The 7 Best Breweries In The Breathtaking Blue Ridge Mountains For Good Drinks With A Wild View

If you're looking for scenic views, the Blue Ridge Mountains are an excellent place to find them. This range is part of the greater Appalachian Mountains, covering 550 miles from southern Pennsylvania through northern Georgia, and includes two national parks and eight national forests. Nature lovers who enjoy craft beer will find the Blue Ridge Mountains particularly appealing, considering there are over 100 independent breweries across the region. Many of them have taprooms with outdoor seating where visitors can enjoy mountain vistas along with their pints.

One way to explore the many breweries of the Blue Ridge Mountains is to travel a defined trail, like the Lenoir Drink Trail in North Carolina. You'll also find a lot of tightly packed breweries in the Blue Ridge Mountains' larger cities, like the modern craft brew mecca of Asheville. But many of the region's breweries are hidden in rural areas or small towns, and these are often the spots where you'll find the most beautiful views. The seven breweries below all offer a range of craft beers along with impressive scenery. While "best" can be a subjective term, they all have an average rating of 4.6 stars or higher on Google and are consistently lauded for serving delicious drinks in a setting that's worth traveling to see.

Blue Mountain Brewery became Virginia's first rural brewery when it opened in 2007, and the scenic mountain views you can take in from its taproom patio are part of why it has a 4.6-star rating on Google (with over 2,000 reviews). It's in the underrated Blue Ridge foothills community of Afton, along the Nelson 151 Craft Beverage Trail that leads to more local breweries, wineries, and distilleries. Its six Core Series beers include the Full Nelson Virginia Pale Ale and the orange-infused Hopwork Orange IPA, supplemented by seasonal brews like the Rockfish Wheat summer wheat beer.

Black Mountain is about 15 miles east of Asheville, just south of Pisgah National Forest, an under-the-radar Great Smoky Mountains alternative. It's home to Pisgah Brewing Company, which offers more than a dozen brews crafted with organic malt and grains, including the flagship Pisgah Pale Ale and Turtleback Brown Ale — named for the forest's waterfall. It earned 4.7-stars on Google, serving as both a music venue and a brewery, with live shows often happening Thursday through Sunday night. Visit in the summer to see mountain views while enjoying a show on the outdoor stage (or playing the on-site disc golf course).

Dirt Farm Brewing overlooks the peaceful village of Bluemont, Virginia. You can take in views of the Loudoun Valley from its patio or explore the farm on the 3.5-mile Dirt Farm Trail. Its expansive beer list includes several made from Virginia grain, like the Fluster Cluck Ale and Great Country American Pilsner. The kitchen and food truck serve pizzas and smash burgers, and you can enjoy live music during events like Trail Fest and the Bluemont Ramble Jam Session. That tasty fare and entertainment have earned it a 4.7-star average across nearly 1,000 Google reviews.

About two hours north of Asheville, the town of Boone, North Carolina, offers unreal mountain views. One place to enjoy them is the outdoor seating area of Appalachian Mountain Brewery, a spacious yard with picnic tables overlooking Boone Creek. The rotating selection of beer and cider includes classics like the Down South American Lager and unique brews like the Honeydew Honeysuckle Wheat Ale and barrel-aged Da Truff Black Sour Ale. It also serves wood-fired pizzas (with gluten-free crust options) and has a 4.7-star Google rating for its tasty brews and laid-back, friendly atmosphere.

There are a plethora of breweries in the scenic mountain city of Blue Ridge, Georgia. Grumpy Old Men Brewing is the best one to enjoy outdoor views along with craft beer, with a large back patio and up to 25 beers on tap at any given time. It has a 4.8-star rating on Google from reviews praising the friendly service, entertainment like corn hole, and — of course — the flavorful beer. Visitors with a sweet tooth can try the Choco Blanco White Chocolate Wheat Ale (or the Fram Jam version infused with raspberry) or Rupert's Escape Piña Colada Sour.

Travelers who love wine and beer can sample both at Rockbridge Vineyard & Brewery. This award-winning, family-owned farm in Raphine, Virginia, has a large outdoor seating area offering views of the vineyard and the surrounding Shenandoah Valley. Locally made snacks are available daily, and food trucks are often on-site when Rockbridge hosts live music and other events. The brewery's eight beers range from the flagship Pale Ale to the dark Coffee-Milk Stout made in collaboration with Virginia-based Crucible Coffee Roasters. Rockbridge's delectable drinks, beautiful scenery, and high-quality service have netted it a 4.8-star rating on Google.

Copperhill Brewery is a brewstillery, producing an array of creative craft beers and spirits from its two Tennessee locations. It's the only women-owned brewstillery in the Southeast, and it's popular with visitors and locals alike, with a 4.9-star rating on Google. The Riverside Taproom location in Copperhill offers the best views. It's on the Ocoee River, which is known as a whitewater rafting and kayaking paradise. Copperhill's 13 flagship brews range from the light Sunny Dayz Golden Ale and Dragon Slayer Sour to the dark Penitentiary Porter or Miner's Shadow Black IPA.