Hartington sits in Nebraska’s far northeast corner, Cedar County, closer to Yankton than to Omaha — and Hard Patch is the brewery that makes the drive pay off. It’s a small-town taproom in the truest sense: inexpensive pours, live music, pretzels, and a room full of people who all know each other.
The brewery opened against the grain of the national craft-beer contraction — there’s a whole podcast episode about the gamble of opening a brewery while everyone else is closing. That scrappy spirit shows in the room. Hours are limited (evenings Wednesday through Saturday, Sunday afternoons), so plan accordingly.
Pair it with the Lewis and Clark Scenic Byway and Nissen Wines across town for a full Cedar County day.