Brew Expedition: 5 Places to Try in the Capital City

If you are a beer aficianado and prefer a local handcrafted brew, Little Rock has got you covered.

Here are five places in the capital city to get a delicious (and local) handcrafted brewski:

1. Diamond Bear Brewing Company, 323 S. Cross St. (will soon be moving to former Orbea building at 600 North Broadway St., North Little Rock): The company brews its beer according to the German Purity Law of 1516, meaning that they only use true beer ingredients: water, hops, yeast and barley. Diamond Bear serves up several craft beers, including Southern Blonde Ale, Honey Weiss, Presidential Porter, Pale Ale, Irish Red and more. You can find the beverages at liquor stores around central Arkansas and at Diamond Bear, itself, during the regular retail hours to grab a pint, six pack or even a keg of their creations. Its hours are 12 – 6 p.m. Friday – Sunday. They are only place in csentral Arkansas you can buy packaged beer on Sunday. Want to see how the brew process works? Take a tour at 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Get more information about the brewery here.
2. Vino’s Brewpub, 923 W. 7th: This local hot spot has an on-site micro-brewery that produces various ales, including the 6 Bridges Cream Ale, Firehouse Pale Ale, Pinnacle IPA, Quapaw Quarter Porter, Aphrodite Red Ale, plus more. Enjoy them on tap at the eatery with their great pizza or calzone or just take one home to drink later in one of their convenient growlers. Find out more info and get their full list of brews here.
3. Boscos Restaurant and Brewing Company, 500 President Clinton Ave.: The restaurant and micro-brewery has numerous beers brewed on-site and available on tap that are perfect pairings for their delicious grub. Get brewskis like the Famous Flaming Stone Beer, Bombay IPA, Downtown Brown and the Isle of Skye Scottish Ale — always on tap at the restaurant. Something special they offer is the award-winning Cask Conditioned Ale, produced using traditional British Methods and dispensed using its authentic beer engine. Check here to stay updated on when the ale will be available and call (501) 907-1881 for more information about the brews they offer.
   
4. Refined Ale Brewery, 2221 Cedar St.: The first black-owned brewery in Arkansas creates brews that contain imported German Hallertau hops. And what’s really cool is that they are the only brewers of malt liquor in the South. The premium malts they create are of the “English Bitter” classification of real ale. Check out their three different beverages, including Golden Light Beer, Malt Liquor and Refined Ale Brewery Beer sold at liquor stores around the area. See where you can find the local brews here. *Don’t have a tap room on-site.
5. Stone’s Throw Brewing, 402 E. Ninth St.: Arkansas’ newest nano-brewery opened its doors in downtown Little Rock last year, quickly becoming a popular joint featuring eight taps, including exclusive Stone’s Throw Brewing products and guest beers from local and regional breweries. Sip on a cold brewski while noshing on goodies from Loblolly Creamery, Hillcrest Artisan Meats, Kent Walker Cheeses, & Natchez Restaurant. If you can’t make it to the taproom, Stone’s Throw Brewing is currently on tap at the Flying Saucer, Professor Bowl, Big Orange Midtown, The Butcher Shop & The Joint. Get more scoop on the local brews here.

If you’re looking to travel outside of central Arkansas for a local handcrafted brew, click here to find a list of breweries around the state.