Are you flying into DFW International Airport or DAL Love Field and looking for local breweries to try? Our team in the area has compiled a list of breweries in the Dallas/Ft. Worth metroplex that have outdoor patios & beer gardens to allow for socially distanced drinking.
White Rock Alehouse & Brewery – Dallas, TX
The folks over at White Rock Alehouse & Brewery just took home a silver medal from the Great American Beer Festival for their White Rocktoberfest marzen beer. You can come sample their award-winning marzen (among their other great beers) at their industrial-style taproom & outdoor patio in the White Rock Lake area of Dallas.
The patio itself offers both covered & uncovered seating options that is dog-friendly and features an Instagram-worthy mural in the backyard.
COVID-19 update: the indoor taproom & on-site kitchen are open at limited capacity (large parties are limited to 10 people), and the outdoor beer garden is open for socially distant fun.
Our favorite beer at White Rock Alehouse & Brewery: Give their award-winning IPO hazy IPA (~6.5% ABV, ~50 IBU) a try. White Rock has been tinkering with this New England-style IPA recipe a lot. What better beer to try than a constantly evolving beer?
Vector Brewing – Dallas,TX
Check out this awesome brewpub in the Lake Highlands area with good food and even better beer. Vector Brewing’s seven-barrel brewhouse is complemented by an on-site scratch pizza kitchen so you can arrive hungry & leave satisfied.
Vector has a couple barrel-aging rooms, so we are looking forward to seeing what wild ales & boozy beers that become available at their taproom.
COVID-19 update: Vector’s taproom & outdoor patio are currently open to the public.
Our favorite beer at Vector Brewing: Want to venture out from the standard craft beer rotation of sours, IPAs, and stouts? Vector Brewing’s very crushable Pho Sho rice lager (5.2%, 10 IBU) features Asian-inspired notes of basil, lemongrass, and Thai chilies for a refreshing take on spiced beer.
Martin House Brewing Company – Fort Worth, TX
If skyline views are your jam, look no further than the backyard at Martin House Brewing Company’s location east of downtown Fort Worth.
Martin House is well-known for unique beers and highly anticipated releases. You can get your hands on their latest & greatest offerings on tap at their taproom and enjoy it from their massive outdoor patio that overlooks the Trinity River and downtown Fort Worth.
COVID-19 update: Martin House’s taproom & backyard are currently closed due to COVID-19 until further notice; visitors can still swing buy to purchase to-go beers.
Our favorite beer at Martin House: Sharks With Frickin Laser Beams Attached To Their Heads (10% ABV, 45 IBU) is a rich imperial stout with notes of coconut & sea salt. Martin House has some of the best can art in the DFW area, and with a name like this the can art doesn’t disappoint. Honorable mention goes to their Sugar & Spice barleywine (12% ABV, 55 IBU) that is perfect for winter sipping.
3 Nations Brewing Company – Carrollton, TX
A trip to downtown Carrollton may seem a bit out of the way for a DFW/DAL layover, but 3 Nations is easily accessible by car or via the DART light rail line (Downtown Carrollton Station). Built in a repurposed grain shed, the folks over at 3 Nations Brewing have built a two-story beer hall along with an historic outdoor biergarten area.
The restored building & outdoor space here is easily one of the coolest-looking breweries in the area. If you have a chance to visit, 3 Nations is worth a pit stop.
COVID -19 update: 3 Nations’ open-air beer hall, outdoor biergarten, and indoor taproom are currently open to the public.
Our favorite beer at 3 Nations Brewing Co: I am a sucker for imperial stouts, so 3 Nations’ Devout imperial milk stout (8.3% ABV, 25 IBU) gets the nod here. They offer seasonal varieties of this stout recipe (including an horchata version, a creme brulee version, and a marzipan version) that rotate throughout the year.
BrainDead Brewing – Dallas, TX
Talk to any local Dallasite about Deep Ellum and it brings up bittersweet memories of an artsy neighborhood that has become increasingly gentrified over the past decade. While some establishments are more welcome than others, BrainDead Brewing is one that I think everyone can root for as it offers tasty beer and a late-night kitchen open located near the Deep Ellum bar district.
Recently in the news for rift between owners over the potential demise of the location due to COVID-19, BrainDead still offers one of the most eclectic patios you can ask for in Dallas. The patio faces one of the main streets in Deep Ellum right next door to a bike shop and provides prime people-watching opportunities.
COVID-19 update: while a public message shared within the beer community threw the future of Brain Dead into question, the patio & taproom is still open. Go while you can & help save a local establishment.
Our favorite beer at BrainDead Brewing: It may seem a bit basic compared to some of the more complex beers that BrainDead is producing, but their Honey Lager (6.3%, 25 IBU) is straightforward & clean. When you just need a good lager to pair with bar food, reach for this American-style lager sweetened with a touch of Texas wildflower honey.
Texas Ale Project – Dallas, TX
Surrounded by interior design firms & furniture warehouses in the Design District, the Texas Ale Project team has created a community-focused brewery that has a large patio which often hosts different events. The brewery was built from the ground up and is very open & inviting with large windows and a drinking area that puts the production floor front & center.
COVID-19 update: the indoor seating area is open for walk-up orders, but head out to the open-air standing area or enjoy the socially distanced picnic tables available on the large patio.
Our favorite beer at Texas Ale Project: The Caucasian (9% ABV, 75 IBU), a Big Lebowski-themed imperial white stout, is oak-aged and golden in appearance with notes of coffee & vanilla bean.
Wild Acre Brewing Company – Fort Worth, TX
No list of brewery patios is complete without mentioning Wild Acre Brewing Company in Ft. Worth. The gated patio area is seriously impressive: the modern-industrial beer garden features both shaded & unshaded areas along with plenty of open grass & picnic seating areas.
The owners are well-funded and are clearly focused on enhancing the atmosphere for all visitors.
COVID-19 update: the taproom & beer garden are currently only open on Saturdays. Keep an eye on Wild Acre’s social media platforms to stay plugged in to the latest events & schedule updates.
Our favorite beer at Wild Acre: T-Hawk IPA (6.5% ABV, 75 IBU) is a widely distributed red IPA with a nicely balanced malt base.
Final Thoughts
No matter where you end up, the Standby With Me team always recommends drinking local. With locations like this in the DFW metroplex, you will have no shortage of great breweries to visit in the area.
Did we miss your favorite brewery? Let us know in the comments below!
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