Known for barbecue, jazz and fountains, local breweries have transformed Kansas City into one of the fastest-growing craft beer destinations in the country. Get to know each one before visiting.
Crossroads Arts District
- Border Brewing Company: Border produces a wide variety of beer styles that are approachable and complex in flavor, perfect for both amateurs and aficionados.
- Brewery Emperial: Known for its satisfying tap tastes, expansive patio and exceptional dining menu, Brewery Emperial is quickly becoming a staple in the Crossroads Arts District.
- Casual Animal Brewing: Small-batch session beers are the specialty at this cozy Crossroads hangout.
- City Barrel: The newest brewery in the Crossroads specializes in interesting beers, from the hoppy to the sour to the wild.
- Double Shift Brewing Company: Originally founded as a “second shift” job by a local firefighter, Double Shift is a laid-back brewery that crafts unique beers of all kinds.
- Torn Label Brewing Company: Torn Label’s 15-barrel brewhouse and stellar limited release selections make it a popular weekend destination.
Downtown Core + Surrounding Neighborhoods
- BKS Artisan Ales: Brookside’s friendly neighborhood brewery comes complete with a sunlit tasting room and everything from Belgian-inspired beers to English-style tastes.
- Boulevard Brewing Co.: Founded in 1989, Boulevard Brewing Co. has grown to become the largest specialty brewer in the Midwest, with its beers being sold in nearly 40 states coast-to-coast. Swing by the Beer Hall to tour the facility and to sample its full rotation of beers and exclusive test tastes.
- Green Room Burgers & Beer: A neighborhood favorite in every sense, Green Room Burgers & Beer is exactly what you want in a local watering hole thanks to locally sourced fare and lovingly crafted beers.
- KC Bier Co.: One of the most popular breweries in the region, KC Bier Co. specializes in authentic, German-style lagers and ales—and touts a one-of-a-kind Biergarten in Waldo.
- Stockyards Brewing Co.: The spirit of the KC’s Western heritage and West Bottoms history live on in Stockyards’ bar and taproom, where guests toast to a diverse offering of beers.
- Strange Days Brewing Co.: International styles shine in this River Market hotspot that’s rapidly become home base for many of Kansas City’s most passionate soccer fans.
North Kansas City
- Big Rip Brewing Company: Big Rip brews up a wide variety of unique flavors, including sci-fi and horror movie-themed beer styles.
- Calibration Brewery: Equal parts lounge and brewhouse, Calibration Brewery offers beer enthusiasts a great hangout spot to sample one of 16 craft beers on tap.
- Callsign Brewing: Founded by veterans, each beer at this North Kansas City brewery is named for a different military vehicle—a tribute to American servicemembers.
- Cinder Block Brewing Co.: Cinder Block pours up everything from balanced session beers to rye wheats and ciders on a regular basis.
Regional Breweries
- Amerisports Brew Pub: Head to this impressive pub helmed by an award-winning brewer for delicious beers and wall-to-wall sports action housed in Ameristar Casino.
- Apex Aleworks: Based in Independence, this microbrewery is known for its experimental flavors, including the oyster stout and coconut milk stout.
- Brew Lab: This incomparable Overland Park hybrid is part taproom, restaurant and experimental playground for aspiring homebrewers to learn about the craft beer creation process.
- Crane Brewing: Native to Raytown, Crane specializes in farmhouse ales and sour beers, with an emphasis on unique flavors, such as tea leaves and beets.
- East Forty Brewing: Find a reliable stable of diverse beers and other rotating specials at this hip brewery based in Blue Springs.
- Fringe Beerworks: Entrenched in the heart of bustling Downtown Lee’s Summit, Fringe Beerworks is the first brewery in the city’s 150-plus-year history.
- Martin City Brewing Company: Martin City Brewing Company is a south Kansas City establishment that triples as a pub, pizza place and brewery with a solid, thirst-quenching beer selection.
- New Axiom Brewing Company: The latest addition to Lee’s Summit’s brewing scene offers an excellent selection of brews for any palate.
- Red Crow Brewing Company: A reliable rotation of this Olathe brewery’s year-round beers vary from pale ale to rye porter, all bolstered by strong seasonal additions.
- Smoke Brewing Co.: A favorite of both barbecue lovers and beer aficionados, Smoke Brewing Co. is taking the brewpub concept to new heights right in the middle of Downtown Lee’s Summit.
