Craft Beer in Southern Alabama

Fairhope Brewing Company in Fairhope, AL

Few things rival the satisfaction of an ice cold craft brew on a hot Alabama summer day. The
 craft beer scene has exploded across the United States in recent years thanks to the loosening of local
 alcoholic beverage regulations and coastal Alabama is no exception to this trend. In Baldwin County,
 Alabama, you will find two exceptional craft breweries; Fairhope Brewing Company and Big Beach 
Brewing Company. In neighboring Mobile County across Mobile Bay, you will find an outstanding trio of 
newly opened craft breweries: Serda Brewing Company, Haint Blue Brewing Company, and Iron Hand 
Brewing Company.


Big Beach Brewing Company, a mere two miles north of downtown Gulf Shores, has a tap
station of twelve beers as well as made-from-scratch lemonade for those who do not partake in 
alcoholic beverages. This establishment does not serve food, but highly encourages patrons to order 
delivery from nearby restaurants or to B.Y.O.F (Bring Your Own Food) from home! Big Beach also has a
 selection of snacks and curated meats to satisfy your hunger. Take a trip to Big Beach Brewing Company 
located at 300 E 24th Avenue. You won’t regret it!

Fairhope Brewing Company in Fairhope, Alabama, is my favorite local brewing company. 
Opening its doors in 2013 at 914 Nichols Avenue it was the first craft brewery established in L.A. (no, not 
Los Angeles…Lower Alabama!) Fairhope has fifteen craft beverages on tap with selections ranging from 
ciders, IPAs, stouts, ports, and more. On Wednesdays, there is live trivia with a rotating selection of food
trucks parked outside of the establishment (pro tip: if you like burgers, Bleus Burgers Food Truck is one 
you don’t want to miss out on).


Across the bay in Mobile, Alabama, Serda Brewing Company can be found. Located at 600 
Government St, it has an excellent outdoor area along one of the main stretches in the city. This
 establishment has one of the best weekday deals in town; half off all drinks and $22 cases of 24 mix-
and-match craft beers on Mondays. Serda also offers growler fills of 32oz, 64oz, and 128oz. Along with
 fourteen craft beer selections you can also stray off the beaten path with four options of wine. If you are 
looking for a vibrant inner-city brewery, this is the place for you!


A hop, skip, and a jump away from Serda Brewing Company at 806 Monroe Street is Haint Blue
 Brewing Company. These two brewing establishments are only 0.3 miles apart so walking between the
two is feasible and cuts out the cost of transportation. Haint Blue is home to one of my favorite local
 beers, the Haint Blue IPA. Haint Blue has a smaller selection of house brewed beer than the 
aforementioned breweries, but the quality is excellent. Be sure to check out local Mobile musicians 
during their live music nights as well.
 This brings us to our last brewery (for now) in L.A., Iron Hand Brewing Company. This
 establishment is technically what is called a ‘brewpub’ as it has a full menu of food along with a bar
menu including spirits and wine. Here you can try out a varied selection of American, British, and 
German food made from scratch including but not limited to: Burgers, pizza, shepherd’s pie, bangers 
and mash, pretzels, sauerkraut, and bratwurst! If you like board games that is also an option here. Come 
on down to 206 State Street if you are looking for an all-inclusive night out!