The best part of my trip to Rapid City had nothing to do with beer.
I made the drive from Sioux Falls to watch my daughter compete at the state dance and cheer competition. And she did a great job. I couldn’t have been prouder. There’s something special about seeing your kid doing something she loves, having fun and giving it everything she’s got. That alone made the miles worth it.
But once the competition was over, Dad had another lineup in mind: a few brewery stops, a little exploring and some time back in a part of South Dakota that means a lot to me.
I used to serve at Ellsworth Air Force Base, just outside Rapid City. So this wasn’t only a brewery weekend. It was a chance to revisit old stomping grounds, see how the area has changed and, naturally, find out what was on tap.
I made it to five places around Rapid City and Box Elder: Woodland Republic, Zymurcracy, Cohort, Hay Camp and Hairy Cow. No rankings here. Each one gave me a different reason to remember the trip.
THE BREWERY STOP
Woodland Republic Brewing & Blending
Comedy night, hazy IPAs and a familiar favorite
By the time I got to Woodland Republic, I’d already had dinner and was ready to settle in with a hazy IPA. It happened to be comedy night, which is a pretty good way to spend an evening at a brewery.
This wasn’t my first visit, and one of the things I still love about Woodland Republic is how open the taproom feels. Some breweries make you want to grab a drink and move along. This one makes it easy to get comfortable.
I went with the Deep Space Juice Race IPA, a double dry-hopped, oat-heavy hazy brewed with Galaxy, Citra and Citra LupoMax hops. The description listed 6.8% ABV and 45 IBU, with a hefty 4.6 pounds of hops per barrel. When I’m in the mood for a hazy, that’s exactly the kind of tap-list description that gets my attention.
Then I went in a completely different direction with the Bramble Berry Milkshake Sour IPA. It’s a kettle sour made with blackberry purée, dry-hopped with Citra and El Dorado, and it comes in at 6% ABV. It also contains lactose. Between that and the hazy, I got two very different sides of Woodland Republic’s beer lineup.
A return visit, a couple of interesting pours and some laughs in the background? I’m not complaining.
Zymurcracy Beer Company
A full taproom, Saturday-night bingo and $5 chili.
First, we’ve got to talk about that name. Zymurcracy. It sounds like a word you’d lose a spelling bee over, but there’s a reason behind it.
Zymurgy is the science of fermentation. Zymurcracy takes that idea and makes it about people: a community dedicated to the art and principles of fermentation. That’s the brewery’s own definition, and it’s a fitting name for a veteran-owned place whose mission is to connect people through craft beer.
When I walked in on Saturday night, that mission was playing out right in front of me. It was bingo night, and the place was packed. I love seeing that: families and friends filling a local taproom, showing up for something more than just the beer.
And it got better. In the event room, people were hosting a homemade chili competition. For five bucks, you could sample all the chili you wanted. It was a cool fall night in the Black Hills, so honestly, chili sounded perfect. I had a great time talking with the cooks and trying their recipes.
I started with the Hefeweizen (5.7% ABV, 11 IBU), a traditional German-style wheat beer with banana and clove character, soft bready malt notes and a light, refreshing finish. I loved it.
Of course, I couldn’t leave without trying one of their staples: NEIPA #2 (6.7% ABV, 53 IBU). It’s hazy and tropical, with pineapple, mango, papaya, orange and peach notes, brewed with Azacca, Idaho 7 and Sabro hops. I loved this one too.
But the part that stuck with me wasn’t just the beer. It was how alive the whole place felt. Bingo in one room, chili in another, people talking everywhere. That’s what a neighborhood brewery should be.
Cohort Craft Brewery
Another neighborhood stop with its own personality.
Cohort was another brewery stop on my Rapid City list, and it’s exactly the kind of local place I like to make time for when I’m traveling.
The brewery leans into small-batch beer and a neighborhood feel instead of trying to be everything to everybody. It also keeps mead on tap, made with local honey, which is a little different from the usual brewery lineup. I didn’t get into a detailed tasting session here, so I’m not going to pretend I have notes on every pour. It was OktoberFETT, Cohorts version of OctoberFest. Think german culture and Star Wars! It’s clever, I like it!! With that, I had the Octoberfest! And I was not disappointed! 6.6% ABV, great color and balanced flavor.
Cohort also has a Hill City location, which makes it worth keeping in mind if your Black Hills plans take you beyond Rapid City. This was my first taste and visit to Cohort. I’m eager to go back.
Hay Camp Brewing Company
One roof, three very different rooms
Hay Camp is one of those places where the building is almost as interesting as the beer.
The downtown brewery lives in a former 1948 car dealership, and instead of turning the whole building into one giant taproom, it makes three distinct spaces work together.
There’s the Tavern, with its handcrafted mahogany bar, wood salvaged from the Homestake Mine. Then there’s the Commons, the building’s original showroom, now a bright dining area that’s home to the Bashful Bison Deli & Market. And finally there’s the Showroom, a roughly 3,000-square-foot event space with a stage, sound and lighting for concerts and private gatherings.
I love that kind of setup. A brewery can be a place to grab a pint, catch up with somebody, eat lunch or spend an entire evening. Hay Camp has room for all of that without losing its personality.
Now, the beer! I had a few here. First, there’s the Cliché Hazy IPA (6.0% ABV). I’m a sucker for a good hazy, especially one with citrus and tropical fruit flavors. This one also brings some noticeable bitterness.
Then there’s the Czech, Please Pilsner (5.2% ABV). Sometimes I just want a clean, refreshing beer without all the extras. This pilsner brings floral aromas and a crisp bitterness. Exactly the kind of beer I appreciate when I’m looking for something lighter.
And finally, the Victory Stout (4.8% ABV). I love a good stout, especially when it brings those rich roasted and chocolate notes. This stout also has a touch of smokiness, which makes it an interesting option.
Hairy Cow Brewing Company — Box Elder
A B-1 connection, handmade coasters and my favorite new beer of the trip
I felt a certain kind of way driving into Box Elder. The community sits right next to Ellsworth Air Force Base, where I served in the Air Force as a B-1 bomber maintainer. Returning to that area always brings something back.
This time, I pulled into Hairy Cow Brewing Company. And as much as I was there for the beer, the best surprise happened while I was sitting at the bar.
I struck up a conversation with a fellow airman. We started talking about the custom metal coasters featuring the brewery’s artwork. They were so well done that I wanted to know more about them.
Come to find out, the veteran I was talking to had worked as a structures and metals specialist on the B-1 bomber—and he’d designed and made those very coasters himself. What are the odds? Two people with a connection to the same aircraft, meeting over a beer in Box Elder. That’s the kind of encounter you don’t plan, and the kind you remember.
As for the beer, I tried the Belgian IPA (7.5% ABV, 46 IBU). Belgian yeast brings the fruity and spicy character, while double dry-hopping with Pacific Northwest hops adds another layer. Superb beer.
Then there was one I pretty much had to order: the Wee Heavy, inspired by the B-1 bomber—“The Bone.” At 9.1% ABV and 30 IBU, it’s a rich, full-bodied beer with sweet caramel, toasted pecan and chocolate notes.
And this might have been my favorite new beer of the entire Rapid City trip. Big flavor, but it didn’t leave me feeling overly full. That was a pleasant surprise for a beer with that much going on.
Between the Wee Heavy and the conversation at the bar, Hairy Cow ended up being more than a brewery stop. It felt like a little reunion with a chapter of my life. Living on the opposite side of the state, it’s rare I get to talk about being in the Air Force. Sioux Falls has an air national guard unit but the relationship between the community and military in here is very different compared to Rapid City and Ellsworth.
Five Breweries, One Pretty Great Reason to Be There
Would I make that drive again? Absolutely. The Black Hills still have plenty of places I want to explore, and I wouldn’t mind seeing what else has changed around Ellsworth.
But even after five breweries and some memorable beers, the highlight is still the same: watching my daughter do something she loves. The breweries gave me something to write about. She gave me something to be proud of and something I’ll remember forever.