A Beer Story: Oklahoma City

In the middle of the American heartland sits a beer destination that you may not think of when it comes to great beer and great breweries... Oklahoma City! Sure OKC may not have the number of breweries some of its neighbors in Missouri and Texas have, but pound for pound OKC may be one of the most underrated beer destinations in the heart of the country.

Why may your ask? OKC features many breweries within walking distance of the downtown as well as a vibrant bar scene (especially in the Canal District) in and around the city. Even though OKC doesn't have the amount of breweries as Philadelphia, Tampa Bay, or Denver, the area has plenty of options that are within a short drive of the city. Places like Norman, Edmond, and Tulsa have plenty of breweries to keep you busy.

OKC has other unique venues to drink such as the previously mentioned Canal District. This "minor league" version of San Antonio's Riverwalk is carbon copy except that it's a tad smaller. Speaking of "minor leagues", you can grab a few beers at the OKC Comets baseball game located by the Canal area. You can even taste some great beers at the Oklahoma City Zoo just outside of town! And when you're all done for the day you can head back to the hotel and grab a local brew at the bar. We'll show you our hotel pick later on!

The Breweries

Most importantly are the breweries. That's why you're reading this I'm sure. As earlier stated, OKC does not have a massive amount of breweries, but it does have high quality breweries with fun and unique atmospheres. Prairie Artisan Ales is perhaps the only widely known brewery and for good reason. Prairie, hands down, is tops when it comes to beer quality. The taproom doesn't disappoint either which shares it's space with a few other businesses inside the same area including a pickleball court! Skydance Brewing is a short walk away and gets its name from Native American culture.

Another great brewery is The Big Friendly and on your way back make sure to hit The Angry Scotsman, Stonecloud, Core4, Anthem and Lively Beer Works all located within walking distance! What's also great about Oklahoma City is that you have that big city atmosphere without all that hustle and bustle the larger cities do. Makes it easy to get around and enjoy these great breweries.

Just outside OKC to the north is the small town of Edmond. Here you will find American Solera in a complex similar to Prairie in OKC where you have a number of small businesses sharing the same place. Beer quality alone at American Solera makes the trip to this small Route 66 town a must visit. While your there make sure to check out the main street and visit Frenzy Brewing!

Head south of OKC to another small town called Norman and check out FOUR breweries within a few blocks! Lazy Circles, BIG (Beer Is Good), Legally Brewed, and 405 Brewing make Norman a must visit for some amazing beer adventures! This small town would be enjoyable enough without these breweries, but for beer travelers this may be the perfect small town in the Heartland to visit!

Finally, we have Tulsa which is more of a hike than the other two towns. Tulsa features over 10 breweries so eat a big breakfast, stay hydrated, and pace yourself.....it will be a long day! No need to list all the breweries here but our favorite for beer was American Solera (again), but most underrated goes to Eerie Abbey Ales downtown! Pearl Beach Brewpub is mainly a volleyball club with a few sand courts so bring your beachwear!

Bricktown Canal

Bricktown is a district of Oklahoma City with dozens of repurposed brick buildings, many of which are over 100 years old. Here you will find Bricktown Brewing, ones of the earliest businesses in this area and one of the first breweries in all of OKC. However, Bricktown Brewing is the only brewery in the Bricktown District so if you're on the hunt for beer you better search one of the many bars and restaurants. Hidden away in Bricktown is the Canal. Anyone who has visited San Antonio TX will instantly be reminded of their Riverwalk. Here you can take a boat tour down and back looking at all the brick buildings and people going for a stroll along the beautifully landscaped paths.

You'll definitely be thirsty after all that so check out our pick for beer, The Bourbon Street Cafe and get a few local brews while sitting on the Canal walk!

OKC Comets

Baseball and beer go together so well and there's no better place in OKC than Chickasaw Park. This AAA affiliate of the LA Dodgers makes the experience feel more like a major league game. The historic ballpark features statues of Carlton Fisk and Micky Mantle outside and a field where you can watch from the upper deck, the lawn in centerfield, or above the bullpens. Plenty of beer options here, many of which come from COOP Ale Works who brewed a couple beer especially for the Comets!

Oklahoma City Zoo

What better way to spend the day than at the zoo? I know! A day at the zoo WITH BEER! Once again COOP Ale Works makes an appearance with their beers being the main craft beer option. Who doesn't love checking out some flamingos with a beer in your hand?? Probably shouldn't have too many beers at the zoo, however. You don't want to wake up in the Gorilla pit.

The Hotel

Staying downtown in OKC is a must. From the Bricktown Canal, to the OKC bombing site, and all the other breweries and attractions, downtown is the perfect spot to set up basecamp. Our pick for the hotel was The Skirvin Hotel, a turn of the century building with mind boggling architecture, classy lobby, and of course a bar with a great craft beer selection. Depending on what day of the week (such as Monday or Tuesday) many breweries may close early or be closed all together. The hotel bar is a great place to experience the local craft beer. Let's face it, staying at motel outside of town will come back to haunt you when it's only 8pm and everything else is closed. Spend a bit extra if you can and stay at The Skirvin. Great experience!

Hope this guide of Oklahoma City through our experience was a help! Check back for more Beer Stories on more underrated beer cities and towns.

Cheers!