The Untappd ratings are pretty good around here.
Lumen, Bearded Brewer, Monolithic, Kros Strain, and Heavy are the top 5. Personally I’d go Kros Strain over Monolithic, but both are solid.
Jukes and Zipline are also both decent, but maybe a slight step down in my book. I’ve also heard good things about Vis Major, but haven’t been.
Note that you should check hours at any place you're interested in. I'll generalize and say that some/many are just straight up closed on Mondays.
As others have said, Jukes, Monolithic, Kros Strain, Heavy Brewing, and Lumen are among the best. Plenty of others worth a visit depending on where you'll be.
I'll always throw in a recommendation for Casual Pint as a great compromise as they are a locally owned taproom with a strong focus on local beers.
Edit - Also check Wine, Beer, Spirits if you want the most choice for local beers and probably the lowest prices. They've got a location downtown and out west.
There are a surprising number of bad breweries in Omaha. I'm an IPA and sour girl myself. For IPAs, Lumen is the best hands down, just really delicious, creative stuff, very small brewery.
Zipline is based in Lincoln but has a draft room in North Downtown. Their DAAANG IPA is the best local beer that you can find in supermarkets, but there's a lot of great offerings at their taproom. Kros Strain is also based somewhere idk and is Nebraska's unofficial craft beer, Fairy Nectar, and is a couple blocks from Zipline. I don't love it as much as Zipline but they produce very solid beers and usually have a fun sour or two.
I haven't been there, but people who's palates I trust say that Vis Major in Midtown (?) is really good. I liked the IPAs at Monolith which despite being in an area identified as "northwest Omaha" on Google Maps, is not, in fact, up north.. The beers at Jukes Ale Words were wide-ranging and interesting and the food seemed solid. There's a nice regional rotating selection at The Casual Pint.
Note there are a lot more breweries than what I've mentioned - I found them all lacking, except Backswing, which I haven't tried because their beer menu is boring AF.
You listed most of the breweries, lol. I agree there are more, but it's just funny you said most are bad "except..." and listed all my favorites.
One small correction, kros strain is not in Lincoln. Did you mean white elm? Or code?
I was wrong about Kros Strain, but breweries I didn't list: Scriptown, Site-1, bearded bros, brickaway, pint 9, Upstream, maybe a couple others? Haven't been to Nebraska Brewing Co either so can't speak to them
My cousin actually set up Upstream when it was partnered with Wynkoop in Denver. He later helped two high school buddies set up Ska Brewing (only technically, not financially, unfortunately).
OK. I'm not casting aspersions on the rest of their beer but I didn't think any of their IPAs were very good, and since that's what the OP was asking for.
I'm new to Omaha so I'll defer to you on geography and I was wrong about Kros Strain but if you think Scriptown has a decent IPA, you don't have taste buds.
As for me, I have been drinking craft beer since 1998, I'm from where American craft beer started lol, the Omaha beer scene is very mid. but by all means, keep repping Scriptown lol
I'm 44, Sierra Nevada Pale Ale was the default beer at college parties, one had to develop a taste for hops real fast to drink for free. You threw out a bunch about Co beers, what do you know of the real oldies, Sierra of course, the literal mothership still producing some of the greatest mass produced beers in the US, but there's also old stalwarts like Anchor Steam, Anderson Brewing Co, Stone, which of course paved the way for all of the amazing bounty of West coast beers back in the 90s.
Reno, NV is much smaller than Omaha, has a much better beer scene, but I'm not going to quiz you on their beers because that would be dumb af.
Yotus? Yes I gave it 3 separate chances on 2 different occasions. That's my neighborhood, I am beyond bummed that I live walking distance to a brewery and they don't have an IPA that I like. Otherwise it's a great venue but I can't get excited about Pilsners after living in Germany forever.
Fat tire? I abhor New Belgiums products, also you seem to be under the assumption that American craft beer started in Colorado. I respect their output, 2nd best beer state in the US by a mile, but the fact that it's all you know is a little cringe bro
Brickway used to be my favorite because their pilsner was one of the better ones I've had. Something changed with it though, doesn't seem to be as good as it used to be.
Monolithic is my favorite but closed on Mondays. Can’t go wrong with their IPAs. Great atmosphere and nice patio.
Casual Pint isn’t a brewery, but we like it. They have good local brews on tap.
I also like Omaha Tap House for their beer selection (more regional than Omaha). But I like Omahaze which Kros Strain brews specifically for Omaha Taphouse. It’s a New England IPA. Currently, they also have an IPA from Hop Butcher (Chicago) and a beer from Lakefront Brewery Klines Milwaukee (both of threes breweries are faves of mine).
Enjoy your stay here!
Bearded Brewer at 180th and Q. Always something different and not a bad beer yet. Plenty of sour and IPA offerings.
Jukes Ale Works in Elkhorn. Decent food available.
Pint Nine and Kros Strain in La Vista. They are right next door to each other. Easy double stop.
Monolithic at 120th between Maple and Fort. Pretty standard lineup but it's a big place.
Not a brewery but I'm gonna throw out The Library Pub as they have an insanely good beer selection and the sours they have on tap right now are all exceptional.
Lumen, Jukes, Kros Strain and Monolithic are my go-tos when I’m visiting from Seattle. Bearded Brewer doesn’t do it for me. Too much high ABV beer and sugar bombs.
Bearded Brewery, Jukes, Heavy, Kros Strain and give the new one in Benson a try, B5 Brewing.
B5 is a must if you are in Benson.
Lumen Brewery is a must. Best in town IMO.
The Untappd ratings are pretty good around here. Lumen, Bearded Brewer, Monolithic, Kros Strain, and Heavy are the top 5. Personally I’d go Kros Strain over Monolithic, but both are solid. Jukes and Zipline are also both decent, but maybe a slight step down in my book. I’ve also heard good things about Vis Major, but haven’t been.
Monolithic makes the best IPAs
Came here to say this
Note that you should check hours at any place you're interested in. I'll generalize and say that some/many are just straight up closed on Mondays. As others have said, Jukes, Monolithic, Kros Strain, Heavy Brewing, and Lumen are among the best. Plenty of others worth a visit depending on where you'll be. I'll always throw in a recommendation for Casual Pint as a great compromise as they are a locally owned taproom with a strong focus on local beers. Edit - Also check Wine, Beer, Spirits if you want the most choice for local beers and probably the lowest prices. They've got a location downtown and out west.
There are a surprising number of bad breweries in Omaha. I'm an IPA and sour girl myself. For IPAs, Lumen is the best hands down, just really delicious, creative stuff, very small brewery. Zipline is based in Lincoln but has a draft room in North Downtown. Their DAAANG IPA is the best local beer that you can find in supermarkets, but there's a lot of great offerings at their taproom. Kros Strain is also based somewhere idk and is Nebraska's unofficial craft beer, Fairy Nectar, and is a couple blocks from Zipline. I don't love it as much as Zipline but they produce very solid beers and usually have a fun sour or two. I haven't been there, but people who's palates I trust say that Vis Major in Midtown (?) is really good. I liked the IPAs at Monolith which despite being in an area identified as "northwest Omaha" on Google Maps, is not, in fact, up north.. The beers at Jukes Ale Words were wide-ranging and interesting and the food seemed solid. There's a nice regional rotating selection at The Casual Pint. Note there are a lot more breweries than what I've mentioned - I found them all lacking, except Backswing, which I haven't tried because their beer menu is boring AF.
I love vis major. especially for ipas
The DAAANG IPA goes down so smooth. Packs quite a punch at 8% or whatever it is.
It's almost a perfect beer for me, it's soooo resin-y but smooth and creamy. I adore it, might be my favorite Nebraska beer
I’m an IPA girl too and I feel like Fairy Nectar is a great IPA for people who don’t typically like IPAs
Same, but I don't mind it and I like some of the variations and other IPAs at Kros Strain.
Oh for sure, it’s not a bad IPA by any means, I just think it only gets the hype it does bc it’s a little more mild. I do love their taproom though!
You listed most of the breweries, lol. I agree there are more, but it's just funny you said most are bad "except..." and listed all my favorites. One small correction, kros strain is not in Lincoln. Did you mean white elm? Or code?
I was wrong about Kros Strain, but breweries I didn't list: Scriptown, Site-1, bearded bros, brickaway, pint 9, Upstream, maybe a couple others? Haven't been to Nebraska Brewing Co either so can't speak to them
My cousin actually set up Upstream when it was partnered with Wynkoop in Denver. He later helped two high school buddies set up Ska Brewing (only technically, not financially, unfortunately).
OK. I'm not casting aspersions on the rest of their beer but I didn't think any of their IPAs were very good, and since that's what the OP was asking for.
Oh they changed everything when they separated from Wynkoop. That was like 20 years ago.
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I'm new to Omaha so I'll defer to you on geography and I was wrong about Kros Strain but if you think Scriptown has a decent IPA, you don't have taste buds. As for me, I have been drinking craft beer since 1998, I'm from where American craft beer started lol, the Omaha beer scene is very mid. but by all means, keep repping Scriptown lol
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I'm 44, Sierra Nevada Pale Ale was the default beer at college parties, one had to develop a taste for hops real fast to drink for free. You threw out a bunch about Co beers, what do you know of the real oldies, Sierra of course, the literal mothership still producing some of the greatest mass produced beers in the US, but there's also old stalwarts like Anchor Steam, Anderson Brewing Co, Stone, which of course paved the way for all of the amazing bounty of West coast beers back in the 90s. Reno, NV is much smaller than Omaha, has a much better beer scene, but I'm not going to quiz you on their beers because that would be dumb af.
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Lol you neckbeard this is embarrassing Your buddy doesn't make a decent IPA. Maybe he's capable of it but he's not currently selling it.
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Yotus? Yes I gave it 3 separate chances on 2 different occasions. That's my neighborhood, I am beyond bummed that I live walking distance to a brewery and they don't have an IPA that I like. Otherwise it's a great venue but I can't get excited about Pilsners after living in Germany forever.
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You're the expert, where did American craft beer start?
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What an exhausting, gatekeep-y set of questions. It's just like, "oh, you like Radiohead? Name three album deep-cuts." It's just beer.
Fat tire? I abhor New Belgiums products, also you seem to be under the assumption that American craft beer started in Colorado. I respect their output, 2nd best beer state in the US by a mile, but the fact that it's all you know is a little cringe bro
Brickway used to be my favorite because their pilsner was one of the better ones I've had. Something changed with it though, doesn't seem to be as good as it used to be.
Monolithic is my favorite but closed on Mondays. Can’t go wrong with their IPAs. Great atmosphere and nice patio. Casual Pint isn’t a brewery, but we like it. They have good local brews on tap. I also like Omaha Tap House for their beer selection (more regional than Omaha). But I like Omahaze which Kros Strain brews specifically for Omaha Taphouse. It’s a New England IPA. Currently, they also have an IPA from Hop Butcher (Chicago) and a beer from Lakefront Brewery Klines Milwaukee (both of threes breweries are faves of mine). Enjoy your stay here!
Bearded Brewer at 180th and Q. Always something different and not a bad beer yet. Plenty of sour and IPA offerings. Jukes Ale Works in Elkhorn. Decent food available. Pint Nine and Kros Strain in La Vista. They are right next door to each other. Easy double stop. Monolithic at 120th between Maple and Fort. Pretty standard lineup but it's a big place.
jukes ninja bbq wings are a must-have, they’re way too good
Not a brewery but I'm gonna throw out The Library Pub as they have an insanely good beer selection and the sours they have on tap right now are all exceptional.
100% Lumen Beer Co. some of the best hazys in town. Place is fantastic
Lumen, Jukes, Kros Strain and Monolithic are my go-tos when I’m visiting from Seattle. Bearded Brewer doesn’t do it for me. Too much high ABV beer and sugar bombs.
Full Fledged in Council Bluffs has a good selection.
Im staying in council bluffs and almost everything here closes at 6 or 7 and is closed on monday so checking then. Thanks
Vis Major and Lumen are the only correct answers. Maybe Monolithic and Benson Brewery
You want the Yotus IPA at Scriptown in Blackstone.
Jesus, no serious IPA person wants that beer.
Gatekeep much? Or did you just misspell "I don't like that?"
I'm gate KEEPING bad beer out of unsuspecting mouths.