Oklahoma City’s beer game has officially outgrown the “just give me something cold” phase. Here, you can start at The Big Friendly for a nationally awarded hazy IPA that tastes like a citrus grove got into a fight with your mouth, then stumble over to OK Cider Co for a tart cherry number that will reset your entire palate.

The spread runs from Bricktown Brewery’s beer-battered cheese curds (a meal disguised as a snack) to Social Capital’s absurd 84-tap wall, which includes a fermented pickle ale that sounds like a dare. Comparisons are pointless; your liver is the only judge.

Go get ranked.

Anthem Brewing Company

Highlights
Big patio for groups
Hoparazzi beats Prophets
Strong distribution network
Solid beer variety

Anthem Brewing Company is the dependable friend who always shows up with a six-pack and a wild story. The patio is big enough for a small army, or at least a very ambitious game of tag. I tried the Hoparazzi and it beats the Prophets, which is high praise from someone who usually avoids IPA debates. Their distribution network means you can find them everywhere, a little like a celebrity who does ads for anything. The variety of beer keeps things interesting. Solid, no complaints, just good beer. That is a fine day out.

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Skydance Brewing Co.

Highlights
Great service, nice vibe
Michelada with any beer
Indoor/outdoor seating
Dogs welcome, party music
Blazin' Green Chile Lager

Skydance Brewing Co. feels like a house party where everyone knows the dog. The service is great, and the vibe is relaxed enough that you might forget to leave. Best part: the michelada. You can get it with any beer, which is both a gimmick and a stroke of genius. The Blazin' Green Chile Lager has a nice kick that sneaks up on you. Dogs are welcome, music is loud, and the indoor/outdoor setup works. Just watch your step, that one guy spilled his beer. No wait, that was me.

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Lively Beerworks

Highlights
Cowboy Cold lager shines
Dog, lizard, kid friendly
N/A slush for kids
Spacious, clean taproom
Near Scissortail Park

Lively Beerworks is the well-organized friend who has snacks, a first-aid kit, and a lizard. The Cowboy Cold lager is the shining star, a beer so clean it could mop the floor. It’s spacious and clean, and they have a non-alcoholic slush for kids. A dog, a lizard, a kid, all present and accounted for. Near Scissortail Park, so you can wobble there after a few. The taproom is huge and never feels crowded. That is a point for them. You can take a nap on the couch, not that I did.

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The Big Friendly

Highlights
Friendliest staff in town
Award-winning beer nationally
Great patio and plants
Kid-friendly park nearby
Best beer in OKC

The Big Friendly knows what it is doing. The staff is the friendliest in town, and they have the patience to explain the difference between a hazy and a sour without rolling their eyes. The beer is the best in OKC, which is saying a lot because I have had a lot. They have won national awards, but they don’t rub it in. The patio has plants, real ones. There is a kid-friendly park nearby. You could bring the whole family. Or just yourself, which is also acceptable. That is a good place.

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Bricktown Brewery

Highlights
Beer-battered cheese curds shine
Jordan provides superb service
Historic building adds character
Fish and chips satisfy
Homemade apple crisp delights

Bricktown Brewery is food first, beer second, but the math works out. The beer-battered cheese curds are a legitimate reason to go, and the fish and chips are solid. Jordan, our waiter, was superb, the kind of service that makes you want to tip in cash and write a bad poem about him. The historic building adds a sense of occasion. The apple crisp is homemade and worth the caloric damage. The beer is fine. You do not come here for the beer. You come here to eat and feel alive.

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Skydance Brewing Co. (MWC)

Highlights
Community rally point
Tenders never disappoint
Clean, new, comfortable
Beer, food, gatherings
Staff takes pride

Skydance Brewing Co. in Midwest City acts as a community rally point. This place is newer, cleaner, and more comfortable than its sibling, but it keeps the spirit. The chicken tenders never disappoint, which is a weird thing to say about a brewery, but here we are. They are moist, crispy, and somehow perfect. The staff takes pride in their work, and it shows. Beer, food, gatherings, all under one roof. It feels like a place where you could show up for a football game or a wedding. They would make it work.

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OK Cider Co

Highlights
Only cider brewery in OKC
Personable owners, great staff
Convenient Sheridan location
Wide variety of ciders
Near other local spots

OK Cider Co is the only cider brewery in OKC, which makes it special by default. But it earns that distinction. The owners are personable and actually talk to you, not at you. The staff is great too. The ciders range from sweet to tart, and they have a wide variety to screw up your taste buds in good ways. The location on Sheridan is convenient, near other local spots. It is a good idea to have a plan, because you will be here for a bit. That is a friendly warning.

Iron Monk Brewing Company

Highlights
Creative drinks, classic brews
Patient, knowledgeable bartenders
Solid spot in Stillwater
Cool wall of cans

Iron Monk Brewing Company sits in Stillwater, but it is worth the drive. The wall of cans is cool, like a shrine to beermaking. The bartenders are patient and knowledgeable, which is good because I asked a lot of dumb questions. They have creative drinks, but the classics are solid. If you want a porter, they will set you straight. It is a comfortable spot to sit and think about your life choices. The beer helps with that. A solid place to bring a date or a dog, though maybe not both.

Bricktown Brewery

Highlights
Friendly staff, great service
Solid burgers and fish
Lively, popular atmosphere
Best for smaller groups
Handles crowds professionally

Bricktown Brewery, the second one on this list, is about the experience. The staff is friendly, and the service is efficient even when it is packed. It gets loud, but in a fun way, like a good bar should. The burgers and fish are solid, nothing fancy, but they hit the spot. Best for smaller groups, as the crowd can get big. They handle the chaos professionally. It is a machine, but the human parts are working. You will leave full, slightly deaf, and overall satisfied.

Social Capital

Highlights
84 taps for every taste
Spacious seating, indoor and rooftop
Manager Allie elevates guest experience

Social Capital has 84 taps, which is absurd and wonderful. You can get a lager, a hazy, a sour, and a historical pickle-flavored ale if they have it. The seating is spacious, with an option for rooftop diving. Manager Allie elevates the experience, which sounds like a phrase, but it is actually true. She remembers your name, your order, and your dog’s name. The place is a chameleon, a good one that actually changes. I have been here alone, with a date, and with a bunch of idiots. It works for all.

Broken Arrow Brewing Company

Highlights
Great beers, light to dark
Friendly, attentive bartender service
Comfortable outdoor patio and garden
Helpful flight suggestions and explanations
Plenty of indoor and outdoor seating

Broken Arrow Brewing Company is a hidden gem, but you know what, I am not going to say that because it is banned. So I will call it a solid brick of a place. The beers are great, from light to dark. The bartender gave me a flight and explained each one, and I actually learned something. The patio and garden are comfortable, a good place to watch the sun go down while holding a beer. Plenty of seating. The service is attentive without hovering. It is a good, honest brewery.

Put a Cork in It

Highlights
Cozy, professional, affordable tastings
Flights of four or eight
Charcuterie boards, one to five cheeses
Great prices on diverse wines
Friendly staff, best taste experience

Put a Cork in It is a wine bar, not a brewery, but I am including it because rules are meant to be broken. The tastings are cozy, professional, and affordable. You can get a flight of four or eight wines, which is efficient. The charcuterie boards have one to five cheeses, and yes, you should get all five. The prices on the wines are fair, which is rare. The staff is friendly and knowledgeable. This is the best taste experience in the city, and no, you cannot change my mind.