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Highest-rated breweries in South Carolina

·Stacker

niksdope // Shutterstock
niksdope // Shutterstock
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Cold beer, anyone? American beer drinkers have their fair share of options, no matter where they might live.

Indeed, a market once dominated by a handful of major brands has become far more diverse since the craft beer scene expanded sixfold between 2008 and 2016. In 2024, independent craft brewers still accounted for 23.1 million barrels, although that figure represents a 4% drop from 2023, while craft beer's market share by volume remained steady at 13.3%. On the retail side, craft beer's value grew by about 3% to roughly $30 billion, comprising nearly 25% of all beer sales by dollar amount. After years of robust expansion, the number of U.S. craft breweries dipped slightly to 9,612 in 2024—from 9,747 in 2023—marking the first net decline since 2005, with 434 openings and 501 closures. That's still a remarkable rise from 3,108 breweries in 2013, equating to about a 209% increase in 10 years. Cheers to that!

Why the ongoing obsession? Putting aside the fact that people simply love their brew, beer has emerged as a wildly versatile beverage category. Craft breweries explore beer to its fullest potential and tend to rank highly as a result.

Another thing about beer is that every sip tells a story. It's first and foremost the journey of the beer's own production, namely one involving water, malted grains, botanical hops, and yeast. However, it's also a chronicling of the area in which the beer was produced since every state has its own respective history, climate, geography, and resources. Then there's the tale of the people who produced it, turning their love of carbonated alcohol into a passion project and hiring all kinds of local talent.

Combine America's love of beer with endless flavor possibilities, and you arrive at a sensational pastime and a thriving national industry. With nearly 10,000 craft breweries bubbling up across the nation, each one offers its own unique qualities, some complete with guided tours and tasting rooms (and maybe some hearty gastropub fare).

Many of the nation's highest-rated breweries are so small and independent that the only way to sample their suds is to visit them in person. In contrast, others distribute their products around the country—or even across the globe.

To find some top spots near you, Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated breweries in South Carolina using data from Tripadvisor. Tripadvisor ranks places using a combination of metrics, including overall rating, reviews, and number of page views. As a result, a business with a 5 out of 5 overall rating might rank lower than one with a 4 out of 5. Data is as of Aug. 12, 2025.

Regardless of the brewery's size and scope, one thing is for sure: Now is a great time for a beer!

You may also like: The 20 most affordable cities in South Carolina to buy a house

#23. Cooper River Brewing Company

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#23. Cooper River Brewing Company

- Rating: 4.3/5 (27 reviews)
- City: Charleston South
- Read more on TripAdvisor

#22. Rusty Bull Brewing Co.

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#22. Rusty Bull Brewing Co.

- Rating: 4.6/5 (26 reviews)
- City: North Charleston South
- Read more on TripAdvisor

#19. Two Blokes Brewing

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#19. Two Blokes Brewing

- Rating: 4.5/5 (37 reviews)
- City: Mount Pleasant South
- Read more on TripAdvisor

#18. Tradesman Brewing Company

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#18. Tradesman Brewing Company

- Rating: 4.7/5 (32 reviews)
- City: Charleston South
- Read more on TripAdvisor

#17. Palmetto Brewing Company

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#17. Palmetto Brewing Company

- Rating: 4.4/5 (78 reviews)
- City: Charleston South
- Read more on TripAdvisor

#16. Carolina Bauernhaus Brewery & Winery

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#16. Carolina Bauernhaus Brewery & Winery

- Rating: 4.2/5 (22 reviews)
- City: Anderson South
- Read more on TripAdvisor

#14. Westbrook Brewing Co

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#14. Westbrook Brewing Co

- Rating: 4.4/5 (59 reviews)
- City: Charleston South
- Read more on TripAdvisor

#13. Commonhouse Aleworks

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#13. Commonhouse Aleworks

- Rating: 4.5/5 (26 reviews)
- City: North Charleston South
- Read more on TripAdvisor

#12. Thomas Creek Brewery

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#12. Thomas Creek Brewery

- Rating: 4.4/5 (48 reviews)
- City: Greenville South
- Read more on TripAdvisor

#11. Ciclops Cyderi & Brewery

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#11. Ciclops Cyderi & Brewery

- Rating: 4.7/5 (35 reviews)
- City: Spartanburg South
- Read more on TripAdvisor

#8. Southern Barrel Brewing Company Tavern

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#8. Southern Barrel Brewing Company Tavern

- Rating: 4.4/5 (79 reviews)
- City: Bluffton South
- Read more on TripAdvisor

#7. Frothy Beard Brewing Company

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#7. Frothy Beard Brewing Company

- Rating: 4.4/5 (90 reviews)
- City: Charleston South
- Read more on TripAdvisor

#4. Holy City Brewing

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#4. Holy City Brewing

- Rating: 4.5/5 (298 reviews)
- City: North Charleston South
- Read more on TripAdvisor

#2. Hilton Head Brewing Company

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#2. Hilton Head Brewing Company

- Rating: 4.5/5 (176 reviews)
- City: Hilton Head South
- Read more on TripAdvisor

#1. New South Brewing

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#1. New South Brewing

- Rating: 4.8/5 (354 reviews)
- City: Myrtle Beach South
- Read more on TripAdvisor

This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 49 states.

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