In summary:

  • There are several breweries in which you can enjoy a beer in Raleigh, only a 15-minute walk from the city's more popular districts.
    • Plan for two to four stops, depending on your group, and we have included locations that offer food to help pace you
      • Consider leveraging one of the many brewery crawl tours in the area to do the hard work for you, and avoid driving by using GoRaleigh or a rideshare

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        While Raleigh has a strong sense of culture permeating its entire center, its museums and art galleries are essential to the region's identity. However, sometimes all you want is a fun evening carousing with your friends.

        These kinds of evenings take a lot more work than you expect to both plan and execute. So, allow this guide to help you understand which breweries are best for such an experience, and pick those that match your mood.

        By the end, you should understand what makes a good crawl route and be ready to start hyping yourself up to enjoy some of the best beer bars Raleigh has to offer.

        Are there any brewery hopping tours in Raleigh?

        Raleigh offers several tours, both chaperoned and self-guided, which you can use to ensure you hit all the essential spots in the evening. 

        The guided tours take place most weekends, featuring multi-stop events that require advance registration. Pickup for these tends to start downtown, and the group sizes range between eight and fourteen, depending on the size of the breweries and bars you visit.

        If you choose to go it without a guide, Raleigh has an official Beer Trail app, which allows you to plan your evening using it and then check in to prove how far you've traveled. It's much easier than searching for "local breweries near me" manually.

        Many tours and other resources offer plenty of hints and advice on what to try at each location, and many also provide beer-food pairings that are unique to the establishment you visit. 

        How many breweries are in Raleigh?

        We've previously covered some of the best Raleigh breweries. However, that doesn't necessarily mean they're all "crawl-friendly."

        Across the city, there are at least 40 breweries. When there are Raleigh beer events, you can expect this to fluctuate, even if that is only due to pop-up brewery options. 

        Brewery Bhavana

        A variety of house beers and their own Dim Sum make this location a strong contender for the mid-crawl food stop. If you're a large group, you may need to book a reservation, but it's also a short walk from other Moore Square locations, so you can skip it if time is an issue.

        Crank Arm Brewing

        If you have a love for the attitude that comes with owning a bike, Crank Arm offers a comfortable space with new flavors regularly. It's a great mid-crawl as it's close enough to other taprooms and bars to keep your momentum going.

        Trophy Brewing Pizza on Morgan

        Another exemplary option for mid-crawl food. Pies also arrive quite fast, meaning you can keep the crawl going after a quick stop-off, a bite, and a drink.

        Funguys Brewing

        Funguys offers flavorful ales and lagers with frequent new options as they work on new small-batch releases. So, no matter when your crawl is, you're likely to be able to try something you haven't had before.

        Edit Beer Co

        The styles here swing from easy-to-drink lagers to stronger, hoppy IPAs. However, if you are confused, the staff are more than happy to assist with their knowledge of the best craft beer in Raleigh.

        R&D Brewing - Seven Saturdays Taproom

        If you plan it right, you can end the evening with a trivia night. R&D Brewing has a spacious taproom and various options for group meetups. So, join in the fun and end the night on a social high.

        Frequently Asked Questions

        Is there a brewery train from Raleigh to Charlotte?

        While there are no themed "brewery trains," NC By Train does connect Raleigh and Charlotte, one downtown to another. As such, if you are coming from another local city, it should be easy enough to get there and back without a car.

        There are breweries within walking distance of the train. Alternatively, consider booking a rideshare if your planned establishment is a little further away.

        What is the average price of a beer at Raleigh breweries?

        Expect the typical pint to cost between $6 and $8, with the average price circling $6.25, according to Wise.

        However, if you are heading into downtown, you can expect the cost to be higher due to the premium experience, and if you choose higher-ABV drinks, the price may increase even further.

        What should I expect on a brewery tour?

        These services offer several key elements that you need to take the weight off of your shoulders when organizing a crawl, including:

        • Safe transportation
          • Guided tastings
            • Brewery walkthroughs
              • Pre-selected brewery samples

                As a note: Since these tours include brewery visits, we recommend wearing closed-toe shoes to avoid beer spills from touching your socks or feet. Trust us on this one.

                What are the oldest breweries in Raleigh?

                Among the oldest until recently was Big Boss Brewing. This brewery opened in 2006 and, to many others, is regarded as the pioneer that others followed.

                It was initially called Edenton Brewing. However, this eventually went out of business, and the location was purchased by Brad Wynn, who changed its name and has since enjoyed greater success. Sadly, that one then closed too, and so the longest-lived is currently Lonerider, which opened in 2009 and is still going strong now.

                Plan your crawl this weekend for the best beer in Raleigh

                Starting in the Warehouse District or Moore Square and moving from there, you can likely have a very enjoyable crawl. However, make sure to add some food so that you don't burn out too soon.

                If you want to stay updated on bars and breweries in the area, you can learn more about the opportunity to grab a beer in Raleigh by checking out WRAL's food and restaurant page.

                Alongside our 919 beer coverage and up-to-the-minute weather reports to help you decide on whether it's time to move on to the next brewery, we have everything you need to get the most out of such an event.