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\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n Craft beer moves too quickly to take your eye off of who\u2019s doing what and why it matters for a second. After <\/span>updating our list<\/span><\/a> for the <\/span>past two years<\/span><\/a>, we\u2019re back with a fresh crop of movers and shakers.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Anne Becerra<\/b> is a beer consultant, educator and writer.<\/span><\/p>\n Kate Bernot<\/b> is a reporter and editor covering the beverage industry.<\/span><\/p>\n Kevin Kain<\/b> is a beer writer.<\/span><\/p>\n Ryan Pachmayer<\/b> is a beer writer and brewer.<\/span><\/p>\n David Nilsen<\/b> is a beer writer and educator.<\/span><\/p>\n Christa Sobier<\/b> is the owner of Beer Witch in Brooklyn, New York.<\/span><\/p>\n Don Tse<\/b> is a beer writer and podcaster.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
After so many premature\u00a0 predictions it became a running joke, it seems like we are <\/span>finally<\/span><\/i> in the age of the lager, and plenty of breweries are skewing their tap lists to celebrate all things traditional, easy-drinking and low ABV. That last quality is a general vibe as breweries prove that even today\u2019s moderation-interested consumer can still enjoy full-flavored options. The shift from wide distribution to a more niche focus is still growing, and breweries are appealing to local-minded drinkers through house-grown and -foraged ingredients. The experience for consuming these beers matters, too. Eager to motivate people to get off of their couches and drink on-site, breweries are leaning into conversation-starting practices, from using Czech side-pull faucets to tapping English ales on cask.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n
To help compile this list of the breweries making waves in 2025, beer writers, podcasters, educators and brewers weighed in. Some of these breweries are brand-new, some of them are decades old, but all of them are leading the way on exciting changes in the beer landscape.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/section>\n Known for: <\/b>A range of lagers poured traditionally on side-pull faucets
<\/p>\n It\u2019s no longer enough to simply be \u201ca lager brewery\u201d to stand out. Founded by Scott Novick, <\/span>Alternate Ending<\/span><\/a> makes a name for itself with, yes, exceptional lagers, brewed by Brendan Arnold. But what sets Alternate apart is that its beers span the globe: a foedered Czech-style lager, a crisp German-style pilsner, an Iberian-style lager made with paella rice and saffron, a Mexican-style dark and a Thai rice version with basil. When <\/span>Lukr, the Czech maker of side-pull faucets<\/span><\/a> for foam-crowned lager pours, launched its first U.S. tour of the \u201cPerfect Pour Academy\u201d to train tapsters on using the faucets properly, Alternate Ending was one of the few breweries to get certified. Taproom guests can enjoy aroma-packed pours in the three traditional Czech styles: hladinka, \u0161nyt and ml\u00edko.<\/span><\/p>\n
<\/p>\n \u201cWhen I heard Lukr was going to Alternate Ending, that put them on my radar and made me want to try their traditional-style lagers,\u201d says Christa Sobier, owner of Brooklyn, New York, bottle shop and bar <\/span>Beer Witch<\/span><\/a>. \u201cMy brother and I even took a road trip out to the taproom and they know how to pour properly; it was a great experience.\u201d Alternate Ending ticks a few more boxes on the list, with a unique taproom setting\u2014it\u2019s in an old movie theater, inspiring a subtle cinema theme for the brewery\u2014and a lineup of excellently brewed hoppy beers, too.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/section>\n
<\/p>\n Known for: <\/b>Czech-style lagers, brewed and served traditionally
<\/p>\n Try to bring up notable lager breweries in 2025 without mentioning <\/span>Cohesion Brewing Co.<\/span><\/a> and any beer connoisseurs in your presence will correct you. It has the good fortune of existing in Denver: Each fall, many in the craft beer community descend upon the city for the Great American Beer Festival, and afterward return to their cities singing praises of breweries there. And Cohesion has beguiled even the most discerning industry veterans with a devotion to nuanced Czech-style lagers, also served with care on Lukrs.<\/span><\/p>\n
<\/p>\n \u201cCohesion is one of the coolest, [most] on-trend breweries in America today,\u201d says beer writer and podcaster <\/span>Don Tse<\/span><\/a>. \u201c[They use] local ingredients, partnering with a local maltster to have a custom-made malt that works well with the authentic, Old World decoction mashing technique. Cohesion also uses open fermenters, horizontal conditioning tanks fitted with spunding valves that carbonate the beer naturally and, in the taproom, keeps the glasses in a temperature-controlled water bath and serves the beer through genuine side-pull taps.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<\/section>\n Known for: <\/b>Saisons, often made with uncommon ingredients
<\/p>\n Is\/Was<\/span><\/a> is another resounding vote for specialization in craft brewing\u2014and, like Continental lagers, also provides a repertoire skewing low in alcohol\u2014but founder Mike Schallau has committed to an even narrower niche.<\/span><\/p>\n
<\/p>\n \u201c[Is\/Was] appears to be making strictly Belgian-inspired, sessionable beers work as their whole ethos,\u201d says beverage alcohol reporter and editor <\/span>Kate Bernot<\/span><\/a>. \u201cKudos to them, in the year of our lord 2025.\u201d The brewery opened its taproom in October 2024, concentrating primarily on Belgian- and French-style saisons. It\u2019s a fairly rare style in contemporary American craft beer, but Schallau is building a reputation strong enough that the die-hard saison fans know where they\u2019ll find a gold mine of options, and others can build an appreciation for these farmhouse ales. Helping with that, Bernot adds, are the unconventional ingredients he uses in these beers, like agave hearts, sourdough bread and bison grass.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/section>\n Known for: <\/b>A diverse lineup of IPAs, pastry stouts, Scottish and English ales, and hard tea
<\/p>\n On the opposite end of the spectrum from narrowing focus, another approach to success as a craft brewery in 2025 is diversifying. It\u2019s one that <\/span>Milieu Fermentation<\/span><\/a> is employing well. Andrew Bergeron and Rob Bessett worked for Ursula Brewing before taking over the space and establishing Milieu. They\u2019re miraculously making something for everyone\u2014and doing all of it well.<\/span><\/p>\n
<\/p>\n \u201cIn 2025, nobody making great beer in Denver\/Aurora will go under the radar, so choosing \u2018Fermentation\u2019 instead of \u2018Brewing\u2019 in the name was a really good decision,\u201d says beer writer and brewer <\/span>Ryan Pachmayer<\/span><\/a>. \u201cIt signals to fermentation-curious folks that there\u2019s more than just beer there. The beer connoisseurs will come either way.\u201d Those beer drinkers will find juicy hazies, bitter West Coasts, a Thai banana stout and hard-to-find gems like Scottish ale, English pub ale, Baltic porter and table beer\u2014but Milieu\u2019s hard tea and the potential for experimentation in more categories will keep the company relevant for a wide audience.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/section>\n
<\/p>\n Known for: <\/b>Belgian-style ales, lagers and stouts
<\/p>\n Drawing on her former career in media research and consumer insights, Sarah Real analyzed data to get a grasp on consumer behavior before co-founding <\/span>Hot Plate<\/span><\/a> with husband Mike Dell\u2019Aquila. That planning paid off\u2014in 2024, the brewery\u2019s first year of business, they made <\/span>USA Today<\/span><\/i>\u2019s \u201c10 Best\u201d list for best new brewery, and have made beers in collaboration with marquee names like Patton Oswalt and Ben Folds. Real takes trendy styles like crisp lagers and complex farmhouse ales and pushes them forward with botanicals and spices.<\/span><\/p>\n
<\/p>\n \u201cAll of the beers I\u2019ve had from [Hot Plate] have been approachable and well-made while still being interesting and creative, which is a great combination,\u201d says <\/span>Anne Becerra<\/span><\/a>, a beer consultant, educator and writer, calling the chamomile blonde in particular subtle and elegant.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/section>\n Known for: <\/b>Classic styles inspired by bakery favorites
<\/p>\n The craft beer industry has notoriously done a pretty poor job of welcoming people of color even as consumers, let alone brewers, <\/span>let alone brewery founders<\/span><\/i>. The arrival of <\/span>Brown Girl\u2019s Brew<\/span><\/a> and founder Christina Thomas is both refreshing and important for the representation and visibility the brand fosters. The new operation\u2014already available at a number of bars, restaurants and grocery stores in the New York City area, as well as Total Wine & More for online sales\u2014has become known for its evocative flavors. Thomas pays homage to her mother, who owned a bakery in Chicago, with a carrot cake amber ale, Key lime pie ale, lemon pound cake lager, banana pudding hefeweizen and German chocolate cake stout. For today\u2019s flavor-driven consumer, Brown Girl\u2019s Brew stands to do well and subsequently have a positive impact on the industry\u2019s diversity.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/section>\n Known for: <\/b>A pioneering pale ale and a contemporary lineup of IPAs
<\/p>\n Even casual beer drinkers are aware of <\/span>Sierra Nevada<\/span><\/a>\u2019s role in shaping craft beer as we know it. Founded by Ken Grossman in 1980, this brewery helped ignite American thirst for hops with a pale ale many still consider a go-to. It laid the groundwork for fresh-hop IPAs with Celebration and set the gold standard in styles like barleywine and brown ale. Throughout the years, Grossman has developed methods for creating ever-hoppier but still balanced beers that have been adopted industrywide. That history is all well and good, but why is the company a brewery to know in 2025?<\/span><\/p>\n
<\/p>\n Sierra Nevada proves nimble and forward-thinking\u2014honoring its history without being precious about it. A few years back, the brewery established its Little Thing sub-brand that speaks to a whole new generation of beer drinkers with hoppy, juicy and even tropical hazies. Sierra Nevada also meets today\u2019s consumer demands with well-executed nonalcoholic beers, embraces a local emphasis by brewing estate beers with ingredients grown on-site and leads the industry in sustainable practices.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/section>\n
<\/p>\n Known for: <\/b>Ales made with ingredients foraged and grown on-site
<\/p>\n Opened in 2013 by Marika Josephson and Aaron Kleidon, <\/span>Scratch<\/span><\/a> has not only epitomized the \u201cbrewery as local fixture\u201d while others have chased endless growth, but they also have taken the local thing about 10 steps further.<\/span><\/p>\n
<\/p>\n \u201c[Josephson and Kleidon] forage herbs, flowers, nuts, tree bark, dead leaves, mushrooms and just about anything else edible they can find from their rural property to create beers that can\u2019t exist anywhere else,\u201d says beer writer and educator <\/span>David Nilsen<\/span><\/a>. \u201cIt\u2019s not a model most breweries can follow… which is kind of the point.\u201d A fennel stout, an elderflower saison, a sour brewed with toasted hickory bark\u2014these beers entice beer lovers as well as a growing number of people interested in hyperlocal creations and culinary tie-ins. Kleidon and Josephson even co-authored (with Ryan Tockstein) <\/span>The Homebrewer\u2019s Almanac<\/span><\/i><\/a>, an oft-cited reference on brewing with grown, gathered and foraged plants. <\/span><\/p>\n<\/section>\n Known for: <\/b>Sessionable hoppy ales and lagers
<\/p>\n In-the-know beer fans already had an eye on Zac Ross, who had brewed at Kent Falls Brewing Co. and The Answer Brewpub, when he landed at Twelve Percent Beer Project. While brewing for some of the most hyped hazy IPA and pastry stout brands through Twelve Percent, Ross quietly launched <\/span>Marlowe<\/span><\/a>, named for his late grandfather. He wanted to get more low-ABV but still full-flavored options circulating, and beers like his Eager to Share pale ale, with dreamy art by fellow Twelve Percent brewer Carla Waclawski, quickly drew notice. After many challenges finding a space of their own, Ross and co-owner Waclawski have settled Marlowe into a Westchester taproom.<\/span><\/p>\n
<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t think Zac\u2019s intent was to brew an array of beers, as much as he wants to brew approachable and sessionable beers,\u201d says beer writer <\/span>Kevin Kain<\/span><\/a>. \u201cIt just so happens that whatever style he brews, he does a pretty damn good job, and his customers respond well.\u201d Kain describes the Marlowe taproom as having more of a pub feel, with conversations between Ross and guests often breaking out over cask pours of English ales or side-pull German lagers.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/section>\n Known for: <\/b>Well-balanced pale ales
<\/p>\n After launching its lineup out of brewery incubator Pilot Project in 2021, <\/span>Funkytown<\/span><\/a> appeared in <\/span>our 2023 roundup<\/span><\/a> based on two momentous years of growing distribution; brewing excellent pale ales, amber ales and witbiers; winning awards; and building a vital bridge to underserved consumers, particularly people of color, in the craft beer space. Funkytown returns to our list as founders Richard Bloomfield, Zachary Day and Gregory Williams are planning to open a taproom in 2025. The trio is <\/span>currently fundraising<\/span><\/a> in order to establish a space on Chicago\u2019s West Side, where their enthusiastic fans will be able to enjoy the brewery\u2019s fruity Belgian-style pale ale, tropical mango pale ale and caramel-flavored Irish red. With four years under its belt, the brewery has hit its stride and made a name, and it will be exciting to watch what kind of space they create, how their beers evolve and what kind of events take shape.<\/span>Experts Featured<\/h3>\n
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\n<\/span>Can to know: <\/b>Pivovarsk\u00fd B\u00e1l 12\u00b0 Plato Czech-Style Foeder Lager<\/span><\/p>\n
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\n<\/span>Draft to know: <\/b>Cohesion 10\u00b0 Czech-style pale lager<\/span><\/p>\n
\n<\/span>Bottle to know:<\/b> Spandrel, a saison with aged hops, raw spelt and Brettanomyces<\/span><\/p>\n
\n<\/span>Can to know: <\/b>Be Dope Hazy IPA<\/span><\/p>\n
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\n<\/span>Can to know: <\/b>Capable of Anything Chamomile Blonde Ale<\/span><\/p>\n
\n<\/span>Can to know: <\/b>Carrot Cake Style Amber Ale<\/span><\/p>\n
\n<\/span>Can to know: <\/b>Celebration Fresh Hop IPA<\/span><\/p>\n
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\n<\/span>Bottle to know: <\/b>Wild Carrot & Nettle light golden farmhouse ale\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n
\n<\/span>Can to know: <\/b>Eager to Share American pale ale<\/span><\/p>\n
\n<\/span>Can to know:<\/b> Hip-Hops and R&Brew American Pale Ale with orange zest<\/span><\/p>\n
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