Tower Taproom

Next to Riverwalk Stadium, home of the Montgomery Biscuits, Tower Taproom holds a specific claim to fame in Alabama’s craft beer scene: it was the first licensed self pour taproom in the state. Rather than ordering pints from a bartender, guests at Tower Taproom grab a tap card, walk up to a wall of 57 taps, and pour their own beer, cider, or wine directly, tracking their pour by ounce as they go.

The self pour system changes the whole rhythm of a visit. Instead of committing to a full pint from a menu description, guests can pour an ounce or two of several different beers before settling on a favorite, making Tower Taproom a genuinely useful stop for anyone who wants to sample widely across styles in a single visit. Touch screen displays above each tap line list details on what is currently pouring, and the tap lineup rotates regularly enough that repeat visitors tend to find something new each time.

Food at Tower Taproom leans into casual bar fare built to pair with a long session of tasting. Burgers, wings, and deli style items make up the bulk of the menu, served during both a midday lunch window and a longer evening dinner service. That combination of self pour beer and straightforward pub food makes Tower Taproom a natural stop for Biscuits games at the stadium next door, as well as a standalone destination on nights when the stadium is quiet.

The taproom’s location on Tallapoosa Street places it firmly within Montgomery’s downtown recreational district, close enough to the ballpark that game day crowds are a regular part of its rhythm during baseball season. On non game days, the space functions more like a standard neighborhood taproom, drawing a mix of downtown workers, craft beer enthusiasts, and locals looking for a relaxed weekday stop.

Tower Taproom keeps hours built around both lunch and dinner service. Monday through Thursday it runs from 11 AM to 9 PM, Friday extends to 10 PM, and Saturday hours run from 2 to 10 PM, with Sunday closed entirely. That schedule reflects its dual identity as both a lunch spot for the surrounding downtown offices and an evening taproom for craft beer regulars.

Because the self pour system relies on a card based tracking system rather than a traditional tab, first time visitors sometimes need a quick orientation from staff before diving in. The process is simple once explained: register a card, tap in at any of the 57 taps, and pour as much or as little as you like, paying by the ounce rather than committing to a full pint up front. That flexibility has made Tower Taproom a favorite for groups with different tastes, since everyone can pour exactly what they want without asking someone else to order for them.

The taproom’s tap wall also does double duty as an informal tasting classroom for guests curious about craft beer styles. Because pours can be as small as an ounce, visitors who might otherwise stick to one familiar brand end up trying a stout, a sour, and a local IPA in the same visit, often walking away with a clearer sense of what they actually prefer. That low pressure sampling format has become one of the taproom’s defining features among Montgomery’s craft beer regulars.

For anyone visiting Montgomery for a Biscuits game or exploring the downtown ballpark district on a quieter evening, Tower Taproom offers a genuinely different way to drink craft beer, built around choice and experimentation rather than a fixed menu. Its status as Alabama’s first licensed self pour taproom remains a real point of distinction in the state’s beer scene.