Roanoke, Virginia has become an awesome craft beer city because the brewery scene is easy to explore, locally rooted, and varied enough to keep a beer trip interesting. You can spend a day downtown, branch out toward Salem or Vinton, or build a full weekend around breweries, food, music, hiking, and Blue Ridge views.
This guide highlights some of the best craft breweries in Roanoke, VA and the surrounding area, including Three Notch’d, Big Lick, Golden Cactus, A Few Old Goats, and several other Roanoke Valley beer stops worth knowing. Tap lists change quickly, so use the beer mentions here as examples and check each brewery’s current menu before you go.
Why Roanoke, VA Is A Great Craft Beer Destination
Roanoke gives visitors several craft beer options without making the day complicated. Downtown has several taprooms close enough to build a walking route. The wider Roanoke Valley adds more breweries in Salem, Vinton, and nearby neighborhoods. That gives beer fans a mix of small taprooms, larger gathering spaces, brewpubs, pilot breweries, and more specialized beer programs.
A few things make the Roanoke craft brewery scene stand out:
- Walkable downtown breweries: Big Lick, Golden Cactus, Three Notch’d, Starr Hill, Olde Salem, and Blindhouse all help make downtown Roanoke a practical beer destination.
- Different brewery personalities: Some breweries are built for patios and events, while others lean into small-batch brewing, food, fermentation, or live music.
- Range of beer styles: Roanoke-area breweries cover IPAs, lagers, stouts, sours, saisons, smoked wheat beers, pub ales, and taproom-only releases.
- Food-friendly brewery trips: Three Notch’d, Twisted Track, and several others make it easy to pair beer with a full meal.
- Blue Ridge travel appeal: Roanoke is already a strong outdoor destination, and the brewery scene gives people a reason to stay after the hike, ride, or road trip.
Downtown Roanoke Breweries To Begin Your Tour
Downtown Roanoke is the easiest place to start because several breweries are close to one another. If someone is visiting Roanoke for the first time, this is the most natural starting point.
1. Three Notch’d Craft Kitchen And Brewery In Downtown Roanoke
Three Notch’d Craft Kitchen and Brewery brings a larger Virginia brewery name to downtown Roanoke, but the Campbell Avenue location is an excellent local beer stop. It has great beer, a full food menu, cocktails, wine, brunch, and a gathering space, so it fits groups that want more than a quick pint.
Three Notch’d is Known For:
- Full craft kitchen and brewery experience
- Downtown Roanoke location on Campbell Avenue
- Core beers, rotating releases, cocktails, and food
Three Notch’d Go-To Beers:
- Minute Man IPA: One of the brewery’s recognizable IPA names.
- 40 Mile: A year-round Three Notch’d beer.
- Duke of Clouds or Emperor of Clouds: Good examples of the brewery’s hazy IPA side.
- GOSE-RILLA: A gose option for people who like tart beer.
Three Notch’d is one of the easiest choices among Roanoke breweries for all kinds of families and groups. It is the perfect stop for dinner, lunch, happy hour, brunch, or a longer stop when food matters as much as beer.
2. Big Lick Brewing Company In Downtown Roanoke
Big Lick Brewing Company is one of the main names in the Roanoke beer scene. The brewery describes itself as a downtown microbrewery, taproom, and beer garden focused on quality and variety. It has a large taproom, outdoor seating, and a strong downtown presence.
Big Lick is Known For:
- Large downtown taproom
- Outdoor beer garden
- Broad tap list
- Roanoke craft beer name recognition
Big Lick Go-To Beers:
- Leicht & Frisch: A German light lager example from the tap list.
- Smokin’ Teddy: A Grodziskie, which is a historical smoked wheat beer style.
- Old School IPA: A familiar IPA option for hop fans.
- Golden Sunrise Coffee Cream Ale: A more unusual cream ale example.
Why Visit
Big Lick is the right stop for people who want the classic downtown Roanoke brewery feel. It has enough room for groups and enough range for people with different beer preferences.
3. Golden Cactus Brewing In Downtown Roanoke
Golden Cactus Brewing brings one of the most colorful brewery personalities in Roanoke. The brewery is located on 5th Street SW and is known for a creative tap list, a relaxed patio, and beers that give people something to talk about.
Golden Cactus is Known For:
- Creative small-batch beer
- Patio atmosphere
- Playful beer names
- Experimental styles
Golden Cactus Go-To Beers:
- Piña: A hazy session IPA brewed with Dolcita hops, with tropical and citrus notes.
- Paddy Wampus: A dry Irish stout brewed with dark roasted malt and poured through a side-pull faucet.
- The Bandit: A Grodziskie brewed with oak-smoked wheat malt.
- Pickle Rick: A kettle sour with pickle-inspired herbs, salt, and Sorachi Ace hops.
Why Visit
Golden Cactus is the Roanoke brewery to keep on your list when you want something a little stranger, brighter, and more experimental than a standard taproom lineup.
4. A Few Old Goats Brewing In Downtown Roanoke
A Few Old Goats Brewing, often shortened to AFOG, opened in 2018 as a 2-barrel nano brewery on the west end of downtown Roanoke. It has the feel of a true neighborhood brewery, with small-batch beer and a local following.
AFOG is Known For:
- 2-barrel nano brewery setup
- West End Roanoke location
- Neighborhood taproom feel
- Roanoke and Buchanan locations
AFOG is Go-To Beers:
- Goatmeal Stout: An oatmeal stout.
- Take the Points: An American brown ale.
- Lil’ Red: An Irish red ale.
- Czech Yourself: A dark lager example from the tap list.
Why Visit
AFOG is a good contrast to some of the larger Roanoke beer spaces. It feels smaller, more personal, and more old-school in the best way. If you like brown ales, red ales, stouts, and neighborhood brewery energy, put it on the route.
5. Starr Hill Pilot Brewery and Side Stage In Downtown Roanoke
Starr Hill Pilot Brewery and Side Stage gives Roanoke a taproom from one of Virginia’s established craft brewery names. The Roanoke location includes a pilot brewery, Side Stage music identity, outdoor patio, and on-site parking.
Starr Hill is Known For:
- Pilot brewery format
- Live music and events
- Outdoor patio
- Virginia craft beer history
Starr Hill Go-To Beers:
- Northern Lights IPA: One of Starr Hill’s long-running IPA names.
- Jomo Vienna Lager: A malt-forward lager option.
- Pilot batches: The Roanoke location is built around smaller releases and taproom updates.
Why Visit
Starr Hill is a smart choice when music, events, and a familiar Virginia brewery name are part of the plan. It also gives downtown Roanoke another option beyond the smaller independent taproom model.
More Roanoke Area Breweries Worth Adding To The Route
Once you get beyond the downtown cluster, the Roanoke Valley brewery scene opens up. These breweries are worth knowing if you are building a longer beer trip.
1. Twisted Track Brewpub In Roanoke
Twisted Track Brewpub is a locally owned and operated brewpub on Shenandoah Avenue NW. They serve beer and food made on site, with a menu that includes burgers, wings, pizza, sandwiches, appetizers, and salads.
Twisted Track is Known For
- Full-service brewpub setup
- Food made on site
- Large open taproom
- Light lagers, IPAs, sours, dark beers, ciders, and wine
Twisted Track Beers To Look For
Twisted Track’s lineup changes, but the brewery’s own description points to light lagers, IPAs, sours, darker beers, and creative small-batch brews from its pilot system.
Why Visit
Twisted Track is built for people who want a brewery meal, not just a flight. It is especially useful when the group includes people who care as much about dinner as the tap list.
2. Parkway Brewing Company In Salem, VA
Parkway Brewing Company is located in Salem and has been part of the Roanoke Valley beer scene since 2012. Parkway operates a 30-barrel brewhouse and a pilot brewhouse, giving it the ability to produce distributed beers while still offering tasting room releases.
Parkway Brewing is Known For:
- Salem taproom
- Larger production brewery
- Blue Ridge identity
- Live music, community events, and pilot batches
Parkway Brewing Go-To Beers:
- Get Bent Mountain IPA: A core IPA name from Parkway.
- Majestic Mullet: A Kölsch-style beer.
- Ravens Roost: A Baltic porter.
- Flat Top Lager: An American lager.
Why Visit
Parkway is one of the bigger Roanoke Valley brewery names. It is a strong fit when you want a production brewery with a full local taproom experience.
3. Twin Creeks Brewing In Vinton, VA
Twin Creeks Brewing brings Vinton into the Roanoke-area brewery conversation. The brewery has built a reputation around community, live music, and accessible craft beer.
Twin Creeks is Known For:
- Vinton location
- Community events
- Live music
- Easy-drinking craft beer styles
Twin Creeks Go-To Beers:
- Summerfield Blonde: A blonde ale example.
- Slow Water Porter: A darker beer option.
- All About That Amber: An amber ale example.
Why Visit
Twin Creeks makes sense for people who want to see the Roanoke Valley beer scene beyond downtown. It gives the route a more local, community-focused feel.
4. Blindhouse Beer In Roanoke
Blindhouse Beer is one of the more distinctive beer projects in Roanoke. The brewery describes itself as a brewery and bière cafe, and it hosts private events and alternative music.
Blindhouse is Known For:
- Bière cafe format
- Alternative music events
- More specialized beer identity
- Downtown Roanoke presence
Blindhouse Go-To Beers:
Blindhouse’s beers rotate frequently. Check the brewery’s latest updates before visiting, especially if you are looking for mixed-culture, saison-inspired, or more fermentation-driven beers.
Why Visit
Blindhouse gives Roanoke a different kind of beer room. It is less about the standard brewery checklist and more about mood, music, and a focused beer experience.
How To Plan A Roanoke, VA Brewery Day
A simple Roanoke brewery route can start downtown and expand from there. Keep it flexible, check hours, and make sure food is part of the plan.
Downtown Route
- Big Lick Brewing Company
- Golden Cactus Brewing
- Three Notch’d Craft Kitchen And Brewery
- A Few Old Goats Brewing
- Starr Hill Pilot Brewery And Side Stage
- Blindhouse Beer
Roanoke Valley Add-Ons
- Twisted Track Brewpub in Roanoke
- Parkway Brewing Company in Salem
- Twin Creeks Brewing in Vinton
Best Approach
Start with the brewery that fits your group best. Choose Three Notch’d or Twisted Track if food is important. Choose Golden Cactus if you want more experimental beer. Choose Big Lick if you want a larger downtown beer garden. Choose AFOG if you want a smaller neighborhood taproom. Add Parkway or Twin Creeks when you want to stretch the trip outside downtown.
Hopwear and The Roanoke Craft Brewery Scene
Roanoke’s brewery scene is exactly the kind of beer culture Hopwear was created to celebrate. These breweries are all unique. Big Lick has downtown beer garden energy. Golden Cactus is creative and playful. AFOG feels like a neighborhood nano brewery. Three Notch’d brings food, beer, and gathering space together. Parkway has production strength. Blindhouse takes a more specialized path.
Hopwear turns that kind of brewery personality into limited-run apparel. We collaborate with independent breweries to create one tee per brewery per month. Each design is limited to one run, and once it is gone, it is gone.
Brewery shirts should be connected to the places people actually visit and love.
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