Road Trip for Mississippi Craft Beer
A Food and Drink Getaway Through the Best Breweries in Mississippi
Mississippi rarely gets mentioned as a craft beer destination, which is exactly what makes a road trip through its breweries feel like discovering a well-kept secret. Ask most travelers to name a Mississippi brewery, and you’ll likely get a blank stare. But drive south from Vicksburg through Natchez and Hattiesburg to the Gulf Coast, and you’ll find a string of small, determined breweries that have spent two decades building a real food and drink scene without much fanfare. Pair that with the region’s kitchens, wood-fired pizza, Detroit-style pies, and Southern bar food done right, and you have the makings of a proper tasting trip.
Before you head out, you’ll want to spend time doing the best things to do in Vicksburg. The bluffs above the Mississippi River hold some of the most significant Civil War history in the country, and the downtown is full of antique shops, murals, and river views that most visitors miss entirely on their way to New Orleans.
Mapping a Brewery and Food Road Trip Through Mississippi
A brewery road trip through Mississippi works best over two or three days with four solid stops. Take time to sit down and talk with the people pouring your beer.
Start close to home at Key City Brewery, Vicksburg’s only craft brewery, tucked into a rustic industrial space on Washington Street downtown. Their Blonde Ale, Mississippi Queen, sold out its first batch in six days and has stayed on tap ever since. Key City Brewery is known for inventive, small-batch releases, including the Death on Two Legs, an Imperial IPA built with pineapple juice, orange marmalade, and blood orange. The kitchen serves wood-fired pizza, and the patio fills up fast once the sun drops over the river.
About 75 miles south sits Natchez Brewing, pouring beer in a converted downtown space since 2014. Husband and wife owners Patrick and Lisa Miller built the place around Southern hospitality and Detroit-style pizza, and the taps rotate often between hazy IPAs and sours.
From Natchez, the drive to Hattiesburg runs a little over two hours, so plan to arrive hungry. Southern Prohibition has brewed in downtown Hattiesburg since 2013 and built its name on hop-forward IPAs and a rotating lineup of barrel-aged and wild ales. USA Today has ranked it among the top ten brewpubs in the country, and the kitchen serves inventive spins on classic bar food alongside old favorites. Their Crowd Control, a citrus- and pine-forward Imperial IPA, has been a longtime favorite.
Finish near the coast in Kiln at Lazy Magnolia Brewing Company, Mississippi’s oldest packaging brewery, founded in 2005. Their Southern Pecan brown ale is the beer most people associate with Mississippi craft beer, and tasting it fresh on The Porch, their newer taproom, is a different experience entirely from picking up a six-pack at home.
Where to Stay Between Stops on Your Mississippi Road Trip
Vicksburg is the natural starting point for this loop through the breweries in Mississippi, which makes Oak Hall Bed and Breakfast a practical home base as much as a comfortable one. You’re a few minutes from Key City for an easy first night, and close enough to the highway for an early start toward Natchez the next morning.
Oak Hall is a restored 1910 Mission Revival mansion listed on the National Register of Historic Places, with private baths, individually controlled air conditioning, high-speed Wi-Fi, and a pool to unwind in after a day of tasting flights in the Mississippi heat. It’s a different kind of stay than the chain Hotels in Vicksburg, MS, visitors usually default to, and one built around the same Southern hospitality you’ll find at every stop on this trip.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many days do you need for a Mississippi brewery road trip?
Two to three days is enough to comfortably visit four breweries between Vicksburg, Natchez, Hattiesburg, and the Gulf Coast without rushing.
What is the most well-known Mississippi craft beer?
Lazy Magnolia’s Southern Pecan brown ale is widely considered the beer most associated with Mississippi craft beer, having been in production since 2005.
Can you buy beer at Mississippi breweries on Sunday?
Yes. Taproom sales run 7 a.m. to midnight seven days a week, including Sundays. Sunday restrictions apply to package store sales, not what’s served at the bar.
Where should I stay to start a brewery trip through Mississippi?
Vicksburg is a convenient starting point, positioned close to Key City Brewery and within easy driving distance of Natchez, Hattiesburg, and the Gulf Coast.
Ready to start your own food and drink getaway through the best breweries in Mississippi? Book your stay at Oak Hall Bed and Breakfast and make Vicksburg your home base.