The best locally owned breweries near Auburn, Alabama, are in downtown Opelika, 15 minutes away: Red Clay Brewing Company and Resting Pulse Brewing Company sit a few blocks apart, with John Emerald Distilling Company and the 26-tap Whistle Stop Bottle & Brew on the same stretch of Railroad Avenue. You can walk all four in an afternoon and finish with dinner downtown.
This guide covers each stop, what makes it different, when it is open and how to string them together. For everything else to see and do in the two towns, start with our Auburn and Opelika guide.
Auburn and Opelika breweries at a glance
| Stop | Where | Best for | Food |
|---|---|---|---|
| Red Clay Brewing Company | 704 N. Railroad Ave., Opelika | A full evening, groups, trivia | Wood-fired pizza and pub plates |
| Resting Pulse Brewing Company | 714 1st Ave., Opelika | A quiet pint, Sundays | Check before you go |
| John Emerald Distilling Company | 706 N. Railroad Ave., Opelika | A distiller-led tour and tasting | No |
| Whistle Stop Bottle & Brew | 830 N. Railroad Ave., Opelika | Variety, families, beer to go | Bring your own or order in |
| Zazu Gastropub | 112 S. 8th St., Opelika | Beer with a scratch-made dinner | Full menu |
Are there breweries in Auburn, AL?
Yes, but the locally owned ones are in Opelika. Auburn’s own beer scene is mostly bars and taprooms around downtown and campus, including a campus brewpub on South College Street run by Georgia-based New Realm Brewing in partnership with Auburn University. For beer brewed by a local, independent brewery, drive the 7 miles to downtown Opelika, where the breweries, the distillery and the best beer bar sit within a five-minute walk of each other.
That short drive is worth it. Opelika’s downtown is a railroad district of restored brick storefronts, and the taprooms are part of a walkable strip of restaurants, galleries and shops along Railroad Avenue. Our guide to things to do in Opelika covers the rest of downtown.
Red Clay Brewing Company
Red Clay Brewing Company is the biggest and busiest taproom in Opelika, and the best choice if you want to settle in for the evening with food. It anchors North Railroad Avenue in a row of early 20th-century brick storefronts, and it takes its name from the iron-rich soil of the Alabama Piedmont. Its tagline, “our roots make us who we are,” sets the tone.
What to expect
The room is built like a gathering hall, with long communal tables, a bar rail that runs the length of the space and a view of the brewhouse. There is also patio seating. The beer list covers hazy and West Coast IPAs, session ales, stouts and seasonal one-offs, all brewed on site and rotated often enough that a return visit rarely means the same pint. Order a flight of half pours if it is your first visit.
Food and events
The kitchen is built around wood-fired pizza and pub plates, and Red Clay keeps wine and cider on hand for anyone skipping beer. Trivia runs Tuesdays at 7 p.m., and college football Saturdays bring watch parties with food and drink specials. Red Clay also runs pizza-and-beer deals on Wednesdays and Saturdays.
Hours
As of this writing, Red Clay is open Tuesday through Thursday from 4 to 9 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from noon to 10 p.m. It is closed Sunday and Monday.
Resting Pulse Brewing Company
Resting Pulse Brewing Company is the smaller, quieter of Opelika’s two breweries, a family-owned taproom on 1st Avenue a block or two off Railroad Avenue. Its founders came from healthcare, and the name reflects the idea: a place to slow down, catch your breath and spend time with the people around you.
What to expect
The room is unfussy and built around the bar rather than a stage or a screen, so it is easy to talk. The beer program pairs signature full-flavored beers with rotating seasonal and session beers, and because the brewhouse and taproom share the space, the beer rarely travels far from where it was made. The current tap list is usually posted near the bar. It is the kind of place where first-timers and regulars end up trading recommendations within minutes.
Hours
Resting Pulse keeps a schedule that fills the gaps Red Clay leaves. As of this writing it is open Sunday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., Tuesday from 4 to 10 p.m., Wednesday and Thursday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., and Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. It is closed Monday. That makes it the best Sunday afternoon beer in Lee County.
John Emerald Distilling Company
John Emerald Distilling Company, next door to Red Clay on North Railroad Avenue, is the stop that makes this more than a beer crawl. It is a family-owned distillery named for John Emerald Sharp, part of a family line that traces back to three Sharp brothers who came to America from Scotland.
The tour
Tours are led by one of the distillery’s own distillers, and they take you into the working distillery rather than a viewing gallery. You learn how the mash, fermentation and distillation work from someone who runs the equipment every day. Tours last 30 to 45 minutes and run at 1 p.m. on Monday, 1 and 3 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday, and noon, 2 and 4 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. A tour with three half-ounce tastings is $15, and a tour without tastings is $10. Children under 18 with a parent do not need a ticket. The distillery strongly advises buying tickets ahead, and groups of 10 or more should call.
What to taste
The signature spirit is a single malt whiskey made entirely from malted barley, with part of that barley smoked over peach and pecan wood, a Southern touch you will not find in Scotch or Kentucky bourbon. The lineup also includes a Double Oak Bourbon, a Double Wood Rye, Spurgeon’s Rum, Gene’s Spiced Flavored Rum and Hugh Wesleys Gin. Extra tastings, cocktails and bottles are sold in the tasting room after the tour.
Whistle Stop Bottle & Brew
Whistle Stop Bottle & Brew, at the north end of the Railroad Avenue strip, is not a brewery but it has the widest beer selection in town, with more than 26 rotating taps of regional craft beer, cider, wine, wine cocktails and mead. The owners describe it as a mashup of the bars from Cheers and Friends, a coffee-shop feel wrapped around a serious craft beer pub, and it calls itself downtown Opelika’s only dedicated craft beer sports pub.
It is also the most family-friendly stop on the strip. Kids and pets are welcome, board games are stacked by the tables, and you can bring in outside food or have nearby restaurants deliver to your table. Weekly bingo nights draw a steady crowd. Beer and wine are sold to go, and the shop also sells homebrewing and winemaking supplies, which makes Whistle Stop a resource for home brewers across Lee County.
Where can you eat with a good beer list?
Red Clay is the easiest one-stop answer, but for a proper dinner with a strong beer list, walk to Zazu Gastropub on South 8th Street. Zazu is a scratch kitchen that sources from local farms and suppliers, with separate lunch, dinner and Sunday brunch menus and a dedicated beer menu. Lunch runs Tuesday through Saturday from 11 a.m.
Other good pairings within a short walk or drive: Chuck’s Bar-B-Que on Short Avenue, smoking meat with a mustard-based sauce since 1976, for a late lunch before the distillery, and Cafe 123 on South 8th Street for a fine dining finish. The full list is on our Opelika food and drink page.
How do you plan an Opelika brewery crawl?
Start with a 2 or 4 p.m. distillery tour on a Friday or Saturday, then walk to Red Clay, Resting Pulse and Whistle Stop, in that order or reversed. The whole loop is a short walk.
- 2 p.m.: Tour and tasting at John Emerald Distilling Company (book ahead).
- 3 p.m.: A flight at Red Clay Brewing Company, next door.
- 4:30 p.m.: Walk a block or two to Resting Pulse Brewing Company for something quieter.
- 5:30 p.m.: Whistle Stop Bottle & Brew for one more pour and a growler or cans to go.
- 7 p.m.: Dinner at Zazu Gastropub or pizza back at Red Clay.
Practical tips
- Parking: Park once downtown and walk. Everything above is within a few blocks.
- Getting back to Auburn: Plan a designated driver or a rideshare for the 15-minute ride back to Auburn.
- Days to avoid: Monday, when Red Clay and Resting Pulse are closed and the distillery runs one tour. Sunday works for Resting Pulse, but Red Clay is closed.
- Football Saturdays: Red Clay hosts watch parties, so expect a crowd when Auburn is playing. Auburn’s remaining 2026 home games are October 24, November 7 and November 21.
What else is near the breweries?
Between pints, browse The Gallery on Railroad, in an 1865 building on South Railroad Avenue, or play a few games at Rock ‘N Roll Pinball, which serves beer and is 19 and up in the evening. If you are making a weekend of it, spend a morning hiking off the night before at Chewacla State Park, covered in our guide to Chewacla State Park and the outdoors around Auburn, and book a room using our guide to where to stay near Auburn University.
FAQ
What is the best brewery near Auburn, AL?
For most visitors, Red Clay Brewing Company in downtown Opelika is the best all-around pick, with beer brewed on site, wood-fired pizza and a big, social room. Resting Pulse Brewing Company, a block or two away, is the better choice for a quiet pint or a Sunday afternoon.
How far are the Opelika breweries from Auburn University?
Downtown Opelika is about 7 miles from Auburn University, roughly a 15-minute drive. Plan a designated driver or rideshare if you are heading back to Auburn after a crawl.
How much is a tour at John Emerald Distilling Company?
As of this writing, a tour with three tastings is $15 and a tour without tastings is $10. Tours run 30 to 45 minutes, several times a day Monday through Saturday, and buying tickets ahead is recommended.
Are the Opelika breweries kid friendly?
Whistle Stop Bottle & Brew welcomes kids and pets and keeps board games on hand, and children under 18 with a parent can join a John Emerald tour without a ticket. Red Clay serves pizza and is a casual room, but it gets busy later in the evening.
Are the breweries open on Sunday?
Resting Pulse Brewing Company is open Sunday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Red Clay Brewing Company is closed Sunday and Monday, and the distillery does not list Sunday tours.