upscale tasting room. Relaxed urban spot The Austin Winery partners with Texas growers for their low-intervention wines. At Wanderlust Wine Co. Tasting Rooms , sample wines from around the world with their self-pour tap system. To explore Hill Country wineries, see the 15 Central Texas & Hill Country Day Trips article at the back of this guide. 18 visitaustin.org CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: ZILKER BREWING COMPANY; JASMIN PORTER; STILL AUSTIN WHISKEY CO. There’s more to Meanwhile Brewing than great beer — like a soccer field, volleyball court and food trucks. Central Machine Works is an industrial-meets-breezy beer hall with traditional small-batch beers. Hopheads love The Austin Beer Garden Brewing Co. (ABGB) for their hop-forward brews and roomy warehouse. Still Austin Whiskey Co. C.L. Butaud
Austin Insider Guide 2026: Page 18
