Get crafty | The Beer Chick’s picks for your craft brew fix
The Grand Strand is home to so many wonderful bars and restaurants that places truly dedicated to sharing craft beer can be a bit tough to spot.
To me, the very best bars showcase craft beer front and center and their bartenders are passionate enough to know and understand what they are serving.
These places are eager to share the new and exciting things coming from the ever-evolving world of craft beer and strive to make drinking a beer an unforgettable experience.
Here are the best places on the Grand Strand to get your craft beer fix:
Mellow Mushroom - Myrtle Beach
▪ 1571 21st Ave. N., Myrtle Beach
▪ Monday-Thursday 11 a.m.-10 p.m.; Friday-Saturday 11 a.m.-11 p.m.; Sunday 11:30 a.m.-10 p.m.
With 41 taps and a hefty selection of bottles and cans, this Mellow location was the first to open in the Myrtle Beach area — at a prime spot right by Broadway at the Beach.
It’s where my love of craft beer really took off.
By joining the Mellow Beer Club and trying hundreds of beers there over the years, I earned a big mug, my name on the wall, and a very well-rounded passion for beer.
▪ My Mellow Favorites | Stone Arrogant Bastard Ale and a slice of Kosmic Karma pizza
Atlas Tap House
▪ 1004 Chester St., Myrtle Beach
▪ Monday-Thursday 4 p.m.-2 a.m.; Friday 2 p.m.-2 a.m.; Saturday-Sunday 11 a.m.-2 a.m.
Atlas has a very unique selection of frequently changing taps and an extensive collection of bottles to choose from, as well as some very tasty barbecue and waffle fries. They certainly cater to those that are craft-brew-minded.
If you’re not sure which beer to choose, the staff is extremely knowledgeable and they will definitely point you in the right direction.
▪ My Atlas favorite | Happy hour is $1 off any craft beer, draft or bottle
Bumstead’s Pub
▪ 400 Mr. Joe White Ave., Myrtle Beach
▪ Monday-Sunday 4 p.m.-2 a.m.
An authentic atmosphere with that a real-deal craft beer pub appeal, Bumstead’s is one of those places where you always feel at home.
Along with a fantastic bottle selection, they’ve got daily 4-7 p.m. happy hour specials, Taco Tuesdays (delicious chicken or beef tacos for $2), and trivia on Wednesdays at 8 p.m. Bumstead’s also showcases a new beer each month with July’s being draft pours of the Abita Strawberry Lager.
▪ My Bumstead’s pick | Cisco Brewers Indie Pale Ale and Chicken Tacos
Tupelo Honey
▪ 3042 Howard Ave., Myrtle Beach
▪ Monday-Thursday 11 a.m.-11 p.m.; Friday 11 a.m.-midnight; Saturday 9 a.m.-midnight; Sunday 9 a.m.-11 p.m.
Tupelo Honey, in The Market Common, is Southern charm and class combined with craft beer heaven. They’ve got a gorgeous bar area with an amazing tap lineup that is always changing and incredible food to pair it with.
This beautiful location is also on-point with their happy hour specials like half-off craft beer pints from South Carolina breweries.
▪ Tupelo Honey pick | Anything from Freehouse Brewery that’s on tap, and their signature warm biscuits and honey
Liberty Taproom and Grill
▪ 7651 N. Kings Highway, Myrtle Beach
▪ Monday-Sunday 11 a.m.-10 p.m.
Liberty Taproom and Grill probably has my favorite chicken salad on the beach, and a widely appealing range of craft beer on tap and an excellent bottle selection. They’ve got a great outdoor bar area that’s connected to the bar inside and a very vibrant atmosphere.
Hurricane Maggie’s
▪ 7710 N. Kings Highway, Myrtle Beach
▪ Monday-Saturday 4 p.m.-2 a.m.; Sunday noon-midnight
Maggie’s, as the locals call it, has frequent live shows, mouthwatering “crabbie” wings, and constantly changing taps. What more could a craft beer nerd want? Great bottle lineup and knowledgeable staff!
Mellow Mushroom - North Myrtle Beach
▪ 1101 U.S. 17 N., North Myrtle Beach
▪ Monday-Thursday 11:30 a.m.-9 p.m.; Friday-Saturday 11:30 a.m.-10 p.m.; Sunday 11:30 a.m.-9 p.m.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: pizza and beer is the best combination ever. Mellow does it right every time with delicious pizza, wings and salads.
This spot has 48 taps and a fantastic selection of cans and bottles. Every Monday is “New Beer Monday” and coming up for July is Stone’s Points Unknown on July 13, Benford and Evil Twin’s collaboration Problem Solver IPA on July 20, and Holy City’s Carlito’s Weigh Pale Ale on July 27.
▪ My Mellow NMB picks: New Belgium Skinny Dip and an Enlightened Spinach Salad
“710” North Myrtle Beach
▪ 1105 U.S. 17 S., North Myrtle Beach
▪ Monday-Sunday 11 a.m.-2 a.m.
Bowling and beer is a classic combo. Make that beer a craft beer, add in an amazing atmosphere and phenomenal food, and you’ve got one of the most happening spots in North Myrtle Beach.
The taps are always changing up, and the bottle selection is pretty solid. They also have excellent happy hour and game specials, bocce, billiards and skee-ball.
International Cafe
▪ 221 Main St., North Myrtle Beach
▪ Monday-Friday 11:30 a.m.-4 a.m.; Saturday-Sunday 11:30 a.m.-2 a.m.
The name “International Cafe” says it all with the beer lineup containing selections from all over the world. This bar’s atmosphere makes you feel like you really are taking a beer trip around the globe!
Grumpy Monk
▪ 4545 U.S. 501, Myrtle Beach
▪ Sunday-Thursday 11 a.m.-midnight, Friday-Saturay 11 a.m.-2 a.m.
The Grumpy Monk has come a long way since opening its door back in March. I continuously have moments of option paralysis when I check out the tap list.
There is a huge emphasis on Carolina and Coastal brewery taps like Coast, Holy City, Westbrook, Palmetto, Freehouse and RJ Rockers, just to name a few. There are also Belgian bottle selections like one of my all-time favorites Piraat, a Belgian strong pale ale.
The Grumpy Monk is definitely becoming one of the best spots in town for craft beer.
▪ My Grumpy Monk pick | Coast Boy King
Handley’s Pub & Grub
▪ 3873 Renee Drive, Myrtle Beach
▪ Monday-Saturday 11 a.m.-2 a.m.; Sunday noon-2 a.m.
Located in the heart of the Carolina Forest area, Handley’s has an outstanding bottle selection and pizza fries! I always say that pizza and beer is the can’t-go-wrong combo! With lots of space and TVs, it’s a great spot to get together with friends to catch a game.
Crafty Rooster
▪ 1125 Third Ave., Conway
▪ Monday-Sunday 11 a.m.-2 a.m.
Frequently touting new and exciting brews in their ever-changing tap lineup, Crafty Rooster, located right in the middle of downtown Conway, has been a hot spot for craft beer since opening in 2009.
With more than 100 craft beer options and events like tap-takeovers and beer dinners, it’s no wonder that this place is so well-known to local beer community. “The Rooster” is a perfect way to complement a visit to the historic river town.
Wicked Tuna
▪ 4123 U.S. 17 Business, Murrells Inlet
▪ Monday-Sunday 11 a.m.-midnight
Not only is Wicked Tuna dishing out amazing food, they are also serving a fantastic selection of craft beer. Using the Digital Pour software to show off the beer menu in the bar, the constantly changing tap lineup shows what’s on now, and what’s coming up next.
If you check-in to a beer using something like the beer logging app Untapped, your check-in shows up on the screen letting others know what’s hot!
▪ My Wicked Tuna pick | Palmetto Espresso Porter
Sometimes it’s just the best and most unique experience to drink a beer right at the source. Luckily, Myrtle Beach has quite a few outstanding places where you can do just that.
Liberty Brewery and Grill
▪ 1321 Celebrity Circle, Broadway at the Beach, Myrtle Beach
▪ Monday-Thursday 11 a.m.-9 p.m.; Friday-Saturday 11 a.m.-10 p.m.; Sunday 11 a.m.-9 p.m.
Liberty is an excellent place to have lunch or dinner and enjoy a few in-house, Liberty-brewed classics like the Broadway Brown Ale or a Raspberry Wheat.
With Brewmaster and special seasonal beers too, Liberty offers the full beer lovers experience. They’ve also got one of the best happy hour specials on the beach with $2.75 pints from 4-7 p.m.
▪ My Liberty favorite | Honest I.P. Abe
New South Brewing
▪ 1109 Campbell St., Myrtle Beach
▪ Tours: Tuesday and Thursday at 3 p.m.
▪ Draft pours at 4:30 p.m. on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays.
New South Brewing makes one my favorite stouts: Lily the Great, among other great brews. As a production brewery, New South Brewing offers tours and tasting at special times and there is usually a food truck around as well during draft pours.
The tours are rated on TripAdvisor as one of the top things to do in Myrtle Beach so it’s one of those places you just have to experience.
▪ My New South favorites | Summer Session, Lily the Great, New South IPA, Dry Hopped Lager
Gordon Biersch
▪ 3060 Howard Ave., Myrtle Beach
▪ Monday-Thursday 11 a.m.-11 p.m.; Friday-Saturday 11 a.m.-midnight; Sunday 11 a.m.-11 p.m.
Right in the heart of The Market Common, it’s the perfect stop for a meal and drink. Crafting German-style beer, Gordon Biersch has an outstanding lineup of brews ranging from their Czech Pilsner to a roasty, but light-bodied Schwarzbier.
With so many styles brewed at Gordon Biersch, it’s the perfect opportunity to sample a few with a beer flight. The staff definitely knows their brews and can help you find one that you’ll love.
▪ My Gordon Biersch picks | Golden Export, summer seasonal Summerbrau, and Rye of the Tiger
This story was originally published July 9, 2015 at 1:43 AM with the headline "Get crafty | The Beer Chick’s picks for your craft brew fix."