5 craft beer experiences in Memphis you have to try

Ghost River Brewing Co. & Tap Room, 827 S. Main

The city's first craft brewery and latest taproom opened in November on the edge of the Historic South Main District. Tourists who search online for the nearest craft taproom mix with locals, including residents of all the new Downtown apartments. Ghost River Gold is the brewery's highest-selling beer, but Grindhouse is the taproom's top seller, according to taproom manager Emma Meskovic.

High Cotton Brewing Co., 598 Monroe

If you're looking for a place both laid-back and edgy, search no more. High Cotton is among the pioneering businesses returning to the Edge District, once the no-man's zone between the Medical District and Downtown. High Cotton goes against the grain with its beers, too. "We focus on Belgians and darker beers'' even though India Pale Ales (IPAs) have been so popular," says John Bickers, assistant taproom manager. The Scottish Ale and Extra Special Bitter are flagship beers.

Boscos Squared Restaurant & Brewing Co., 2120 Madison

Here's a different scene than the grittier environment of some other craft taprooms in Memphis. On a spring Saturday night, it's where you'll likely see students in tuxes and gowns walking past the bar after their pre-prom meal. The city's oldest brew pub has anchored Overton Square long enough to enjoy the district's renaissance. The Flaming Stone is Boscos' signature beer, but come early or be patient with the crowds.

Wiseacre Brewery Taproom & Patio

Wiseacre succeeds at taking industrial chic to the edge. It's housed in a gray corrugated-metal building bounded by a railroad track and a ditch. The vast patio offers a view through the underside of an overpass to warehouses. But here's how good the beer is: Wiseacre, needing to expand, seriously considered leasing the Mid-South Coliseum. Enough said.

Memphis Made Brewing Co., 760 S. Cooper

A rumor in Memphis is that folks in other parts of the state sometimes talk negatively about the Bluff City's crime and poverty. Perhaps in response, there's been a groundswell of Memphis self-love in recent years. The name chosen for this 3-year-old brewery and taproom may reflect that trend. And when Memphis Made's patrons sometimes spill outside through open bay doors of a converted warehouse to mingle among the food trucks, there's a retaining wall with a big red mural stating: "I Love Memphis.''