This guide covers 21 breweries, wineries, cideries, and a distillery. Twelve are in Chattanooga or just across the city line. The rest are within about an hour’s drive, mostly in North Georgia and East Tennessee.
Chattanooga’s craft brewing scene expanded steadily through the 2010s. The downtown cluster around Market Street and East MLK Boulevard anchors the scene. Southside, St. Elmo, and East Brainerd added taprooms over the years. Wanderlinger, Oddstory, and Hutton & Smith are the names locals mention most. Several Southside taprooms also host live music on weekends. The live music guide covers those venues in detail.
The North Georgia day trip is a different kind of outing. The Cartecay River valley near Ellijay runs through Georgia wine country. Mercier Orchards covers the cider side of that trip. Cartecay Vineyards and Engelheim are within a few miles of each other. Fall weekends fill up fast in that area.
Use the Type filter to separate breweries from wineries, cideries, and the distillery. Under Experience, Scenic narrows to spots where the setting is part of the draw. Dog friendly surfaces taprooms and beer gardens that welcome dogs. Food menu flags spots where you can eat well, not just drink.
Missing a spot? Send an email with the name and a note on why it belongs.
Map View of the Locations Featured Below
Experience:
1. Chattanooga Brewing Company .
One of the oldest craft breweries in the city, located downtown near the Market Street corridor. Year-round and seasonal taps rotate through a range of styles, with a taproom and outdoor space that draws both regulars and visitors. A solid first stop before a riverfront walk.
2. Oddstory Brewing .
Craft brewery with a rotating tap list and a taproom focused on the beer itself. Popular with locals for the selection and laid-back environment. Check their socials for seasonal releases and taproom events.
3. Chattanooga Whiskey Experimental Distillery .
Downtown distillery and tasting experience from one of Chattanooga's most recognized spirits producers. Tours and flights walk you through the production process and the whiskey lineup. The experience center is worth a stop even if whiskey isn't your usual drink.
4. Hutton & Smith Brewing .
Downtown brewery on East MLK Boulevard, often called the gold standard of the city's craft scene. Balanced IPAs and clean stouts, with a taproom open seven days a week. Bar seating faces the brewhouse, and the next room has shuffleboard. Food options vary by the day, so check before heading over hungry.
5. Wanderlinger Brewing .
East Main brewery and taproom with an outdoor beer garden that draws a crowd on good weather days. Known for a mix of approachable and more adventurous styles. Live music pops up on weekends.
6. Mercier Orchards Hard Cider .
Blue Ridge institution that's been running since 1943 as an apple orchard. The hard cider operation is the grown-up extension of that history. Tasting room pours a lineup of dry and sweet ciders, and the orchard setting is worth the drive on its own. Kid-friendly grounds, pick-your-own available seasonally.
7. Fannin Brewing Company .
Local brewery in the Blue Ridge area with a taproom and a rotating selection of craft beers. Worth pairing with a Mercier Orchards visit on the same trip.
8. Cartecay Vineyards .
Winery in the Cartecay River Valley near Ellijay. The setting — rolling hills, vineyard rows, mountain backdrop — is the main draw. Tastings available, outdoor seating on the grounds. One of the more established stops on the North Georgia wine trail.
9. Engelheim Vineyards .
Family-run vineyard and winery in the North Georgia mountains. Tastings, vineyard walks, and a quieter experience than some of the more visitor-heavy spots on the Blue Ridge corridor. Call ahead for hours and availability.
10. Dalton Brewing Company .
Craft brewery in downtown Dalton, about 30 minutes south of Chattanooga. Opened 2018 and holds its own for a city that size. Worth adding to a Dalton errand day or a southward drive.
11. Mash & Hops .
Cleveland's craft beer garden with 24 taps rotating through a broad selection of styles. Downtown Cleveland location makes it an easy stop heading north on 75. Outdoor seating and a relaxed setup that fits an afternoon as well as an evening.
12. Morris Vineyard .
Family-run winery in Charleston, about 25 minutes north of Chattanooga — closer than most of the day-trip spots in this guide. Handcrafted wines, free tastings, and a quiet rural setting that earns a separate trip. Open Tuesday through Sunday.
13. Lookout Winery & Venue .
Winery on US-41 in Guild, just west of Raccoon Mountain with views of the Tennessee River. Sixteen wines on pour, wood-fired pizza, and an outdoor setting that makes it easy to stay longer than planned. Natural pairing after a Raccoon Mountain bike or hike day.
14. The Georgia Winery .
Muscadine winery six miles south of Chattanooga in Ringgold, off Battlefield Parkway — the closest winery to the city in this guide. Over 20 varieties, complimentary tastings, and weekend winery tours. Easy add-on to any southbound day.
15. The Tap House — Empyreal Brewing .
St. Elmo brewpub with house beers from Empyreal Brewing plus 30+ rotating guest taps covering craft beer, cider, and non-alcoholic options. Full food menu and a neighborhood location that pairs well with a Lookout Mountain or Incline afternoon.
16. Five Wits Brewing .
Southside brewery on Long Street with a taproom pouring their own beers. A neighborhood staple in the Choo Choo corridor that keeps a low profile relative to some of the louder spots on the strip.
17. Mad Knight Brewing .
St. Elmo brewery on Tennessee Ave brewing their own beers with a taproom setup. Shares the neighborhood with The Tap House, so both are worth hitting on the same afternoon if you're already down at the base of Lookout Mountain.
18. TailGate Brewery .
Nashville-based regional brewery with a 7-barrel brewhouse on-site at the old Terminal Brewhouse space on Market Street. Full food menu and a large footprint that handles groups well. Not an independent, but they're brewing here.
19. Brewhaus .
North Shore craft beer bar on Frazier Ave with a rotating tap selection and a spot to land after Coolidge Park or the Walnut Street Bridge. They don't brew — it's a well-run multi-tap bar — but the selection and location earn it a place on the list.
20. Top of the Rock .
Brewpub at Jasper Highlands, about 35 minutes northwest of Chattanooga on the plateau above the Tennessee River Gorge. House-brewed beers and a full restaurant with the kind of views that make the drive worth it on its own. More of a destination than a quick stop.
21. Mean King Brewing .
East Brainerd brewery on Jenkins Road near Heritage Park, opened in early 2025. The whole place runs on a chess theme — beers named Queen's Sacrifice and Obscure Knight, chess tables on the floor, and weekly bingo and trivia nights. Rotating taps of hazy IPAs, porters, and fruited sours. The first real craft option on this side of town.
Most taprooms in this guide sell cans and bottles to go. Ask at the bar if you want something to take home. Hutton & Smith and Chattanooga Brewing Company both carry their core lineup in cans.
If you’re planning the Blue Ridge day trip, go early on fall weekends. Blue Ridge fills up fast during foliage season. Mercier Orchards, Cartecay, and Engelheim are within a 10-minute drive of each other. You can visit all three in a single afternoon.
This guide is updated as new spots open and existing ones change. If something’s moved, closed, or we missed a good one, send a note. A name and a quick reason it belongs is all we need.
FAQ.
What are the popular breweries in downtown Chattanooga?
Hutton & Smith Brewing on East MLK Boulevard and Chattanooga Brewing Company near Market Street are both well-established downtown options. Both are walkable from each other and from the riverfront. Chattanooga Brewing has outdoor seating. Hutton & Smith has a brewhouse-facing bar and shuffleboard.
Are there dog-friendly breweries in Chattanooga?
Chattanooga Brewing Company and Wanderlinger Brewing both welcome dogs. Wanderlinger’s East Main beer garden is the larger outdoor space. Confirm directly with the bar before bringing your dog.
Are there wineries near Chattanooga?
Several. The Georgia Winery in Ringgold is six miles south of the city. Morris Vineyard in Charleston is about 25 minutes north. For a wine trail day, the Blue Ridge and Ellijay area has Cartecay Vineyards, Engelheim, and Mercier Orchards Cider all within a short drive of each other.
Which Chattanooga breweries serve food?
Oddstory Brewing, TailGate Brewery, and The Tap House in St. Elmo all have food menus. Top of the Rock at Jasper Highlands and Lookout Winery in Guild also serve food. Use the food menu filter in this guide to narrow to these spots.
When is the best time to visit the Blue Ridge wineries from Chattanooga?
Spring and early summer are least crowded. Fall foliage from mid-October through November draws the biggest weekend crowds. If you go in fall, arrive before noon. Mercier Orchards runs pick-your-own apple seasons that bring families on fall weekends.
Which Chattanooga breweries have live music?
Wanderlinger Brewing and Oddstory Brewing both host live music on weekends. Check their social media for current schedules. The Chattanooga live music guide covers a broader list of Southside venues.
