Location Spotlight: Cedar Park + Leander
9/25/25: Refreshed article for 2025. Please fill out our survey!
The Cedar Park and Leander beer scene has grown into one of the busiest corners of Central Texas. If you haven’t explored the suburbs northwest of Austin yet, take warning – it’s too much for one day. In this article, we’ll cover the brewery options, top beer bars, and bottleshop(s), and maybe even reach a bit further to other nearby destinations. Let’s get started!
Red Horn Brewing Co. (2 locations)
Likely the most well-known Cedar Park brewery is Red Horn Coffee House & Brewing Co., which expanded to a second, larger facility in Leander dubbed Red Horn Brewery & Roastery. With the expansion, they were able to bump their production to begin canning and distributing their beers to the greater Austin area. Both taprooms generally have over 15 of their beers on tap, starting with the mainstays but filtering down into small-batch brews. As one of the only breweries where you can reliably find strong ales on draft (imperial stouts, barleywines, etc.), Red Horn is a popular choice for visitors and residents alike.
View our brewery profile here.
Obsidian Brewery
Located at the site formerly housing Humble Pint Brewery, Obsidian was launched by Red Horn alumni Michael Doggett and Safir Ahmed. The brewpub has a super creative menu with a full bar, cocktails, pizza, beer, as well as games and events, which make us all wish we lived a bit closer. They also collab with Austin breweries all the time; so even if you haven’t been, you’ve likely tried one of their beers. No visit to Leander is complete without dinner at Obsidian.
View our brewery profile here.
The Brewtique
Pausing from the brewery list, here’s the spot for the largest and most interesting beer selection in town. The Brewtique has hundreds of packaged and single cans and bottles available for on-site and to-go consumption, all of which are kept cold in their wall of refrigerators (which is sadly not as common for bottleshops as it should be). Don’t mistake this for a to-go spot only though – there are several tables inside and outside, along with a couple of retro arcade games and pinball cabinets to chill at for a while. This is a must-visit stop on any trip to Cedar Park, even just to grab a few things to take home.
5th Element Brewing
You’re going to think you made a wrong turn as you drive through the residential streets of Leander, before turning into the crowded parking lot of 5th Element Brewing. The homey brewery was in planning for six years before finally opening in Spring 2023 to much fanfare. They have the expected range of beer styles, with a few unique surprises as well, such as their Guava Saison and Pickleweiss. Be sure to ask about the toys hidden throughout their taproom – the owners have set up a game for everyone to play, but beware: once you start looking, you’re going to need to find them all before you’re ready to leave.
View our brewery profile here.
Whitestone Brewery
The last brewery on our list is Whitestone, another mainstay of the suburbs since 2016. This strip mall brewery has seen some changes recently; they’ve moved to a new home shared with 600 Degrees Cedar Park, and have increased their distribution in Central Texas through cans. Their mainstay beers (Konverter Kolsch, Long Gone Blonde, Lovely Day IPA, ¡Mira! Mexican Lager, and Cedrela Hefeweizen) aren’t the only ones seeing distribution, with seasonal releases also showing up in their taproom and on store shelves. They also have a HopWater brand for those days you just need some refreshment.
View our brewery profile here.
The Good Lot
If you’re looking for a Hill Country vibe without having to drive south, your best bet is The Good Lot. This outdoor-focused beer bar has 24 taps, several permanent food trucks, live music, games, and plenty of space and seating to hang out. They’ve recently celebrated their 4th anniversary with a big party – keep an eye on their socials for upcoming events!
Nearby: Lago Vista Brewing Company, Slackers Brewing Co., and Liberty Hill
To round out this article, we’ll take a quick look at a few other nearby breweries:
- Lago Vista Brewing Company opened on the north shore of Lake Travis. Located about 20 minutes from Cedar Park, the new building has plenty of open space for families, plus bar seating for those just looking to get their drink on. View our brewery profile here.
- Slackers Brewing Co. is technically located in Austin, but it might as well be Cedar Park. They’re open late, so it’s a great place to stop on the way out of town. Plus, their beer selection is as creative as Obsidian’s. View our brewery profile here.
- Liberty Hill is home to more breweries than you’d expect: Float the River Brewing, Schitz Creek Brewery, and San Gabriel River Brewing. That’s a whole trip in itself.
