Does Sherman count as the Dallas area? It does when we’re talking about a brewery as unique as Sherman’s 903 Brewers. Best known for their stouts, their Down With The Pastryarchy series, and their beer slushies, 903 always has something new on tap. With a full food menu and a taproom that’s open six days a week, making the long trek up to Grayson County to try 903’s newest creations is worth the day trip. And if you can’t make it there, don’t worry: 903 distributes all over the Metroplex.

One of three breweries in Denton’s downtown area, Armadillo Ale Works contract brewed out of Deep Ellum for years before finally opening their spacious spot on Bell Avenue in 2018. Whether you’re looking for something light like their Scrappy Boy golden ale or something heavier like their Quakertown stout, which won a gold medal at the 2014 Great American Beer Festival, Armadillo’s taproom has you covered. There’s also coffee and, because it’s Denton, a food truck.

Looking for some double dry-hopped IPAs? Then head up 75 to McKinney, where Tupps has been cranking out the popular style for a while. Tupps’ DDH IPA series continues to expand the idea of what an IPA can be, with options as diverse as a pumpkin spice latte-inspired IPA to a honey cinnamon pineapple brew.

Operating out of the former home of Grapevine Craft Brewery, Hop and Sting has continued to make that brewery’s Sir Williams’s English-Style Brown Ale while also adding plenty of IPAs and stouts to the menu. Their Frigid Underworld stout series in particular is a good reason to head to Grapevine, where Hop and Sting is open seven days a week.

One can’t talk about stouts in DFW without talking about Lakewood. Their Temptress — both the base beer and the multiple flavor variations they produce, including peanut butter and salted caramel— is the most popular stout in the region. But Lakewood also produces year-round and seasonal beers in virtually every style, with a taproom in Garland that’s open Wednesday through Sunday.

You probably wouldn’t expect to find one of the most hyped IPA breweries in the country nestled beside a church in a Bedford strip mall, but you’d be wrong. Opened in 2018, Turning Point has quickly grown into one of the top breweries in the DFW area, in large part because of their focus on New England Style IPAs. With a taproom that’s open six days per week and an always rotating collection of beers, Turning Point is a must-try for those who are really, really into craft beer.

Another brewery that’s heavily invested in hoppiness, Celestial can be found just a short jaunt south of Love Field. Open seven days a week, Celestial always has plenty of New England-style IPAs on draft, most of which are available in 16 oz to-go cans. With a focus on freshness and a taproom that combines the owner’s love of beer with their love of space and art, Celestial is a must-visit.

Recently expanding to a second location in Downtown at 1508 Commerce, Pegasus City Brewery started out in a small space in the Design District. While other breweries in Dallas focus on IPAs and stouts, Pegasus City goes the opposite direction, with sessionable porters and ales. But don’t think that everything here is light, as their Belgian-inspired dubbel and trippel ales can certainly pack a punch. For something that’s distinctly different from the hop-focused breweries, Pegasus City should be on your list.

The most visible brewery in DFW thanks to its convenient spot along I-35 across from the American Airlines Center, Community is open seven days a week for beer to-go during the COVID-19 pandemic. While drinkers can’t enjoy a beer in their taproom right now, you can swing by and grab one of their many options, like their low calorie Hop Skinny IPA or their ever-popular Mosaic IPA. And for folks who are seriously missing deep-fried State Fair foods, there’s always the Funnel Cake Ale.

Opened in 2014, Texas Ale Project is another Design District brewery. Their tap room is open Thursday through Sunday, with a variety of worthy beers on offer. Their Fire Ant Funeral amber ale is a marquee offering, though the most exciting offering from the brewery isn’t even out yet. Later this year, the brewery will release its much-anticipated golden ale in collaboration with metal band Pantera.

The Deep Ellum brewpub is the place to go if you’re looking for some high-quality food to pair with a locally brewed beer. With a large outdoor patio, great burgers, and a huge list of beers on tap, it’s no wonder Braindead is such a popular spot. Braindead’s beers tend to be on the strong side as well, with a wide array of Belgian styles and wheat wines.

Once best known for the fully removable lids on their cans, Four Corners moved to using normal cans in 2019. But the beer inside those pop-top cans is still just as good. Unlike a lot of other local breweries, Four Corners mainly focuses on making a few core beers and on making them really well, like ultra-hoppy El Chingon.

Manhattan Project was brewing and distributing in Dallas for a few years before their taproom opened, but now it’s a fully functioning beer destination just south of Trinity Groves. Like most Dallas breweries, the IPAs are the star here, but Manhattan Project also has something for those who like their beer on the lighter side: the Necessary Evil pilsner. There’s also a full coffee shop and some freshly made fried chicken to pair with the brews.

Whether you’re a big fan of boozy cider or you’re someone who doesn’t like the options from the larger cideries of the world, Bishop is a great place to explore some interesting options, like their black currant cider or pecan pie cider.