1. Baileson Brewing Co.
2322 Bissonnet St., Houston
832-516-9828. www.bailesonbrewing.com
Dog friendly, patio/outdoor seating
Nestled in a former 1950's gas station, Baileson Brewing Co. attempted to preserve the original feel of a space that once catered to the local neighborhood’s automotive needs.It is a part of the philosophy that fed and shaped co-owners Sarah Pope and Adam Cryer when they opted to open a small brewery in the Boulevard Oaks neighborhood, just on the outskirts of Rice Village.
“We’re a small pub right in the middle of a neighborhood in an area that really didn’t have a brewery presence,” Pope said. “Most breweries were larger production breweries that were warehouses and required more land, but we wanted to be smaller and a part of the community and neighborhood.”
The name for the brewery, “Baileson,” was concocted by merging their dogs’ names—Bailey and Jameson. Their influence shapes the brewery, from the logo to the dog-friendly atmosphere.
Baileson Brewing is also known for its IPAs.
“It’s a style that we really love to drink, and so we love to make it, but there’s always a different beer on the board,” Pope said.
2. 8th Wonder Brewery
2202 Dallas St, Houston713-581-2337. www.8thwonder.com
Dog friendly, patio/outdoor seating
Founded in 2013, this brewery in East Downtown infuses its lineup of year-round and seasonal brews with Houston-inspired names, from Weissteimer (a hefeweizen) to Rocket Fuel (a Vietnamese coffee porter). Its own name is a nod to the Astrodome, once heralded as the “eighth wonder of the world.”
3. Buffalo Bayou Brewing Co.
2101 Summer St., Houston
713-714-3335. www.buffbrew.com
Dog friendly, in-house kitchen, patio/outdoor seating
Founded in 2011 by Rassul Zarinfar and Ryan Robertson, Buffalo Bayou Brewing Co. started humble and grew into 8,000 barrels produced in kegs, cans and bombers with a statewide distribution. The brewery is known for its boundary-pushing beers, created from rather unique ingredients: minty stouts, copper ales, and even pink beer made with hibiscus.
4. Equal Parts Brewing
3118 Harrisburg Blvd, Houston
346-352-3190. www.equalpartsbrewing.com
Dog friendly, patio/outdoor seating
Formerly known as Sigma, this East End brewery adopted a new name in October to acknowledge that the brewery “equally belongs to our staff and our community,” according to a post by its owners. Brews include a wide range, including hazy IPAs, porters and sours.
5. Eureka Heights Brewing Co.
941 W. 18th St., Houston
832-953-4677. www.eurekaheights.com
Dog friendly, patio/outdoor seating
Named for the nearby Eureka oil field site (look out for the historical exhibit inside), this neighborhood brewery offers a lineup of beers with lower alcohol content (usually under 8%). Look for fun names, like Big Boss and Mostly Harmless, and ask about how to find Betty White.
6. Holler Brewing Co.
2206 Edwards St., Ste. A
832-781-0555. www.hollerbeer.com
Dog friendly, patio/outdoor seating
Wife-and-husband team Kathryn and John Holler founded this Sawyer Yards brewery in November 2016. While offerings rotate seasonally, its current lineup includes pilsners, a Citra-forward IPA and a milk stout. Look out for popup chefs and food truck offerings.
7. Local Group Brewing
1504 Chapman St., Houston
713-429-1884. www.localgroupbrewing.com
Dog friendly, in-house kitchen, patio/outdoor seating
Guests at this brewpub can take in downtown views from the patio while sampling from 14 taps, including Horchatanita, a milky, sweet blend evoking the Hispanic drink with cinnamon and vanilla, along with more traditional offerings like Diamond Hands, a brown ale.
8. New Magnolia Brewing Co.
1616 Bevis St., Houston
www.instagram.com/newmagnoliabrewing
Dog friendly, patio/outdoor seating
This brewery opened in late 2019 in the Heights area, offering English, German, Belgian, Czcech and other brews. Popular brews now available in cans include Heights Light Lager and WYSIWYG, a juicy IPA. Its name honors the former Houston brewery Magnolia.
9. Platypus Brewing
1902 Washington Ave., Ste. E, Houston
832-742-5503. www.platypusbrewing.com
Dog friendly, in-house kitchen, patio/outdoor seating
This brewery embraces one passion that its Texan and Australian partners share: crafting great beer. With IPAs, a variety of Porters including coffee and Baltic, Ales, Stouts, and different Lagers, Platypus offers a wide variety of craft beer with a friendly and relaxed neighborhood environment for people to come together.
10. Saint Arnold Brewing Co.
2000 Lyons Ave., Houston
713-686-9494. www.saintarnold.com
Dog friendly, in-house kitchen, patio/outdoor seating
Saint Arnold shipped its first keg of beer on June 9, 1994, making this the oldest craft brewery in Texas. A dedicated crew brews, filters, kegs, bottles, and sells the beer at an expansive location north of downtown. Saint Arnold has award-winning ales and IPAs, and even brews its own root beer.
11. True Anomaly Brewing
2012 Dallas St., Houston
346-704-5701. www.trueanomalybrewing.com
Dog friendly, patio/outdoor seating
Founded by current and former NASA employees, this brewery comes decked out with space themes. It specializes in Old World-style brews as well as wild and sour ales and ongoing experimentation. Brews are available on tap as well as a selection of bottles.
12. Under the Radar Brewery
1506 Truxillo St., Houston
281-974-1473. www.undertheradarbrewery.com
Dog friendly, patio/outdoor seating
Opening in 2016, this small brewery lives up to its name, blending into the neighborhood just outside Midtown with a secluded, tree-shaded beer garden. Guests can choose from up to 15 taps, with blonde and brown ales, porters, IPAs and experimental options, as well as Komboocha fermented tea.
13. Urban South HTX
1201 Oliver St., Ste. 10, Houston
713-750-9670. www.urbansouthbrewery.com
Dog friendly, patio/outdoor seating
Urban South HTX celebrated its one-year anniversary in February. With a new 14,000 square-foot facility, including a 10-barrel brewhouse, canning line, a dedicated barrel and blending room, and a taproom, Urban South HTX produces creative, Houston-specific experimental beers.
