...plus a new rooftop. 🍻
We may be a tad biased, but we like to think that Cola is home to some of the best locally-brewed beer in S.C. In the past year, our craft brew scene hasn’t let up on the gas – with several new faces pioneering hops in new spaces.
So pour yourself a pint (or let one of Cola’s newest brewmasters take care of that for you), click the button below, and read all about Columbia’s freshest breweries. (Or watch – we made you a video walkthrough of all the new spaces. 📽)
🍺 Cottontown Brew Lab
📍 1223 Franklin St.
📆 Opening goal of August/September 2018
Photo by @cottontownbrewlab
❓What’s new: The first brewery on our list doesn’t have an open tasting room yet, but you can find their beer on tap around town at local events, Indah Coffee, Urban Cookhouse, The Whig and more. Currently, the 1,500-sqft. space doesn’t look like much more than an empty warehouse with state-of-the-art brewing equipment, but hopefully by the end of summer, you’ll be able to sip on their signature TropiCarolina IPA at their very own bar in Cottontown Tuesdays-Saturdays. If there’s enough space, they even hope to build a deck (yes, plz).
🍴Food // Flights:
Since cost-per-pint is regulated by law in S.C., the cost for a glass of a Cottontown Brew Lab beer will be close to the average cost you see at other breweries around town, $5-6. They also plan to serve large beer flights with samples of about 8-10 beers. Owner Zack Jones plans to have a restaurant open in space right next to the taproom, so you can drink + munch.
🍻 Order me: We love sippin’ on their Indah Coffee Stout (at Indah, of course), which combines a medium milk stout with dark-roast coffee. See the full beer list here.
🏆 Extra p(o)ints? Head brewer Brandon Evans and owner Zack Jones are talking about starting up a regular Home Brewers Night Out when the tasting room is up-and-running. Also, you’ll also be able to challenge your squad to a game of cornhole, which would be perfect for that possible outdoor deck.
🍺 Columbia Craft
📍 520 Greene St.
📆 Opened November 2017
Photo by @colatoday
❓What’s new: Columbia Craft’s taproom is cozy + approachable with a large bar, high top seating and regular tables, plus a small outdoor patio with a couple of picnic tables and a grassy area. They are looking into buying two more 20-barrel fermenters to join the five that they already have in production – to give you an idea of just how much beer they’re pouring in their taproom + distributing around town. They distribute their beers to 30 local restaurants and bars, including The Whig, Tazza Kitchen + Thirsty Fellow.
Be on the lookout for new barrel-aged beers coming soon, as well as a New England-style IPA and more sours; which will be rad, since all five barrels of the Citrus All Pro Pale Ale (one of our favorites to date) were gone in less than a week.
🍴Food // Flights: Pints are $5, or you can order a liter of the Columbia Craft Lager or a flight with four samples for $8. Their small snack menu includes hot dogs, brats, hummus, pretzels, nuts, chips + nachos. All I could ever ask for after consuming a lager liter, truly.
🍻 Order me: Our producer Beth is obsessed with the Guava Carolina Weisse, which is a friendly saison-style brew – not overly sour or sweet. Our editor Chloe loves the 007ession, a session ale. For hop lovers, order the Famously Hop IPA, which is brewed with four types of grain and dry hopped with Citra. Here’s the rest of their signature brews.
🏆 Extra p(o)ints? Every Monday is 25%-off for service industry folks, and on Wednesdays, Columbia Craft throws down with music bingo from 6-8 p.m. (How hype is that?) Also, we love the food trucks that pop up at the brewery a few times a week, like Ono Grindz and Wolf Pizza.
🍺 Hunter-Gatherer at the Hangar
📍 1402 Jim Hamilton Blvd.
📆 Opened January 2018
Photo by @colatoday
❓What’s new: Hunter-Gatherer’s latest full-production brewery + taproom space in Rosewood is in the newly renovated Curtiss-Wright Hangar (dating back to 1929) – and is now one of the only restored historic hangars of its kind in existence. The taproom space is 1,200+ sqft. (ft. booth seating + two bars), and they have a 1,000-sqft. space that’s available for event rental.
🍴Food // Flights: The hangar has a kitchen with two huge pizza ovens, so they’ve got you covered. There’s no table service, but oh-so-doughy pizzas + handmade pretzels can be ordered up at the bar. And of course they have flights (avoiding an airport joke here) with four beer tastings per serving.
🍻 Order me: Try their 2007 IPA. The story goes that the OG recipe was changed in ‘07 after Dave and Jaime Terry of Coast Brewing campaigned successfully to raise the alcohol level allowed in beer sold in S.C. Here’s a list of their other options.
🏆 Extra p(o)ints? In addition to literally being a historic aircraft hangar transformed into a brewery, HG’s new location also has an outdoor rooftop observation deck (with a rad view of The Wood) that can accommodate 40+ people.
🍺 River Rat Brewery’s Rooftop
📍 1231 Shop Rd.
📆 Opened March 2018
Image courtesy River Rat Brewery
❓What’s new: The best part about River Rat’s new rooftop deck is that it’s designed so that you never have to go downstairs. The area is complete with a bathroom, seating, fans, a TV, USB charger ports, and their full selection of food + drink. The only things that aren’t allowed upstairs are dogs and anyone under 21. Occupancy is only 40-50 people at once, so get ready to wait on Sunday Funday. #exclusive. You can also rent out the deck for parties and events.
🍴Food // Flights: The brewery features a full menu of food, as well as tons of brews, plus wine, champagne, and those Insta-famous prosecco pops.
🍻 Order me: We usually stick with their classic, the River Rat Red.You just can’t go wrong with it. See more of their brews here.
🏆 Extra p(o)ints? That view of Willy-B. I know where I’m tailgating next football season.
Ready to take flight? Here’s the full video tour. ⤵
Video by @colatoday
In more beer news: Cayce will be home to the Midlands’ largest brewery in late 2018, Steel Hands Brewing, currently being built at 2350 Foreman St., Cayce. The $4 million, 10,000-sqft., 30-barrel brewhouse will hold 150 people and will have an outdoor space, a restaurant + parking. Plus, they’ll distribute kegs and offer a full bottling line. 🍻
Shout out to all of Cola’s established breweries that have already won us over – Swamp Cabbage, Twisted Spur, Conquest and Bierkeller. And we can’t forget Old Mill Brew Pub in Lexington.
With summer just around the corner, we’re thankful that we have multiple spaces waiting for us to cool down with a cold beer. Now if we can just convince Hunter-Gatherer to host yoga on their observation deck...
