DFW Beer Guide: 5 North Texas Breweries Every Craft-Beer Lover Should Hit
Dallas-Fort Worth is crammed with nearly 100 breweries these days, but these five spots keep winding up at the top of every local’s must-visit list. Plan a weekend (or an ambitious single-day crawl) and you’ll taste everything from award-winning pastry stouts to a cult-favorite hazy that helped spark the IPA craze in North Texas.
🌌 Celestial Beerworks — Dallas
Hidden just northwest of Uptown, Celestial pairs nebula-inspired murals with some of the juiciest hazies in Texas. Their taproom hype drops stay fresh thanks to one-off can releases like “Sell the Team” West Coast IPA, brewed this February as a cheeky nod to Mavs fandom. Expect soft, fruit-forward IPAs, rotating smoothie sours, and a steady calendar of pop-up vinyl swaps and art markets.
What to try: “Echoes of Light” DDH IPA if it’s on; otherwise grab whatever “Binary Star” variant is pouring.
🏗️ TUPPS Brewery — McKinney
After nine years in an old cotton gin, TUPPS moved into a massive four-acre playground in downtown McKinney’s Mill District last summer. The new digs add a full kitchen, rooftop views, and a rotating lineup of food-truck-friendly events (think Hops & Shops markets and live music almost nightly). Their core DDH Juice Pack IPA still headlines, but the barrel-program and wild-fermentation series now have room to shine.
What to try: “Full-Grown Man” imperial stout flight—each aged on a different adjunct.
⚔️ False Idol Brewing — North Richland Hills
Crowned Large Brewery of the Year at the 2025 Texas Craft Brewers Cup, False Idol backs up its metal-riff branding with elite hazies and pastry stouts that regularly clear 4+ ratings on BeerAdvocate. Grab a pour of “Blue Magic” DIPA or their “Gods & Monsters” barrel-aged series, then check the digital board—small-batch lagers kick surprisingly fast on busy weekends.
What to try: “Fenris Park” Italian-style pilsner between the heavy stuff.
🚀 Turning Point Beer — Bedford
Turning Point helped launch the DFW hazy renaissance, and they’re still stacking hardware—Untappd users just handed them multiple 2025 Community Awards. The suburban taproom stays unpretentious: retro arcade cabinets, dog-friendly patio, and staff who love nerding out about thiolized yeast. Check Instagram before you go; limited stout releases (“Orange Julius Caesar,” anyone?) sell out quick.
What to try: “Cosmic Slush” fruited sour on a Texas-hot afternoon.
💣 Manhattan Project Beer Co. — Dallas
Part brewery, part coffee shop, part scratch kitchen, MPBC leans into nuclear-themed branding but keeps the beer approachable. Flagship “Half-Life” hazy IPA balances citrus and gentle pine, while the taproom kitchen turns out surprisingly upscale bites—think duck-fat fries with beer cheese. Pro tip: grab a morning cortado, stay for the lunch menu, then hop into an afternoon flight.
What to try: “Plutonium 239” coconut porter with a side of churro beignets.
Planning Your Crawl
|
Neighborhood Cluster |
Distance Apart |
Ride-Share Time* |
Pro Tip |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Celestial → Manhattan Project(Dallas) |
5 mi |
~12 min |
Hit Celestial first for limited cans—they go quick when the doors open. |
|
Turning Point → False Idol(Mid-Cities) |
8 mi |
~15 min |
Saturdays fill fast; Turning Point opens at 11 a.m., False Idol at noon. |
|
TUPPS (McKinney) |
— |
— |
Make it a day-ender: live music on the beer-hall lawn most Fridays. |
*Times assume light weekend traffic; budget extra around 5-6 p.m.
Final Thoughts
Whether you’re chasing haze, pastry stouts, or a crispy lager, these five breweries capture the full spectrum of what makes DFW one of the most exciting beer scenes in the country right now. Plan your route, call a ride, and don’t forget to hydrate—North Texas summers (and triple-IPA flights) are no joke.
Cheers, and happy exploring!