Four friends’ home-brewing hobby turned into a full-fledged business in January 2013 with the launch of Atlanta’s Monday Night Brewery.



“We adopted the loosened necktie as our symbol of doing what you love after finding our passion brewing beer,” says cofounder Jonathan Baker. “Every necktie on our wall was donated by a fan, so the wall is constantly growing.” It’s won that following for brews like Fu Manbrew, a Belgian-style wheat beer with a punch of ginger.



The last decade has brought a resurgence of such craft breweries across the country. The coolest not only make outstanding beer but also are designed with a sense of place in mind, offering activities, brewery tours, and personality to match.



Cleveland’s Great Lakes Brewing, for example, honors its Ohio City neighborhood history by keeping an old painted general store ad on the façade. It hosts educational events like beer dinners and classes, and provides $1 biodiesel shuttle rides to and from Cleveland Indians and Cavaliers games.



“It’s just a cool place to hang out; our beers are obviously the biggest draw, but each room of our brewpub is different,” says Great Lakes’ communications coordinator, Marissa DeSantis, who recommends the upstairs tiger mahogany bar.



Taos Mesa Brewing makes the most of its New Mexico desert setting, with gorgeous views of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains from the taproom and stages for outdoor concerts.



No matter the location, these breweries are on a mission to share their passion for quality craft beer and foster community. So grab a mug, and let’s get started.