With so many craft breweries opening up all the time, how does a local beer lover decide what to drink? Here are the best new breweries of 2015 that you might not know about yet, but you’ll definitely want to sample their beer next year!
Little Machine Beer (Denver, CO)
Although it’s only a few blocks away from Mile High Stadium, Little Machine Beer in the Jefferson Park neighborhood of Denver is offering something decidedly different than your typical sporting event suds. Brewing with local ingredients on a completely Colorado-made brewing system, Little Machine is a place where craft lovers can try creative beers and sports fans can try something new. Plus, the circular bar in the center of the space makes the brewery a welcoming spot to socialize with friends – or make new ones!
Chiku Tip: Little Machine doesn’t offer food in the brewpub, but it does bring in local food trucks nearly every day. That way you can pair your beer with great munchies from I Got Bratz, Smoke N Skillets, Pasty Republic, Street Frites and other trucks, depending on the day.
How to get there: Book a ticket to Denver from Salt Lake City, Albuquerque, Oklahoma City, and many more locations, too!
Second Chance Beer Co. (San Diego, CA)
Second Chance Beer Co. is a newcomer in San Diego, but the man behind it is certainly not new to the brewing scene. Brewmaster Marty Mendiola co-founded Second Chance after a long career – with over 15 years experience and lots of accolades – at Rock Bottom Brewing. Second Chance opened as a place for Mendiola to experiment and showcase his creativity.
Second Chance opened with three signature beers on tap: a blonde, an IPA, and a toasted porter. As production ramps up, expect an expanding and ever-changing lineup of specially crafted beers to discover.
Chiku Tip: The brewery plays host to a variety of fun events, including trivia nights and yoga classes. And they have cornhole, Nerf football, and even a basketball hoop, so you can play games while you sample the Second Chance brews.
How to get there: Take a trip to San Diego from Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Phoenix and plenty of other places as well!
56 Brewing (Minneapolis, MN)
56 Brewing brings something new to craft beer with a community supported brewery (CSB). Similar to a CSA, in which you buy a membership and a farm provides regular deliveries of fresh fruits and vegetables, with a CSB, you buy a membership and get fresh beer!
But don’t worry if you don’t live in Minneapolis to sign up for a membership – you can still make a visit to 56 Brewing and do a free tasting of each of the beers they offer, including a rye lager, a honey kolsch, and a delectable dark chocolate coconut stout.
Chiku Tip: 56 Brewing is hoping to have a seasonal taproom and small beer garden soon, so you can linger while you sip your beer, but, in the meantime, growlers are the way to go after you’ve done a tasting and picked your favorite brew.
How to get there: Make your way to Minneapolis from cities around the Midwest, such as Milwaukee, Chicago, Indianapolis and more!
Burdock Brewery (Toronto, ON)
In the Bloordale neighborhood of west Toronto, Burdock is more than just a brewery (it’s also a restaurant and a music venue), but that doesn’t mean beer takes a back seat. Burdock co-owner Matt Park came to Toronto from Vancouver, a city well-known for its craft beer scene, so opening up a brewery in TO was a natural fit.
Burdock’s current beer lineup includes a dark saison, a funky golden ale brewed with Brettanomyces, and a Belgian farmhouse stout. Park is playing around with wild yeast, and new brews will continue to take over the tap handles.
Chiku Tip: Because Burdock is also a music venue, you can make a night of it with dinner at the restaurant and live music – along with beer, of course! Check out the performance schedule here.
How to get there: Cross into Canada with a ride to Toronto from Buffalo, New York City, Philadelphia, Washington, DC and lots of other locations!
Barrel of Monks Brewery (Boca Raton, FL)
If you have a taste for Belgian beers, Barrel of Monks in Boca Raton, FL is the brewery for you. Barrel of Monks only brews beers in Belgian style, from their Abbey Series – a lighter sessionable single, a spicy dubbel, a complex trippel, and a dark and malty quadrupel – to their bubbly saison, citrusy witbier, and refreshing Belgian pale ale.
You can also sample Barrel of Monks special releases on tap seasonally. The Nuance Noir is a black saison with a peppery kick and the Parade of Souls is a rich Belgian imperial stout.
Chiku Tip: Flights are available in the elegant and inviting tap room, so you can savor a few sips of each Belgian beer that catches your fancy until you find your favorite.
How to get there: Take a bus or train to Delray Beach, FL and then hop in a taxi or use a ride-share app for a 10-minute ride to Boca Raton.
Second Line Brewing (New Orleans, LA)
New Orleans is the perfect place to spend the afternoon at a beer garden, and Second Line Brewing is the new place to do just that. The brewery opened in Mid-City with three flagship ales – a pale ale, an IPA, and their Batture Ale (which is named for the land between the levee and the river). Second Line also offers a changing selection of experimental brews to sample, like a Red IPA, a Kolsch, and a session ale.
Chiku Tip: The beer garden is open every Friday and Saturday from 4pm-10pm. On Fridays, the King Creole food truck sets up shop with crawfish poutine, cajun cubanos, and blackened porkchops with bourbon sauce, and on Saturdays, Saigon Slim’s provides banh mi to go with your beer.
How to get there: Let the good times roll in New Orleans with a trip from Houston, Dallas, Atlanta and plenty of other cities!
Noble Rey Brewing (Dallas, TX)
The opening of Noble Rey Brewing brings 26 new taps to Dallas’ Design District. Along with their own brews, Noble Rey features standout beers from other breweries around Dallas and Austin as well, so you can sample a variety of interesting Texas brews in one spot.
But Noble Rey’s own brews definitely take top billing! Their flagship beers include a Texas red ale, a steam lager, and a double IPA, and they are also brewing some awesome small batch beers, such as a Bavarian wit brewed with Fruity Pebbles and a strawberry rhubarb saison.
Chiku Tip: Noble Rey’s brewpub has old arcade games and a foosball table if you want to stay awhile, or you can get growlers – and crowlers (32oz cans)! – to take with you.
How to get there: Get down to Dallas from Oklahoma City, Houston, San Antonio and all over the country – and from Mexico, too!
