7 Dog-Friendly Midwest Breweries Your Canine Companion Will Enjoy As Much As You
For dogs and their owners, it's a win-win when Buster or Bella can join for brewery-hopping fun. Many Midwest breweries are happy to welcome well-behaved furry sidekicks and encourage their attendance with dog parks on the premises, treats and pet-centric programming. Some even permit dogs in the taproom. So grab the leash and consider one of these seven dog-friendly Midwest breweries for your next outing.
Wisconsin Brewing Company, Verona, Wisconsin
About 25 minutes southwest of Madison, you'll find a down-to-earth brewery with sprawling green space dotted with happy canines. For those pups' humans, Wisconsin Brewing Company keeps a steady rotation of more than a dozen beers on tap, ranging from IPAs to lagers made on-site. Leashed dogs are invited to sit with their owners outdoors as they enjoy waterside views and live music, or they can come into the taproom.
Related: Top Things to Do in Madison
Kinship Brewing Company, Waukee, Iowa
At super-hip brewery Kinship in Waukee, a suburb of Des Moines, the real draw (for dogs, at least) is the half-acre dog park—just be sure to sign the waiver ahead of your visit. Pets will also love hanging around the spacious patio decked out with red Adirondack chairs. The brewery's permanent kitchen, Next of Kin, features a chef-driven menu. Each purchase of Good Boy Jax, a crisp, easy-drinking lager, gives back to the Animal Rescue League of Iowa.
Related: Top Things to Do in Des Moines
DogTap Columbus, Canal Winchester, Ohio
An offshoot of Scotland-based company BrewDog, the world's first carbon negative brewery with locations around the world, DogTap Columbus (in the Columbus suburb of Canal Winchester) is truly designed for people traveling with pets. Have a drink with Fido on the patio, or let him roam off-leash in the on-site dog park. DogTap will even help you throw a "dog pawty" for your pooch on their birthday. The fun doesn't end at the brewery; DogHouse Columbus Hotel, dubbed "The World's First Craft Beer Hotel," offers in-room draft beer (including a "shower beer" mini fridge) and a selection of pet-friendly rooms.
Related: Top Things to Do in Columbus
Blue Island Beer Company, Blue Island, Illinois
Located about 30 minutes south of Chicago, Blue Island Beer Company crafts beers with attention-grabbing flavors and equally head-turning names, like Gothic Funk, Hard Luck and Small Victories. Dogs are welcome on the patio and in the taproom; the brewery has hosted pet-focused events as well, like a "Howl-o-Ween 'Tail' Gate" Party, complete with dressed-up dogs and with dog bandanas for purchase.
Leinie Lodge, Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin
Leinenkugel's light and citrusy Summer Shandy is a quintessential patio sipper throughout the Midwest, but it's even more refreshing quaffed in the ambiance of Leinie Lodge in Chippewa Falls. Pups are welcome in the beer garden, outfitted with an outdoor service window so you can order beer with your dog at your side. The gift shop even sells Leinenkugel's-branded pet products, like water bowls, toys and teeny dog-sized hats.
Voyageur Brewing Company, Grand Marais, Minnesota
On warm evenings, the outdoor spaces of Voyageur Brewing Company in Grand Marais brim with locals and their canine companions drinking in views of Lake Superior. Dogs can have their own treat with brewery-made biscuits made from spent grain. Check the calendar for "yappy hours" where you can bring your pup and receive $1 off a pint.
Happy Basset Brewing Co., Topeka, Kansas
Topeka's Happy Basset Brewing Co. isn't just for basset hounds; it's a happy place for all pooches and their owners. The vast in-house brew selection—crafted by self-described "beer drinking, dog loving, craft brewing animals"—comes in paw-dotted pint glasses. Pups are permitted in the outdoor spaces and taproom, and last year, the brewery opened its own dog park off the patio, where the owners' basset hounds frequently frolic alongside canine guests.
Related: Top Things to Do in Topeka