From locally crafted IPAs and small-batch sour brews to South Dakota-made wines and specialty espresso, Brookings County boasts a vibrant drink scene. Designed with a walkable downtown core and driver tips, this itinerary takes you through the area’s best tasting rooms, breweries, and specialty beverage spots. Cheers!
Morning & Lunch
Kick off your tour with a freshly roasted caffeine fix at Kool Beans Coffee & Roasterie. Known for micro-batching beans right in-house, it’s the perfect morning spot to grab a single-origin pour-over, nitro cold brew, or espresso before exploring downtown.
Pro-Tip: Grab a bag of whole-bean coffee to take home as a local souvenir.
Head over to 5th Street for lunch and your first craft beer stop at Wooden Legs Brewing Company. Pair artisan pizzas or pub sandwiches with a custom flight of flagship brews, seasonal IPAs, or crisp fruit sours brewed right on-site.
Highlight: Relaxed taproom vibes and friendly staff who can walk you through their current tap list.
Afternoon
Drive just 10 minutes west to Volga to sample authentic South Dakota wines at Schade Vineyard & Winery. Take your tasting flight out onto the patio overlooking the vineyard and enjoy local prairie, berry, and grape wines.
Return to downtown Brookings for an afternoon transition into fine wine. Mosaic Wine Bar & Small Plates offers a cozy, upscale environment with an extensive glass list, flight options, and charcuterie boards to hold you over until dinner.
Atmosphere: Warm, intimate, and sophisticated—a great spot to slow down the pace before dinner.
Evening
Head to 6th Street for dinner and experience the only self-serve tap wall in Brookings at Shorty’s Burgers & Brew. Pair their famous hand-pressed smash burgers, beef chislic, or cheese curds with a custom pour from a 24-tap wall featuring local craft beers, regional brews, cider, and wine.
Highlight: Their pay-by-the-ounce tap wall lets you sample as little or as much of each beer as you like.
Wrap up your night on Main Avenue at Eponymous Brewing Company. This small-batch microbrewery focuses on creative, experimental brewing with a constantly rotating tap list, making it the perfect final stop for a nightcap in an industrial-chic taproom setting.
Specialty Pick: Ask the bartender what fresh small-batch experimental keg was tapped this week.
Need A Ride Home?
Enjoying the craft beverage scene is best done safely! Whether you’re moving between downtown stops, heading out to Schade Vineyard in Volga, or wrapping up the night, here are reliable ways to get around:
Lyft: Available throughout the Brookings and SDSU campus area.
Brookings Taxi: Call local dispatch directly at (605) 692-9244.
BATA (Brookings Area Transit Authority): Offers local door-to-door transit services. On select weekend nights during the academic year, look for the Rabbit Ride late-night shuttle service!
Designated Drivers: If you’re driving out to Volga (~7 miles west of town), make sure to designate a driver in your group ahead of time.
Make it a Weekend!
Turn your tasting tour into a mini-vacation by booking a room at one of our local Brookings hotels. Properties like My Place Hotel, Comfort Suites University, Hampton Inn & Suites, and Super 8 by Wyndham offer convenient access to downtown, SDSU, and 6th Street.
Tip: Check out our full Where To Stay page to browse all accommodations and book directly!
