OUR STORY

It all started with a shared love of beer—and the same nagging question: Why isn’t there a local craft brewery in Lower Alabama?

Plenty of people asked it. We decided to do something about it. Back in 2012, that simple question set us on an adventure that would change the local beer scene—and our lives—for good.

The idea first struck Michele Kane while she was living in Alaska, warming the bar stools at Alaskan Brewing Company’s taproom. Her husband Brian was immediately on board. When they returned home, they brought together an eclectic team that included local homebrewer Dan Murphy, Free the Hops president Gabe Harris, and Brian’s law school buddy Jim Foley. None of us knew exactly what we were getting into—but we did know one thing: we were determined to open Lower Alabama’s first production craft brewery since Prohibition.

Our very first batch was brewed on December 21, 2012—the day the Mayan calendar famously predicted the world would end. If that was true, we joked, at least we'd go out with one batch of beer in a fermenter. Instead, what was supposed to be the end of the world turned out to be the start of something special.

On January 6, 2013, Fairhope Brewing Company opened its doors to an eager public thirsty for locally crafted beer made with only the finest ingredients.

What began with just two beers in the taproom—Everyday Ale and Section Street Wheat—has grown into a constantly rotating selection of six year-round staples plus countless seasonal and experimental brews, sours and seltzers. Today, we keep 14 beers and a gluten-free option on tap at all times, spanning styles from bright IPAs and rich stouts to crisp golden ales and fruited sours. If you love beer, we have you covered.

You can now find Fairhope Brewing Company beers throughout the state of Alabama, as well as in the Florida Panhandle, and coastal Mississippi and Louisiana.

In 2023, we proudly expanded with a new taproom in Downtown Mobile—bringing our laid-back vibe, creative brews, and community spirit to even more beer lovers along the Gulf Coast.