The Best Breweries in Boise (and Just Outside It)

Six worth the drive

1. Gem State Brewery

   Best beer selection · Downtown Eagle

   Gem State has the most incredible selection of beers, made by the kindest people you will ever meet, Chris and Krystl. My husband and I always say with Gem State, "if you can't find something you like, you're not a beer drinker." Where else can you get a blueberry cream ale, a dragonfruit guava IPA, and a mango jalapeño sour on the same tap list? It's an experience every time we go in, and we love being able to say things like, "babe, you have to try this, it seriously tastes exactly like apple pie." It also happens to have some of the cheapest beers in the whole area. The cat's out of the bag: you have to try this place for yourself.

2. Good Apple Taphouse

   Best tap house · Between Meridian and Eagle

   Completely owned and operated by a local family and a genuinely friendly staff, Good Apple gives you the neighborhood-bar feel without the neighborhood drunk. They run a rotating selection of around 40 taps at all times, everything from a light lager to a heavy stout to a few cider and non-beer options. The moment you walk in, you feel like family. Extra points because my husband can ask Andy, the owner, what hazy he recommends, and he gets it right every time.

3. Payette Brewing

   Best for families · Along the Boise river

   Just outside downtown Boise and right along the greenbelt, Payette is the perfect place to bring your kids and your dog. It has one of the largest beer gardens in the area, with plenty of room to sit and let the little ones run around, respectfully. Their beer lineup stays pretty consistent year-round with a few seasonal rotations, and they're also known for their canned cocktails. The best time to go is fall or winter, when the fire pits are going and the whole place gets cozy.

4. Loose Screw

   Best food · Big Beantz taco truck on site

   My husband and I dream about the tacos and chicken bowls at Big Beantz, the taco truck parked on site at Loose Screw. My husband has a dairy allergy, and they're always able to build his bowl exactly to his preferences without making a thing of it. This is a go-to for us because the beer and non-beer selection is just as strong as the food. He always goes for their IPAs, and their canned Bloody Mary (I believe it's Astoria) is a must try. They still garnish it like it's made fresh, even though it comes straight out of a can.

5. Bert's Brewing

   Best decor · Garden City

   Bert's has a West Coast traditional tattoo look to it that makes it stand out from everywhere else in the area. Most of the beer lineup leans light and refreshing, lagers, ales, sours, so if you're a stout or porter person, this probably isn't your place. I'm also a big fan of alcoholic kombucha, and Bert's always carries something from Boise Booch, another must try. It's tucked into Garden City, but if you're in the area, it's worth the stop.

6. Gather Brewing

   Best new brewery of 2026 · Avimor, up Highway 55

   When the brewery that used to sit in this spot closed, we were pretty bummed to lose a local favorite. But Gather Brewing, in the Avimor community up Highway 55 toward Horseshoe Bend, is a must-try if you're in the area or just passing through on your way to your next destination. Opened by a couple from Texas, the owners have figured out how to do everything right. I love their pineapple rum cocktail, and my husband says the hazy IPA is very sippable. Honestly, though, it's the food that keeps us coming back.

Idaho is basically growing its own beer

The stat that started this list stuck with me. Idaho isn't just home to a lot of breweries, it's actually growing the two core ingredients that go into most of them. That's part of why the beer here tastes the way it does, and part of why I don't feel bad recommending a whole day of brewery hopping to anyone who visits.

You can drink a beer that's made almost entirely in Idaho, hops and barley included. It's no wonder we have over 100 breweries out here.

Logging it as you go

If you're doing a brewery crawl through the Boise area, Drinqly is the easiest way to actually remember what you had. It connects with Google Places, so Gem State, Good Apple, Payette, Loose Screw, Bert's, and Gather all show up as real check-in locations. Snap a photo of the tap list before you order, log the pour, and rate it while it's still fresh, so the next time someone asks "what was that mango jalapeño sour called again," you actually have the answer.

Common questions