Austin Beer Guide - Winter/Best of 2016 by Austin Beer Guide

FROM THE EDITORS

Contents

This has been a hard issue to pull together. I’d usually say we “put it together,” as in we’re creating, crafting, and curating content specifically for you readers, like so many downed palm trees, driftwood, and hair made rope cobbling together a haphazard life raft in a last ditch effort to get off this fucking disaster of an issue island. If we were a brewery, we wouldn’t be a craft brewery, we’d be a cobble brewery. Maybe I’m being a bit dramatic, but since Lager Jam in August, life has been a whirlwind of balancing work, family, holidays and beer, and this issue just barely made it to see the light of day. I’m literally writing this two days before we go to print. Maybe it will be edited, maybe it won't. That said, this is a fucking killer issue. Perhaps the toll it took is due to the effort. Quality-wise, I’m as proud or more of this one than those in the past. As we close in our sixth year publishing, I’m content with the measured growth the guide has accomplished, keeping pace very much with our beer scene. We expanded in page count and doubled distribution every issue for the first two years, much like the big boom from 2010 to 2012. Then we slowed down and focused on quality and diversity of content, much like we’ve seen the rise in smaller niche breweries, neighborhood brew pubs, and established brewery infrastructure expansion. We’ve got a very diverse group of winners for the Readers’ Best of and Editors’ Picks, reflecting our eclectic quality of beer here in Austin (p.23). We painfully proved the point that our “neighborhood” city is still small enough to visit a lot of these best establishments in a single outing, with a designated driver or rideshare of course (p.50). We took a deep dive with two of Austin’s nichiest brewers seeing how two similar, yet very different breweries both have a home in our appreciative city (p.36). And even though we thought it’d run its course, due to public outcry, we brought back the fun yet pointless “Season’s Drinkings/ Ask a Brewer” column (p.8). On the serious side, we got some perspective on some controversial topics with Independence Brewing’s co-founder Amy Cartwright (p.18), and picked a few bones and buried a few axes over a few pints with the local folks at the new local Oskar Blues brewery (p.12). And finally we wrapped it up with a familiar face at a new place with this issue’s “Last Call” (p.104). And all that stuff I said up top, I already feel better. And after this “Best of” release party drinking and sharing good times with all you, our readers and industry friends, I’ll be bright eyed ready to tackle the next issue, maybe not the next morning, but eventually. Thanks for tolerating my honesty, still reading after all these years, and especially drinking our city’s fine fine beers. –CT

Chris Troutman Aaron Chamberlain Josh Spradling Shawn Phillips Cover design:

NEWS & BREWMORS .......................................02 SEASON'S DRINKING .......................................08

OVER A PINT .......................................12 BREWER'S BRAIN .......................................18 BEST OF 2016 .......................................23 SOUR V. SOUR .......................................36 GABF/WORLD BEER CUP .......................................45

BEER & LOATHING .......................................50 TAPROOM SCHEDULE .......................................60

CENTRAL AUSTIN .......................................63 SOUTH AUSTIN .......................................69 NORTH AUSTIN .......................................77 GREATER AUSTIN .......................................87

LAST CALL ..................................... 104 PROOFREADERS ................Soﬁa and Kim

NEWS & BREWMORS

This is the News RELEASE THE CROWLERS Love big cans of repackaged beer? You're in luck because a judge ruled against TABC and in favor of Cuvee’s Mike McKim, making crowlers legal again for bars in Texas. The TABC has until December 2 to protest the ruling, but we’re writing this on December 1 so who knows where this will go next. NOW POURING We’ve excitedly been talking about St. Elmo for a while now, and they're ﬁnally open. They said summer of this year, and thanks to delays out of their hands, they missed it. But, have no fear, those ﬁne lads delivered on their 2016 promise. Visit soon, they’re open six days a week

ST. ELMO

. . . TURN PAGE, MORE NEWS!—>

Brewmors

(brew·mor [broo-mer] 1. a beer related story or statement in general circulation _Q\PW]\ KWVÅ ZUI\QWV WZ KMZ\IQV\a I[ \W NIK\[ JZM_QVO OW[[QX# PMIZ[Ia O

In an effort to further confuse Dripping Springs residents, Barber Shop plans to call its new/expanded brewery down the street “Beauty Salon.”

Lazarus opening delayed while state decides whether or not to grant taxexempt status to church brewery.

Austin Beerworks forgoes central A/C in new taproom in favor of fancy neon signs and windows-turned-standing beer tables at new taproom. Oh wait, maybe this should be up in news.

Like Oak denied designation as an ofﬁcial Cell Phone Waiting Lot at the airport by city ofﬁcials as the idea of beers, cars, and texting deemed “not right.”

Attempting to stay on trend, ABGB to workshop new "PILS — Méthode Relax, It's Just Fucking Beer," dubbed RELX BER.

Oskar Blues opens new state-of-the-art hella-big sq ft taproom and concert event space to which most patrons respond with "Where's the fuh-CAN Death by Coconut?"

Hops & Grain to open second location in San Marcos to expand production of main stay beers, open new taproom close to underserved Texas State, and mostly get away with wearing shoes less often and listening to more Phish.

Brass Tap opens second location in the Domain, allowing majority of ALTCB group to continue avoiding actual Austin.

YOUR NEW FAVORITE NEIGHBORHOOD BEER BAR.

TAPS, BOTTLES, CANS, COFFEE AND SNACKS. NOW POURING IN MUELLER /WHIChcRAFTATX /WHIChcRAFTAUstin

BUBBA SAYS PLEASE COME VISIT HIM.

www.whichcraftbeerstore.com

and waiting for you with beer, coffee and Lager Jam-saving mineral water. Fellow Yard mates, the Spokesman are halfway through their build out, getting closer to serving up south Austin with on-site roasted coffee, cold brew, local beer, and bike friendliness in early 2017. A little further south, Altmeyer & Lewis opened in San Marcos this fall. Their logo may look like a construction company, but don’t worry, the only thing they are building is beer (read: German lager, red, bock and double IPA, for now). And for all you way “north Austin” readers, Thousand Oaks is open in the old Twisted X/Iron Sight location. While we don’t believe in curses or ghosts, we wish them all the best. Not a brewery, but good for vegetarians and general food lovers, the Beer Plant opened its vegan gastropub doors a few months ago. In other bar news, Mort Subite opened its doors to downtowners looking to quaff quality Belgian suds. OPEN THE GATES Over on the east side, Lazarus is brewing and getting closer to opening

LAZARUS

their beer-coffee-taco heaven on Sixth Street just a “upon this stone’s” throw away from Zilker. Treaty Oak Brewing is pouring beers at their spacious acreage off Fitzhugh Road now and should be in the general market soon on draft and in cans. Friends and Allies, while not new to Austin, are planning to be in their own space in early 2017. Look for expanded offerings and a taproom to visit soon! The much anticipated Brewtorium, brew pub coming from award-winning homebrewer Chris Rauschuber and wife Whitney have secured a location off Airport Blvd., right across from ACC and the metro stop, ensuring rail commuter's rides home just got boozier. Look for them on your commute home hopefully summer 2017. Aviation enthusiasts Flying Man Brewery is moving in equipment and preparing to open in the old Rogness spot in Pflugerville (where is Rogness going? Somewhere else in P-ville, but that’s for another day). Also in Pflugerville is Idle Vine, which is very close (like, three beers in the tanks as of this entry close) to opening. By the time you read this they’ll probably be open, so go check them out. Fairweather Cider just secured their new space next to 4th Tap, adding a new twist to the official/ unofficial “brewery district.” Hi Sign, another near-airport brewery located at 183/71, was aiming to be by the time we went to print. They weren’t, but Facebook tells us they’re not far away. When they open, they’ll have an imperial stout, IPA, pale, and a Belgian dubbel brewed by a Stone alumni.

Lazarus Photo: Lazarus Instagram

NEWS CONTINUED . . .

NEWS CONTINUED . . . Vista Brewing in Driftwood is creating an authentic Hill Country experience. We don’t know much, but if their SoMe posts are any indication, they like good beer. Brewer's Table's wood-aged and wood-ﬁred beer and food concept just got woodier with the announcement of head brewer Drew Durish, of Live Oak cask night fame. They've taken their show on the road with a series of popup restaurant events. Look for them in spring of 2017 (knock on wood). The bros at Oddwood are still in the build out phase, but have added a sweet (assuming) wood-aged banner and info ﬂyers outside their building on Airport

and Manor Road. Here's hoping they open soon (knock on wood, or did we already use this joke?). ENLARGEMENT Following an impressive investmentraising period, Hops & Grain have selected their new location for their San Marco’s brewery where they will churn out year-round beers and serve thirsty frat-bros, sorority sisters, and hip professors. Not far from the Texas State campus in a mixed-use development, they hope to be up by summer/fall 2017. Austin Beerworks are about to open (or maybe have, by the time you read this) their new/pretty/clean/ real/what? Taproom adjacent to their existing space. Look for more beer, extended hours and astroturf. Because south Austin can’t hold ‘em, South Austin Brewery is currently raising funds to take its “favorite” (?) Evel Ale nationwide, with the blessing of the Knievel family, of course. WhichCraft, of South Lamar and best bottle shop fame, recently opened doors to their second location in Mueller. In addition to the staple sixers and the latest sought out bomber, look for samples/pintsgrowlers to-go, coffee, work from home space, and sad Austin Beer Guiders gone to “pick up milk.” ABG faves Barber Shop will expand in 2017 when they take over their restaurant, The Mercantile, two doors down to create a

new brewery and taproom. The current Barber Shop bar will remain open for locals and passer throughs looking for a relaxing break. FOOD + BEER 2017 Manor Road is about to get a whole lot yeastier when Batch Craft Beer + Kolaches opens early in 2017. Look for, well, savory and sweet kolaches and beer. Exit polls show they’re a hit based on quick sell outs at pop-ups at Hops & Grain and Blue Owl. YOU CAN'T HANDLE THE TRUTH! Texas brewers are in court again, this time Live Oak, along with DFW brewers Peticolas and Revolver, are taking their position to allow brewers to retain

and sell distribution rights to the Third Court of Appeals in Austin after the TABC recently appealed the trial court’s judge’s initial decision to side with the brewers. At the time of print, a court date had not yet been set. ABOUT TIME Long ago, in a land far away, we heard of Mysterium Verum bottles. Well, they're here. On Black Friday, they released Tenebra Aeterna, a sour barrel-aged porter. While not “ﬁll your Facebook feed with pictures of lines across the nation” hype, it's real tasty. Look for more offering soon. Speaking of time, Jester King have released their long anticipated SPON — Méthode Gueuze, a beer 4 years in the making, and only 2 years waiting in line for.

GABFLASHBACK

SEASON’S DRINKING

Dear Brewer... THE HOLIDAYS CAN BE A TOUGH TIME FOR SOME OF US. THEY CAN ALSO BE A JOYOUS TIME spent with our loving families. Ah, who are we kidding—it's rough for us all. You know it and we know it. That is why you sent in these very important questions on how to make it through these trying times. Luckily, area brewers came through with some sage advice. Best beer for spiking eggnog? ALEXA WAGNER Circle Brewing Co. Saint Arnold Pumpkinator Imperial Stout. JOSH HARE Hops & Grain Brewing Anything with loads of diacetyl. DUSAN KWIATKOWSKI Live Oak Brewing Co. Dunk a couple yolks in some Treehugger and you’ll be nogging all night. JOE MOHRFELD Pinthouse Pizza Whiskey. BRYAN WINSLOW St. Elmo Brewing Co. Eggnog is gross. I couldn’t do that to a beer. MARCO RODRIGUEZ Zilker Brewing Co. I’ve never thought abut this one. I would use that pumpkin ale left over from Halloween. When is too early to start drinking on Christmas morning? ALEXA WAGNER Circle Brewing Co. If you start before the Christmas Eve service and continue after, does time even matter anymore? We’re celebrating!

JOSH HARE Hops & Grain Brewing If you haven’t started on Christmas Eve it’s all together too late. Throw in the towel and join grandpa on the couch watching reruns of Downton Abbey. DUSAN KWIATKOWSKI Live Oak Brewing Co. No such thing when you’re up till dawn going nog-4-nog with Kris and Krampus. SCHMITTY SCHMITTERSON Real Ale Brewing Co. If you’re setting an alarm, it may be a bit too early. MARCO RODRIGUEZ Zilker Brewing Co. Never too early to start drinking during the holidays. I, personally, will be drinking Christmas Eve night into the wee hours of Christmas morning. How do you deal with your drunk uncle constantly wanting to ﬁght about the results of the recent presidential elections? JEFF YOUNG Blue Owl Brewing Get a bunch of millennials to protest the uncle. ALEXA WAGNER Circle Brewing Co. Drink every time he says “make America great again” or “just give him a chance.”

JOSH HARE Hops & Grain Brewing Get really high and talk about all the states that have legalized medical marijuana. That oughta throw him for a loop! BRYAN WINSLOW St. Elmo Brewing Co. By reminding him how much better winter is in Texas. How do you keep Trump from not spoiling the Home Alone movies for you now? JEFF YOUNG Blue Owl Brewing Watch a movie beforehand of a bunch of millennials protesting. ALEXA WAGNER Circle Brewing Co. Just watch the original, it’s the best one anyways. JOSH HARE Hops & Grain Brewing It’s impossible. BRYAN WINSLOW St. Elmo Brewing Co. Just watch the ﬁrst one... MARCO RODRIGUEZ Zilker Brewing Co. I only watch the 1st Home Alone. Problem solved. My grandmother knows I love beer. She gives me shitty beer related gifts each year. Last year she gave me socks that said “Hark! To the micro-

brewery.” How long do I have to wait until I can throw out a gift? Am a I bad grandson? JEFF YOUNG Blue Owl Brewing Get her a pair of socks that say, “Hark! To the grave!” and see who cracks first. JOSH HARE Hops & Grain Brewing I’ll answer the second question first. Yes, you are a bad grandson. How long to wait? Forever, you’re stuck with them. Stick em in that drawer in the kitchen with all the other random stuff. JOE MOHRFELD Pinthouse Pizza Hopefully she got you a vintage ABG “Make Beer Great Again” hat this year. BRYAN WINSLOW St. Elmo Brewing Co. Last year, I got a map of the USA with inserts for bottle caps in every state. That thing was at Goodwill by New Years. MARCO RODRIGUEZ Zilker Brewing Co. Wear the socks with boots at all times. Your standing as a good grandson will remain intact. Is it acceptable to have a bottle share in the church parking lot before the candlelight service on Christmas Eve? JEFF YOUNG Blue Owl Brewing As long as it’s the blood of Christ. ALEXA WAGNER Circle Brewing Co. Just don’t go too hard. You don’t want your breath to catch on fire while singing Silent Night later.

JOSH HARE Hops & Grain Brewing Of course, Jesus would totally approve. Hark the Hammered Angels Sing. DUSAN KWIATKOWSKI Live Oak Brewing Co. A nativity scene bottle share would be so lit that everyone will skip the candlelight service. JOE MOHRFELD Pinthouse Pizza A lot of talk about Christmas here… What about Festivus, for the rest of us? Think of all the drinking that can happen during the feats of strength, or the airing of grievances… especially with your drunk uncle... or the festivus pole beer bong… or the bottle share you could have during this great celebration… BRYAN WINSLOW St. Elmo Brewing Co. If by bottle share, you mean shotgun share, then yes. MARCO RODRIGUEZ Zilker Brewing Co. I don’t really go to church. Smells funny. At what age should my kids be to watch Die Hard with me on Christmas Eve? JEFF YOUNG Blue Owl Brewing That’s the great thing about kids—who gives a shit about how they turn out.

What is the best gift to look like you spent a lot of money without actually spending much? JEFF YOUNG Blue Owl Brewing A fake $100 bill. ALEXA WAGNER Circle Brewing Co. Hit TJMaxx like the Maxxinista we all know you are. JOSH HARE Hops & Grain Brewing Fruitcake with a candle, duh. JOE MOHRFELD Pinthouse Pizza A limited edition poster bought off Troutman’s Etsy shop from a past Austin Beer Guide release party… from back when they used to have release parties and make posters for them. BRYAN WINSLOW St. Elmo Brewing Co. Gift cards, duh... MARCO RODRIGUEZ Zilker Brewing Co. A never used or slightly used re-gift. Isn’t not being hungover Christmas morning gift enough for my in-laws? ALEXA WAGNER Circle Brewing Co. It should be, that’s for sure.

ALEXA WAGNER Circle Brewing Co. Fresh out of the womb, probably.

JOSH HARE Hops & Grain Brewing Absolutely. If it’s not then you’re clearly not making enough of an ass of yourself.

SCHMITTY SCHMITTERSON Real Ale Brewing Co. As soon as they can say “Yippee ky-ay motherfucker,” they’re ready.

JOE MOHRFELD Pinthouse Pizza I don’t love them quite enough to be that generous.

BRYAN WINSLOW St. Elmo Brewing Co. As soon as they’re old enough to be American.

BRYAN WINSLOW St. Elmo Brewing Co. I’m not that generous.

These medals are making me thirsty.

OVER A PINT

Dan and Michael of Oskar Blues Brewery FOR THIS OAP WE DECIDED TO SIT DOWN WITH SOME OF THE LOCAL FOLKS FROM THE NEW OSKAR BLUES BREWERY TO TALK ABOUT WHAT THEY’VE GOT IN STORE FOR AUSTIN, WHY THEY CAME, AND ADDRESS SOME OF THE CONCERNS ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT THEY’RE A GOOD THING FOR AUSTIN. WE ENJOYED SOME FRESH DALE’S AND MAMA’S LITTLE YELLA PILS WITH TEXAS MARKETING MANAGER AND GOOD GUY DAN WIERSEMA AND HEAD BREWER AND FLY FISHING EXTRAORDINAIRE MICHAEL HARRIS. WE GOT INTO SOME THORNY TOPICS BUT KEPT IT FRIENDLY AND MOSTLY ABOUT THE BEER. ABG: So what do we got here? What is this? Dan: Austin-brewed Dale’s Pale Ale. Okay. Michael: Cheers. Tell me about it. Yeah, cheers. So what I can tell you is more of the technical brewing side of things. It’s a pale ale. It’s actually the ﬁrst craft beer in a can. 14 years young. So it’s a relatively simple recipe. Brewed with two row pale malt and some caramel malt. It’s got the three “C” hops in it: cascade, centennial and columbus. And believe it or not it’s actually not dry hopped. It’s got a large whirlpool edition. So but it’s a nice balance between malt and hops and easy drinking beer. Is there any difference between this one and what most people have probably tried out of Colorado? My guess would be it’s probably fresher. Other than that it’s the same. We did some,

before we started brewing, we did some analysis on our water. Cause we’re using Austin city water here. Only treatment we do is a charcoal filter to take out the chlorine, UV light, and then it gets softened. So we took that water and got analysis done on it and compared it to Longmont and believe it or not, it’s pretty similar. A little more sodium but was pretty easy to adjust. Yeah, it’s definitely a different beer. I think before we were getting it fresh like this you got a lot more of the malty flavor. A lot of caramel came through. So do you guys feel like kind of like your own brand of Oskar Blues versus you just coming in with that Fuh-Can everything? Dan That’s a great pun. We use it all the time. Too much, actually. Do you guys have like plans to start offering more taproom only stuff or Texas only or Austin only? For the near future could

Mix with the Professor!

STEVE’S PROFESSOR B CK SOURDOUGH “This is a really easy no-knead bread recipe that Professor Black is great in. You make the dough the night before you want to bake.”

Ingredients ( )%* Ykfi Wbb fkhfei[ Ôekh eh ho[ 1/4 tsp yeast 2 tsp salt 1 cup water 1/2 cup Professor Black 1 tablespoon vinegar Mix ingredients in a large bowl until it forms a ball. • Cover dough with plastic wrap and rest for 8 hours or el[hd_]^j$ :kij W Yb[Wd ikh\WY[ m_j^ Ôekh WdZ fekh Zek]^ edje j^[ meha ifWY[$ Ad[WZ Zek]^ [nWYjbo ten times and mold it into oval shape. • Place the ball on parchment paper. Loosely cover with plastic wrap and rest for two more hours. • Set oven to 375ðand place a dutch oven in it to preheat. • Remove plastic mhWf WdZ ifh_dab[ Zek]^ m_j^ W b_jjb[ Ôekh$ M_j^ W fWh_d] ad_\[" iYeh[ i^Wbbem Ykji b[d]j^m_i[$ FbWY[ j^[ dough on the parchment paper in the dutch oven. Cover with lid immediately. • Lower the oven to 340ð and bake for 30 minutes. • Remove the lid and bake for an additional 20 minutes. • Slice and serve warm!

people just expect the same Oskar Blues that they’ve had before but just fresher? No, we’ll be doing some specialty stuff just for the tap room. And that was part of the idea of putting in a smaller brew house is so that we can do some more specialty one off stuff. And have it for the tap room only or Austin only or Texas only. Tell me about initially when you guys first first came out there was a hesitancy about joining the [Texas Craft Brewers] Guild and getting in with the political arena of what’s happening with beer in Texas. What’s that look like now? I mean I think our initial response was we just need to make beer first. And get the doors open and make sure that human beings walk through them. And so I don’t think it was a hesitation in terms of a resistance to the itinerary or anything like that, it was just more like we need to get our own house in order before we start doing anything else. And obviously we joined the Texas Craft Brewers Guild and we’re enthusiastic about it and we’re freakin stoked at all the stuff that they are gonna do. And I think they’ve made incredible progress and obviously the breweries that are leading the charge against some not easy laws to navigate, we’re happy to be a part of it, we’re happy to support it, we’re happy to lend our voice. So what kind of support can a large brewery like Oskar Blues be able to bring? Cause you have the benefit of being in three states and also having been a brewery for way longer than over half the breweries in Texas. Do you see any kind of leadership potential coming from Oskar Blues in the legal arena or more of a “rah rah rah we’re on the team”? I think eventually we could see that. I think that right now with such a small production crew it’s a little difficult for me to be, I’m friends with Adam [Debower] and all the guys on the legal side of things and, so we want to be involved but I’ve got to maintain this place first. And as we grow and I have more employees and my time’s freed up I definitely see myself bringing a role into that. Because I was part of it at Saint Arnold. And have been around for a while. Sure. And to be honest on more of that note I would like to learn more about what’s going on on the political side of it. I’m on the brewing and manufacturing side of things. I mean you talk about the limitations. The last [Guild] meeting was a brew day and I was out of

town. If someone’s gonna be involved it’s gonna be Michael or it’s gonna be me. And it’s more of a time sort of thing. But I mean the great thing is like you said you know Brock [Wagner], you’ve gone way back, Adam, I know Josh Hare and I am good friends, Scott Metzger and I, we’re no strangers to the struggle. And obviously they’ve done incredible work up until this point. And we know we’ve benefited from obviously the huge amount of changes. Just like the Texas brewing industry has benefited from a lot of the work that Oskar Blues has done since we started. So the hope is that obviously a lot of the laws make significant progress because we know that we’ll benefit as much as anybody else with any legal challenges. One thing I think people wonder about is right now you’re really involved with the guild. But Oskar Blues in Colorado pulled out of the guild when things... And a number of breweries pulled out of the guild in Colorado for a number of reasons not necessarily related to... there are a lot of underlying issues in the Colorado guild and just this last week they’ve kind of come back together. There’s a whole new merging of the two. So I wouldn’t necessarily call those equivalents, like every state is kind of unique in its issues. But people know, it’s a precedent that happened. And I would say the most important thing to take away is that both Michael and I have deep relationships with the people that run the craft brewers guild. Like I talk to Charles [Vallhonrat] on a regular, like this is a very congenial relationship that we have. And Michael more than I. So do you guys see Oskar Blues maybe pushing certain things with the guild legally moving forward? I think their agenda is our agenda. I mean again for us it’s really about kind of getting our legs underneath us first. I mean I’d like to think that I’ve had time to pour over extensively everything that is on the legislative agenda for this year and the next but the reality is is that right now it’s about listening and hearing what’s being talked about. And I think acclimating to not only just the current status or whatever and what everybody wants to do and then figuring out what our role is. I think one of the great things is like it’s just us figuring it out. Like how do we want to do this for Austin? This isn’t like oh, Colorado says

now we don’t get involved in these sorts of things. It’s just a matter of we’re here to listen. I think everyone can appreciate the fresh beer, the tap room, the live music. As far as culture-wise how do you guys see yourselves fitting in with the industry community here in Austin specifically? A lot of these guys are my friends. I’ve been in the Texas brewing scene for a long time and seen a lot of folks come up. I’ve seen a lot of folks that were previously with Saint Arnold starting their own stuff in Texas. And with Austin I’ve known these guys, I’ve been part of the Master Brewers Association District Texas, I’m on the technical committee. At all of our conferences I meet with all these different brewers from different breweries and we decide what do we want to focus on as far as topics and what kind of speakers we want to bring in. So I’ve known everyone for a long time. People have speculated about because you are owned by Fireman's [Capital Partners] who own several other breweries, people wondered would this larger facility be brewing other breweries’ beers here as well? So right now honestly I don’t think we have the capacity as far as tank space to do that. We’re going through our first cellar expansion already and that’s just to keep up with the demand that Texas is drinking a bunch of Dale’s right now. So with that being said there’s the label approval, there’s a manufacturing license, one day it might happen. But as of right now I haven’t heard anything, I don’t even have a recipe for any of Cigar City’s stuff. Ask me in a few years. We could be doing it. I just don’t know. Yeah. So tell me, with the magazine we cover Austin breweries and we kind of had a conundrum over if we should include Oskar Blues or not, being that it’s a preestablished Colorado brewery. But you have a brewery, a taproom, beer brewed here. Although not as unique to Austin except that it was brewed here but brand wise. Tell me what makes you a local brewery? Do we brew beer here in Texas? In Austin? We do. There you go. I don’t mean that to sound cynical. I think on top of that I think the Oskar Blues culture is to be involved in the local community. And like tonight we’re having a fundraiser, Making a Difference Mondays, a fundraiser for Austin parks. We’ve done stuff for, what are the others Dan?

We’ve had the ﬁght against breast cancer. We’ve had the Austin soccer foundation. Like our, I mean the title for the beer sponsor for the Austin marathon. Like our goal is to be an Austin brewery both in beer and in deeds. We want to support Austin events. We want to support Austin musicians. We want to support Austin foundations, charitable groups. Thursday we’re building bicycles. That’s the second time we’ve done that. We did the same thing back in April, yeah. And we’re brewing for this community. Like every one of these cans is Austin, Texas. And granted these are a lot of the kind of greatest hits of Oskar Blues and whatnot but like Michael said we’ve done Texas specialties with the Reeb Rye’d. There’s gonna be a unique to Austin barrelling program. There’s gonna be unique to Austin specialties in the tap room. We’ve talked about doing a special Austin musician artists series of brews, partnering with local musicians, which is kind of more of a pie in the sky sort of thing but something that supports Austin artists and helps promote them and all that sort of stuff. We give Austin artists a place to play music. And a gallery to hang their stuff, their paintings or artwork in our space. We also provide a space that’s hard to come by for just people looking to do events. Cool. So why should Austin Beer Guide include Oskar Blues in the local brewery listings? I think we are a local brewery. We’ve hired a bunch of local folks, maybe not from Austin but from Texas. It’s kind of our own entity to grow. And decide where we want to take this beast. I mean this brewery has the name of Oskar Blues but it has the direction of people who live and work here in Austin. Like Michael has mentioned several times like we have great connections with tons of people in the Austin, Texas brewing community. And I said it earlier, like we’re learning as much from Austin as we are about anything else. And how we can represent the Austin beer scene as best as we can, you know? So at the very least on a trial basis include us because we brew beer here in Austin and we brew good beer in Austin. And it’s under the Oskar Blues name but it’s in the spirit of Austin, Texas. And I think we have a lot to contribute and we have a lot to learn. And we just want to do the right thing here. The end. Alright. Well cool, thanks guys. Appreciate it. Cheers.

BREWER’S BRAIN

From the Mind of Independence Brewing’s Amy Cartwright WHEN WE FIRST SET out to build a brewery in 2003, there was no such thing as “craft beer.” We were “microbrewers” trying to share the beers we most loved to drink. There was no guild. Brewers’ nights were not sponsored events, but rather intermittent rag-tag gatherings over a couple of pints in the back of the old Ginger Man. We brewed, people drank, the scene grew, a guild was formed, great advancements were made to beer laws, the population boomed, more dreamers built more breweries, and the community became greater than we could imagine. These were great changes. We seem to be in the midst of more big changes—anxietyinducing changes. Affordability pushing people out at the neighborhood level, billionaire-funded lobbyists at the government level, and warmongers at the international level… America is nervous about the role of Big Money.

And now, our beer—the refuge from these troubles—has been inﬁltrated by Big Beer. Brewers and drinkers alike fear that Big Beer will restrict access to the market for smaller brewers. By acquiring a “powerhouse” portfolio of craft breweries, AB InBev can press its vast distribution network to push these beers over local and regional breweries. While these tactics may seem new, they have tried them before (and Redhook does not seem to be ﬂying off the shelves these days). Those tactics didn’t work because we all made better beer, and people were able to buy it. While there may be good cause for concern, I believe that people will continue to seek out good beer and the community will continue to grow.

<texting> “Did you get a billion?” “Who is this?” “Chip” “No,” I typed with a real-life, laugh-outloud. Chip McElroy had a way of busting our chops over all these years in a brotherly way. This exchange was classic, and we loved him for it. I did not originally feel the need to write much about it because so many of our fellow brewers had contacted us directly to ask questions or express congratulations. Surrounded by more than 40 Texas breweries at the Texas Craft Brewers Festival, I realized I had spoken to very few old friends and Chris Troutman was awesome to suggest this forum. For those of you who don’t know us well, we have never been a brewery with much. We built most of the ﬁrst brewery ourselves. We survived over ten years and 9,000 Barrels on a frankensteined 15bbl system built in the late 80s. We know what it’s like to be the David vs the Goliath, and the thrill of wielding the slingshot. We did not cash out, and we did not sign a deal with the proverbial

devil. We needed to pay for equipment. So we sold brewery stock, as we have always done when we needed to fund big capital projects. It just so happened to be to one of our brewing heroes—Lagunitas Brewing Company. A brewery that has fought the good fight in California and makes some dope ass beer. As one of the OGs of west coast IPA, we respect them and are genuinely excited to work with them on some parties and non-profit events. Everyone we have met has been cool. It’s crazy to me how similar our company cultures and our causes are. It’s not about some mastermind distribution play (their patchwork distribution is not like the AB InBev tactic at all). It’s about the beer and community. It makes me think that other breweries will find their own new and unique ways to work together too. I know there are plenty of folks who will balk at the statement that not much has changed for us. But as I was delivering beer around DFW last week, it did not feel that different from our earliest days when I hauled beer in my Honda. I do look forward to working on some cool projects with those guys, but I don’t expect my 60 hour work week to change any time soon. Nor do I want it to! I love what we do. I love our crew. And I love our brewing community. We will continue to fight to protect self-distribution and direct sales with our fellow brewers as we always have. We will fight so that all brewers have access to the market and fight against unfair trade practices. We know that there will continue to be change, but that we can stay true to our roots. Labels may change, but we are still doing what we set out to do so many years ago. Call us dreamers, call us fools, call us brewers…I guess you just won’t be calling us “craft” brewers in Texas anymore. We still love you.

WITHOUT GETTING INTO THE DIRTY DETAILS, 2016 PROVIDED MORE THAN ENOUGH REASONS TO TURN TO BEER. Between the social-political garbage dump and heart aching number of icons we’ve lost, beer has been pulling double and triple shifts this year keeping us sane, consoled, and just numb enough to keep moving forward. Lucky for us, Austin had a rich year in beer. We continued to see regular growth on our peripherals, with a few major not-quite-new breweries opening larger locations and taprooms in the city limits, while other upstarts have found ways to get their beer and food in the market prior to proper brick and mortars via pop-up kitchen events, alternating proprietorships, and shared sub-brands. We’ve also witnessed a race to the ﬁnish line end of the year between several highly anticipated new brew pubs, with some defying the hype (and the slow-as-Mopac city bureaucracy) opening doors and taps, while others keep us waiting till “some time” in 2017. There is continued physical growth as several breweries are in progress adding new square footage, brewing capacity, taprooms, new locations in south Austin, second locations in San Marcos, and even farm land acreage. Our landscape has not only changed physically, but we’re no longer a complete community of independent locally owned breweries. The national trend of larger established breweries building satellite locations and buying ownership in local breweries has touched Austin and will undoubtedly shape the scene for years to come in yet to be determined ways. This has lead some to cheer on the evolution of our beer town and others to hold even tighter to our “weirdness.” We’ve continued to see the citywide tap handle count increase along with the breweries’ barrel per year numbers, but more and more pints are being poured on premise as brewery taproom culture has pushed the demand for more days and longer hours at several of our favorite locals. On the surface, it seems we’re over seeing the large 100 beer list multitap behemoths, and more local craft offerings crowding the small dozen or so faucet walls around town. One could even go as far as saying that local rotating craft beer has permeated our local independent restaurant culture to the point the idea of the “gastropub” has become unnecessary, as it’s harder to ﬁnd a killer restaurant without an equally killer curated local beer lineup. The year of our Lord 2016 has certainly shook things up, and some things we are still waiting to see how they shake out and settle down, but if you look at our city with clear eyes you’ll see we’re in a better beer town than we were ten years ago. Hell, we’re even better off than we were just two years ago. Stay cool, 2016. Illustration by Tony Johnson

///////// 23 /////////

Editors’ Choice BEST BREWERY /////////////////////////////////////////

LIVE OAK BREWING CO. If one good thing came out of 2016, it was Westworld on HBO. The second thing was that the 90’s sleeping giant Live Oak, long rumored to be making major moves out towards the airport, opened their much anticipated “adult beer theme park” in the early months of the year. With the migrated location’s new digs, we thirsty lager and old-world-beer throngs were treated to not only more readily available and consistent staples, but also their top three brands—Hefe, Pilz, and Big Bark—in cans (OMFG). Plus, seven days a week access to their high ceiling bierhall table bespeckled taproom and live oak shaded biergarten surplused with the freshest Czech-style pils and most German-style hefe this side of the Atlantic, a steady ﬂow of their old school sour and smoke series, and regularly scheduled seasonal rotations. In case you missed that, they’re open every goddamn day of the goddamn week pouring all their incredible beers, special releases and seasonals that you can drink under real goddamn live oaks. Goddamn, if craft beer died today, we’d all be OK. The new Live Oak is like your favorite 90’s band made a comeback world tour AND a new record even better than the old stuff. Eat your heart out Weezer.

Editors’ Choice BEST NEW BREWERY/BREW PUB ///////////////////////

ST. ELMO BREWING CO.

No one thought it could be done, but the lads Winslow and Bullock surprised us all by not only opening their new south Austin drinking hole in record speed in this city known for dilapidating delays, but they also introduced the Sou’stin folks to their new favorite taproom and beers. ABW alums, St. Elmo is running a new playbook focusing on classic beers, made as well as Mr. Winslow’s steady hand can, while poured solely in their DIY classic modern taproom and beer garden. From the conspicuous Carl kölsch, to newcomers Angus stout, and Chico pale, plus promising seasonals and rotational offerings, the beer program has no room for that traditional Sou’stin slacking. With simplistic grace and style, St. Elmo reminds you why day drinking in a taproom on a Sunday afternoon has always been your favorite pastime. And with resident foodtruck Soursop supplying beaucoup south Asian inspired beer ready dishes like the Sambal Wings, Pho-Tine, fried chicken sandwich, and beer soaking ready Soki fried ﬂat bread, there’s no better place to begin or end a weekend. Or really any other day ending in “y,” except Mondays, cause even Saints need a day off.

///////// 24 /////////

Editors’ Choice BEST BREW PUB ////////////////////////////////////////

THE DRAUGHT HOUSE

PUB AND BREWERY

This 48-year-old stalwart in the Austin/American craft tapestry went through its ﬁrst major overhaul in years and came out the other side fresher than ever. And unlike most 48 year old’s making an “upgrade,” DH emerged from their rejuvenation more appealing than ever sans hair plugs, electric cars, regrettable tattoos, and fresh sweet Rock Rose condo property. Upgrading from their previous custom brick-made 90’s propane run system chugging out respectable, but environmentally (nature, not nurture) limited beers, to a brand new seven barrel system, the good friar Wilson is resurrecting favorites we haven't seen since the early aughts like Pumpkin Head, Northwestern Pale Ale, Red Planet, Bombay IPA, Vanilla Porter, and the infamous Nut Bush, picking right back up with their IPA slaying game. Add to that they recently introduced a mostly monthly lager offering fucking good enough to buy by the keg. Draught House brewing isn’t back, it’s reborn and producing some of the best beers from an establishment appended “House” in town.

READERS’ CHOICE BEST OF 2016 BEST BREWERY JESTER KING BREWERY BEST BREW PUB AUSTIN BEER GARDEN BREWING CO. BEST NEW BREWERY/BREW PUB ST. ELMO BREWING CO. BEST LIMITED/ SPECIAL/SEASONAL BEER JESTER KING SPON MÉTHODE GUEUZE

BEST EVERYDAY BEER LIVE OAK PILZ

BEST BREWERY TAPROOM JESTER KING BREWERY

BEST NEW BEER LAST STAND CITRA SMASH

BEST BEER BAR CRAFT PRIDE

BEST OVERALL BEER PINTHOUSE PIZZA SOUTH LAMAR ELECTRIC JELLYFISH BEST PERSONALITY/ ADVOCATE JOHN GROSS BEST BEER + FOOD SPOT AUSTIN BEER GARDEN BREWING CO.

BEST EVENT TEXAS CRAFT BREWERS FESTIVAL BEST BOTTLE SHOP WHICHCRAFT BEER STORE BEST SINGLE BEER PACKAGING/LABEL ZILKER MARCO IPA

Editors’ Choice BEST LIMITED/SPECIAL/SEASONAL BEER //////////////

AUSTIN BEERWORKS WET HOP IPA We devoted a feature length story on the wet hop craze hitting Austin a few years back, and luckily despite all the logistics, impossibilities, hassle, and irresponsible use of resources the True American BEEROS at ABW continue to, year after year, teach us what hops taste like, WET/FRESH all over again. Not cause we deserve it, no, because they HAVE to. Because as the years past have proven, if they don’t, no one will. This mega juicy, earthy, pleasantly drinkable IPA is the most anticipated of their popular Heavy Machinery series, and rightly so. Any goofball with a probrewer account can brew a new school or hazy IPA, but it takes fresh/wet ballz to brew one of these. We have bought our fair share of these cubed packaged wet hop dreamz this year, and hope you all continue to do so in order to secure Austin/America’s future for wet/fresh hop IPAs. If my kids aren’t drinking wet hop IPAs in a half-assed backyard BBQ 20 years from now, we’ve all failed them. If there’s one thing to be thankful for in 2016, it’s for ABW Making IPAs Wet Again.

Editors’ Choice BEST EVERYDAY BEER //////////////////////////////////

REAL ALE FOUR SQUARED What started as an anniversary beer around the start of Obama’s second term is easily both one of the most underrated, yet quaffably perfect everyday beers in Austin. With a snazzy new orange can design, there’s no mistaking this dry-hopped crusher with its red canned sibling, and after the numerical moniker, their similarities end. Historically, we’ve leaned lager when it comes to “everyday,” but this is as dry as a “censored for Wal-Mart” edition of a Kanye album that’s a perfect balance of juicy and bitter hop ﬂavors that’s long been drawing our straying eyes away from its sister Hans’, er brother, er, it’s 2016, whatever, and it’s a good fucking everyday beer. You know what, just drink it everyday and ignore that last sentence. Moving on, being dry, hoppy, drinkable, and as just as readily interesting as it easily falls into the background, Real Ale broke the mold when they crafted this everyday sobriety destroyer. Sorry, Hans’, your younger brother grew up and is turning out to be just as much a party animal as you.

///////// 26 /////////

Editors’ Choice BEST NEW BEER ////////////////////////////////////////

JESTER KING 2016 SPON

MÉTHODE GUEUZE

Four years in the making, these batch of quadruplets in green bottles is getting more attention beer-wise than the OctoMom back in the heyday of daytime TV. Conceived on a cold February night (just gonna keep this analogy going…), four years and multiple cold late night batches have been meticulously blended and now bottle conditioned for going on 9 months (bringing it back), and ﬁnally arrived in both 750 and 375ml sizes bouncing bundles of joy. And what makes this beer so much more special than their other farmhouse creations is the use of hops, grain, water, and whatever the hell happened to be in the air at night when they left it out to cool. Yeah, and that whatever the hell, made some fucking incredibly delicious beer. Of course it was more thought out than that, but let’s not get too much in the weeds (you can on page 36). Spawning its own potential style, Méthode Gueuze, an American respectful take on the ancient Gueuze style, we can’t wait to try each batch as they are subsequently released each year, like the OctoMom.

Editors’ Choice BEST OVERALL BEER ///////////////////////////////////

LAST STAND SMASH IPA Excuse me, but the Last Stand SMaSH IPA was the smash hit of 2016. #sorrynotsorry. Srlsy, this super hoppy, super balanced, super drinkable, super coveted beer was introduced at their anniversary party, but due to mad popular demand in the taproom, made the transition to their limited bomber lineup and quickly became one of the most sought after local IPAs in Austin. Always (mostly) available in the newly expanded taproom off Fitzhugh road, the SMaSH IPA has begun rotating from the original Citra hop to others, but always worth the search or drive to the Hill Country. This beer sits precariously between the “new school” and “old school” IPA styles, being super drinkable with heavy hop flavor and aroma up front, but still holding down just enough bitterness to remind all of us why we got on this crazy carousel in the first place. Here’s to hoping to find more in 2017.

Editors’ Choice BEST PERSONALITY/ADVOCATE ////////////////////////

BOB GALLIGAN

You guys ever heard of a tap room tour guide turned taproom manager turned QC analysis specialist named Bob Galligan? Oh yeah, Bob Galligan once poured me a glass of water and it turned into pilsner. He can put coffee beans in his back pocket and they come out burr ground. To Bob Galligan! He once stirred a batch of wort and it fermented on the spot. Galligan doesn’t see race, he sees SRM. Bob Galligan can sample diacetyl-tainted lagers and they scrub clean in his mouth. To Bob Galligan! I heard Galligan can look at a wall and taps pop out of it like the Aliens from space explorers’ stomachs. Bob Galligan once drank a porter and pissed out bourbon barrel aged imperial stout. And I drank it! To Bob Galligan! Galligan first stumbled into Hops & Grain back in his beer bus tour guide days making the obvious (?) leap from the bus side to the brew side, eventually becoming everyone’s favorite smiling face and sideburns in the taproom slinging both beer and coffee, keeping us equally alert and relaxed. He’s since moved into a new role as a Quality Control Analysis specialist, making sure every batch of Zoe tastes as fucking incredible as the first. Bob’s positive craft influence has spread beyond the H&G borders, becoming a staple in the Beerliner roving circus, a contributor to the Art of the Brew event, and more events than we can name where he’s been the behind the scenes glue keeping the good times and brews a flowin’ (including our own Lager Jam). Always primed with a hug and a beer in the chamber, Bob is the best personality and advocate in Austin. To Bob “Brasky” Galligan!

Editors’ Choice BEST BEER + FOOD SPOT ////////////////////////////////

THE AUSTIN BEER GARDEN BREWING CO.

The lager-4-brainz maniacs at the ABGB have been fulﬁlling our bottom fermented fantasies going on three years now, with plenty of local and national acclaim to encourage their continued pursuit of the perfect pilsner, but it often goes without saying that the food program at the Oltorf outpost is top notch, as well. Well now we’re going to say it, Tim “Jesus” Stevens is working as much magic in the kitchen as those bozos in the brewery. With a pizza and equally strong, yet seldom acclaimed, sandwich and salad game, Stevens runs his menu similar to the tap wall with a selection of proven mainstays accompanied by a harmony of seasonal offerings, by the pie and the slice, combining to create a fucking culinary symphony worthy only to pair with nationally award winning beers from 2016’s Best Large Brew Pub and brewers. Sure, enjoy the beers, but relish in the food.

///////// 28 /////////

Editors’ Choice BEST BREWERY TAPROOM //////////////////////////////

BLUE OWL BREWING

Blue Owl is the result of the single artistic voice of Jessica Deahl that starts with the young yet iconic Blue Owl design and radiates throughout the comfy, eclectic, midcentury inspired warm tasting room, punctuated by the brewery's thought-out and inspiring beers. And under taproom direction from Suzy Shaffer and Courtney Cobb, they host events ranging from succulent planting, to origami, to adult coloring, to whatever the hell they want to do cause they’re on the cool side of East Austin, and when they pair it with Jeff Young and Davy Pasternak’s creative soured beers, it’s all good. And most importantly, in addition to their core beers, you can always ﬁnd at least two or three of their amazing lineup of seasonals, usually debuted in the taproom. So take a group of too cool out of towners primed for dropped jaws, a tinder date you’re not too sure about but at least if it goes sour you know it will pair well with the beers, your bae ready for a cozy night in a space curated to match the libations, or just any beer loving folk looking for something off the beaten path. Go for the beers, stay for the experience.

Editors’ Choice BEST BEER BAR /////////////////////////////////////////

WRIGHT BROS. BREW & BREW

The Brew & Brew is for fucking closers. You can fool yourself and say, “Sure, I’ll pace myself out on the east side and enjoy some coffee and beer while sitting on the patio watching the fools on I-35.” But nope. You’re closing that fucker out with liter steins of Oasis Meta Modern, Live Oak Lichtenhainer, Austin Beerworks Einhorn, Real Ale Hans’ Pils, or Hops & Grain Zoe in steins heavier than a gallon of milk mixed with cement. And with a beer board modeled after some sort of scientific shit, they make it easy to peruse the options based on your particular fancy, would it be stein ready, or whale slayin’ of the sour/stout like. They kick a keg a day on average, tallying over 350 beers a year, NBD. And although that coffee is top notch, you’ll go for a long neck Topo when you’re finally ready to slow down/they politely suggest you move along. This place is not for amatuers, although all are welcome in their neo-aught coffee shop lounge meets Waffle House bar top. It’s the best of blank meets blank, just fucking go. Just don’t ask for Grady, and always lock the bathroom door behind you.

Editors’ Choice BEST EVENT ////////////////////////////////////////////

TX CRAFT BREWERS FESTIVAL

TCBF Photo: Lost in Austin

The fest grew up and this year offered an experience you’d previously only expect in states like Colorado, Oregon, or Germany with the VIP package to have the opportunity to crawl the tents trying beers from all over our vast state in a mere few-acre park. The fest expanded to 67 breweries, over 200 beers, 25 special tappings, and over 5k attendees this year, all having a good time as big as Texas (sorry)! With an improved layout, additional breweries, and an enhanced VIP tasting session, this year’s fest out did the rest. With more breweries hosting unique events, and several niche events popping up, the ﬁeld was tougher, but also more spread out this year. And although the TCBF beer list wasn’t as “deep” as years past, the lineup offered a unique opportunity for Texas beer folks, especially those of us living a stone’s throw away, to try a wider spectrum of all Texas’ brewers have to offer in a well planned out, pleasant outdoor setting. And with no “extreme” weather, this is one of the few ATX fests that beat the odds and didn’t have to cancel due to nanny-state weather forecasters (thanks, Bernie).

Editors’ Choice BEST BOTTLESHOP /////////////////////////////////////

WHICHCRAFT, MUELLER They’re not the first bottle shop to serve draft beer and sell growlers, and not even the first in Austin, but they're one of the most organized and curated. With an emphasis on customer service and education, you’d be hard pressed to find a night you couldn’t stumble into a procured beer tasting or impromptu bottle cracking by their knowledgeable staff or a friendly brewery rep. With the second, Mueller location (full disclosure, this location is within minutes of the majority of the ABG founders) they build upon the knowledge and service reputation of the South Lamar shop, but enhance it with more predominant cold cases, a healthy selection of rotating stewarded taps for in store imbibing, coffee options with seating to suit it, plus growler fills to go, all while serving the often ignored north east side. And the more open and airy layout allows for low pressure perusing, and even a respectable amount of seating allowing for slow imbibing, WFH (we won’t tell), or even casual sessioning with the native Mueller-ites.

///////// 30 /////////

Editors’ Choice BEST SINGLE BEER PACKAGING/LABEL ////////////////

LIVE OAK PILZ

You can’t go back and try your ﬁrst beer for the ﬁrst time again, but you can get pretty fucking close every time you pop the top of one of these instantly iconic cans. Birthed in late 2015, these cans became classics by early 2016 and continue to rebrand beer in your mind with every 12oz soldier you lay to rest. Since the release of these beauties into the world our brains have become rewired to remember all things we truly love in bold yellow, black and white. Because for 18 years you couldn’t hold the tap handle in your hand. Because they didn’t fuck it up. Because baseball in a can. Because camping. Because after work. Because “beer” was already taken. Because everything is better when it endz in a “z.” Because it’s the one and only bottom fermented true Pilz and it only needs a design that bold and simple to declare it. Because after 18 years we still don’t deserve it, but we’re lucky to have it.

Best of the Rest BEST WOOD FOR A BREWER’S TABLE Live Oak

BEST HAIRCUT Carlos Arellano

GUY MOST LIKELY TO MAKE YOUR DAY BETTER Grady Wright

CEDAR PARK REDEEMER Red Horn BEST FEST IN THE WEST Oasis

BEST 4TH QUARTER St. Elmo

BETTER LATE THAN NEVER Mysterium Verum bottles

MOST FUN/NSFW CJ West HOLLYWOOD Austin Beerworks MOST LIKELY TO SERVE FROM THE HOLY GRAIL GLASSWARE Lazarus

WELCOME BACK KOTTER Draught House Pumpkin Head YOU KEEP USING THAT WORD. I DO NOT THINK IT MEANS WHAT YOU THINK IT MEANS Strange Land “Pilz” WHERE ARE THEY NOW? GUNS & OIL

BEST NEW BREWERY RUNNER-UP Live Oak

WHERE ARE THEY? Orf!

UNDER THE RADAR NXNW lager/ipa/sour program

#ITSNOTAGROWLER ABGB bottled conditioned swing top series

DARKHORSE (512) Export Lager

Best of the Rest Continued... BEST TX CRAFT TRAVELING CIRCUS Beerliner & Co.

BEST BOTTLE SHARE Chris Troutman’s 36th Birthday

CRAFT BEER TEENAGER Eric “Austin Chronicle” Puga

WE’LL SEE Rogness 2.0

BEST IMPORT Funkwerks

HOTTEST BEERS IN TOWN Whichcraft

TOO COOL TO SKANK Shawn Phillips

BEST PLACE TO GET A BEER IN TRIANGLE (UPDATED) Hopdoddy

MOST MISSED Erik “shut the fuck up, I’m walking on air” Ogershok WORST WORST @craftaustin HIGHEST ALPHA ACID BLOOD LEVEL Pinthouse Pizza BEST/WORST HOST John Gross

COWORKER’S FAVORITE TAPROOM Adelbert’s

MOST IMPROVED Liquid Austin

WORST AT SELLING OUT South Austin

BLOG LIFE SUPPORT Andrew Schwab

GABF ZOMBIE

BEST TAPROOM WITH WORST TAPROOM HOURS Thirsty Planet

ABG : BEER :: T$A : Bikes

BEST FB BEER GROUP Mueller: Let’s Talk Craft Beer

STAY IN YOUR LANE Thrillist

MOST UNDER-RATED BIERGARTEN Last Stand

STILL BOTTLE SHARING AFTER ALL THESE YEARS Beerists

WORST TREND Moving to Austin and Starting a Beer Blog/Instagram Account Your First Week

WE GET IT, YOU RUN Ben Sabin

WHERE’S THE BOARDROOM? Oskar Blues COMMITTED TO GREEN Independence

WASN'T BORN IN TEXAS BUT GOT HERE AS FAST AS THE BEERLINER COULD GO DOWN HILL Courtney Cobb

NEVER NOT-BE-HANS’-ING Adan de la Torre ROOKIE OF THE YEAR Caroline Wallace

SEXIEST MAN ALIVE Trevor Nearburg OPEN CARRY Second Shooter

Editors’ Choice BEST #GRILLNBEERN OF 2016 ///////////////

///////// 32 /////////

ADVERTORIAL

Ben E Keith Cross Oak Group Cuvee Coffee Fasten Freetail Brewing Co.

Thanks, Yâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;all. See you in 2017

G&D Chillers Grandstand Glassware Ice Blue Advertising Lakewood Brewing Company Oskar Blues Brewery Twisted X Brewing Company

TCBF Photo: Lost in Austin

Since its resurrection ďŹ ve years ago, the TEXAS CRAFT BREWERS FESTIVAL has continued to dominate the Tex-Fest landscape offering the most complete roster of Texas brewers and unique to Texas beers than any other event on the planet. With 5,000 attendees, a record breaking 67 breweries pouring close to 200 total Texas beers. Fiesta Gardens once again played host to this feast of the best in Texas, allowing brewers' booths to spread out across its acreage creating a mini-state of craft beer in a pleasant crawl-friendly fashion. With special tappings throughout the day, and a rewarding VIP session, the fest organizers took it to the next level this year. A long time favorite of Texas craft beer fans, the Texas Craft Brewers Fest continues to improve in quality of experience and beer year after year.

AUSTIN Words by CHRIS TROUTMAN Photos by SHAWN PHILLIPS ON ONE OF THE FIRST TRULY COLD, ER, AS COLD AS CENTRAL TEXAS CAN GET, NIGHTS in late February of 2013, we skipped out of work a bit early and headed southwest on 290 out to this young hill country brewery, that had lured us out there with the promise of a “coolship.” Having to see it to believe it, we braved the stinging cold and crowded into the recently occupied Jester King barrel room as then brewer Jordan Keeper, Garrett Crowell, Adrienne Ballou, Josh Cockrell, Ron Extract, and brothers Jeff Stuffings and Michael Steffing shuffled about the room moving large brewer hoses, making sure the freshly fabricated stainless steel coolship was level and prepped to receive its first ever batch of hot wort. We elbowed around barrels and racks trying to all get a good look at the first drops of wort hit the coolship and quickly turned into steam in the cold air, ruining what little sight line most of us had. The freshman coolship, only recently tested with water, groaned and creaked as the air-chilled metal became occupied with the just boiled wort, giving credence to the palpable fear this whole thing could go south and at the least lose the potential beer, at worst scald all our feet unlucky enough to not be in brewers’ boots. The coolship held the protesting wort and as the steam dissipated, we witnessed a beautiful copper pool of chilling wort, and as the surface began to still, it sunk in that this wort had just begun its long journey to becoming beer. It wouldn’t fill bottles for at least three years, and only a small portion of that first 15 barrels would ever be lucky enough to grace a glass and ultimately fulfill its purpose of satiating our unending thirst for beer. Around this time in early 2013 Jester King had converted their American-style beers to a farmhouse saison yeast, and were still about 6 months away from switching all their beers over to their proprietary terroir yeast, achieving full-farm house. Around that same time they would drop “craft” from their name. They were among a handful of brewers in the US taking their “craft” as serious in regards to literally owning the “farmhouse” moniker. And being neighbors with literal farms and having an actual barn on the property, didn’t hurt. But at this point, the general market was still a little tepid to their shift from, as their former beers would affectionately become known, the “OG lineup.” Particular displeasure was especially expressed towards the abandonment of “OG Black Metal” and “OG Wytchmaker,” their popular traditionally American craft style imperial stout and rye IPA. But these Hill Country beer makers had their finger on a quieter national pulse looking for more subtle nuances in their beers with an

appreciation for old world methods, experimentation with obscure or lesser used ingredients, and in true “long tail” fashion, Jester King’s devotion to their new craft paid off. As they became more focused on the wood aged, long term projects, they also were able to move more beer on site due to the 2013 legislative changes. These two combined to create a Jester King draught drought, thus increasing the local demand, lore, and hype. If a consumer wanted these more coveted farmhouse beers, they had to go to the farmhouse source. Since then Jester King has become a leader in the American farmhouse brewing tradition, with Jeff Stuffings becoming a frequent presenter on the topic of spontaneous fermentation. They have recently released their first coolship project under the moniker SPON—Méthode Gueuze, a new style they are proliferating in partnership with traditional Belgian Gueuze makers. And to further complete their transformation to full-farmhouse they have purchased 58 acres of surrounding farmland to begin planting and harvesting ingredients to become even more hyper locally sufficient. Meanwhile on the local front, Austinites were becoming more and more savvy to sour beer thanks to BeerAdvocate, bottle sharing/shipping, the grocery store and bottle shop flood of New Belgium’s Lips of Faith series, and an occasional early batch of Jester King Das Wunderkind or Boxer’s Revenge that took the acidic route. (512) began aging in inoculated wood, so did Hops & Grain along with a few other brewers on a smaller scale to varying degrees of success. But quietly in the background, while helming the brewhouse at Black Star Co-op, Jeff Young had begun tinkering around with a souring technique he’d been reading about in homebrew books, and experimenting with on the side called sour mashing as a pre-fermentation inoculation technique that was more suited to his smaller brew pub real estate, and demands on tank space. He started out with a sour mashed tart wheat beer, he hesitated to label a Berliner weisse, named Waterloo. That was followed by other experiments, one named “Dr. Vainglory,” a sour mashed hoppy American pale ale that stood out as one of Young’s first real envelope pushing beers. Simply put, Dr. Vainglory was well received, so he brewed another batch, and then shortly after in 2014 announced his intentions to open Blue Owl, a sour mashed only brewery— one of the first, if not only in the nation. Blue Owl Brewing opened in late 2015 to much aplomb, and quickly carved out a niche with their consistent, plentiful, available six pack cans of a session tart wheat, sour hoppy pale, and rich tart cherry stout. With a philosophy of taking traditionally delicious beer styles and applying their sour mashing technique (including a custom designed sour mash Modular Inoculation Unit) they cranked out several killer seasonals, including a sour saison, sour czech pils, and most recently a rich malty semi tart wee heavy. Their thoughtfully designed cans became a staple on grocery store, gas station, bottle shop shelves along with countless fridges, as Austin clamored for their consistently clean, tart, satiating beers made for the everyday sour drinker. Their popular tart wheat, Little Boss, made the move to a twelve pack case turned canvas as they solidified their presence as another one of Austin’s pop-niche mainstays. But being so close in proximity, lines blurred, miseducation JESTER KING'S FIRST SPONTANEOUS BREW NIGHT

AUSTIN spread, and we became our own microcosm of a larger national conversation, er debate, er family feud over the legitimacy of sour beers and their tainting of the century old tradition barrel aged/wild bacterial derived sour beers. Although, no ill will between the respective Jeffs, there are some sharp edges surrounding the conversation between the two, less towards the perceived threat of the other, but more for the natural protection of each’s own passion and life’s work. But honestly, comparing these side by side isn’t exactly comparing apples to apples. It’s like comparing apples that have a specific tested verified repeatable scientific process applied to them to create consistently reliable apples every time despite a myriad of variables–to apples that take 20 times longer to grow, with 15-50% of the crop coming out completely inedible, and then what is left must be mixed together in various portions from each apple by a group of harmonized highly synchronised palates to create a balanced, pleasant and desirable tasting apple. And what’s left after all this time are two fruits barely even recognizable to each other, and although the most perfectly created of the latter apples, although superior in taste and complexity, would never ever achieve the same consistency or reliable tastiness of the former. So comparing these beers is just as

pointless as comparing beers to apples. It’s not fair to drop both breweries under the widening “sour” label for the same reasons one wouldn’t drop two breweries under the label of “hoppy” just because they both make beers with predominant hop qualities. Acidity is merely one descriptor of each brewery. Under the super moon in the Live Oak biergarten, Jeff Stuffings and I sat down to discuss his brewery. He described Jester King as such, “We consider ourselves to be a farmhouse brewery. And to me I think that is beer that like in a short phrase is tied to a time and a place and a people. I mean if you kind of go back in history and look at these various farmhouse brewing traditions these were beers that were very unique to kind of surroundings that were in some ways kind of like these products of isolation where people would just be forced to make things just with what was around them. And looking at the brewing world today I see a lot of brewers getting the same malts from the same couple of suppliers and the same hops from the same couple of suppliers and the same yeast from the same couple of labs. And making fucking awesome beers from that. Like again, the big caveat, there’s nothing wrong with that at all, but is that beer tied to a time, place, a people? Is that a farmhouse ale? I would argue not.” Stuffings goes on to say, “We’re referred to all the time as a sour brewery and sour beer maker. I’m totally fine with that and it doesn’t bother JEFF STUFFING me. But I would say OF JESTER KING that to me acidity in beer is part of creating an overall balance. I liken it to cooking. A chef will add acid components to a dish to create balance. And I don’t want to make a beer that’s just sour for sour’s sake. I mean I agree that acid is important in creating really great drinkability. But I don’t want it to be

overwhelming. And my biggest criticism of American sour beer in general today is I think, and I kind of see the pendulum swinging back, but if you kind of look at the last couple years I would say I’ve had a lot of beers that are almost like bracingly sour. And in some cases acetic and vinegary but JEFF YOUNG OF BLUE OWL even the ones that don’t have what in ing process we’re trying to understand that my personal opinion is an obvious flaw, acemore with taking titratable acidities so that tic acid, even the ones that are clean tasting we know the level of acidity.” are still just too intensely sour where I can’t Let’s break this down. I would explain it have more than half a glass and then my palto my grandma like so, beer is final product ate’s just shot. So yes there’s bacteria in our of wort, a sugary liquid created from malt, mixed culture, yes we have lactic and some hops and water, that has been introduced to acetic and some citric acid in our beer but it’s yeast and the yeast eats the sugars to create all part of just creating this balance.” alcohol and other yummy flavors, leaving us A week prior to meeting with Stuffings, with beer. Good ol’ beer. But, brewers can get I shared a few beers with Young at Pinthouse creative with the wort, and introduce various on Burnet to talk about Blue Owl. Young types of yeast, and even bacteria that will explained, “So the premise of Blue Owl is react with the sugars in different ways, creatthat we take beer styles that you’re familiar ing different flavors (yeast farts, everyone with, flavors that you’re familiar with, run loves their own flavor). So it’s a commonly them through our process, and incorporate encouraged practice in the market place sourness as one of many flavors in that beer to experiment with yeast on wort the same style. So for example we’ll take a pale ale, way brewers would experiment with hops and you’re familiar with pale ales for having or fruit adjuncts. They’re all ingredients a little bit of a malt backbone. Clean, crisp, and beer is magic and often rewards that good hop character, maybe some dry hops in experimentation with yummy results. Yay! there. We want all of that to still remind you But to get the yummier results of yeast and exactly of a pale ale but we’re gonna add that bacteria experimentation, brewers have to extra dimension of sourness. And the way have the time and space to store this beer that we do it it will manifest itself in more in mostly temperature controlled environthan just sourness character. It’s gonna affect ments in (preferably) wood vessels. The long all the other attributes of that beer.” wood nap. And as these experiments are in Young also said that on top of that, large part dependent on several variables, “we’re having to brew good base beers first. the conditions of the wort, the conditions of Like we have to brew a good pale ale before the wood, the health of the yeast, the balance we can make a good sour pale ale. And of the bacteria, the temperature of storage, again part of the premise of Blue Owl is to the length of storages, etc., they don’t always try to exhibit what sourness can do across pan out, and hardly never pan out perfectly the board with all different kinds of beer from one vessel, mostly having to be blended styles. So not only are we trying to creatively from several vessels of varying ranges of integrate different beer styles with our sour flavor to create a desirable pleasant drinkprocess, we’re also just trying to make good able beer. This has been going on for a long high quality beer first and then if you want to time. Longer than that first bro you knew at think of it as a secondary process the sour-

AUSTIN that bottle share in the oughts who popped a cork on a Russian River bot and “changed your life, bro.” Well, due to the time, variables, failure rate, labor intensive process of wood aging wort to achieve these “change your life, bro” beers, brewers have begun experimenting with cutting to the chase and adding the yeasts and bacterias to “sour” the wort up front, so the fermenting yeast is already working with a pre-soured subject and just has to do the easy (!?) job of fermenting the sugars to alcohol. Brewers have accomplished this by pitching these “souring” concoctions to the wort before the boil, letting them become sour, this usually takes about 24 hours or so, then when they’ve reached their desired sour level, measured in pH, they boil the wort to kill the bacteria, thus ending the souring process, and move forward with making the beer. This process is called kettle souring. Stufﬁngs has some opinions on this. “I mean to my palate, I still get like a quick, clean quenching acidity out of kettle sour beers. And for my palate and my opinion I’ve never seen kind of that complexity you get from barrel aged sour beer achieved through the kettle souring process. And I think probably most importantly with that I mean you’re dealing with not just like lactic acid producing bacteria and saccharomyces, you’re dealing with the family of brettanomyces yeast and kind of all of these kind of crazy funk and citrus characters that you get out of bread. Which tastes like either dog shit or cheerios for the ﬁrst couple months and then eventually if things go well can morph into something that’s really beautiful.” He goes on to say, “I just, I still view them as two very, very, very different approaches to beer. Yeah, I want to be able to get a six pack of Berliner Weiße and crush it and have it be totally delicious and quenching. And then yeah I want to on occasion get a 750mL bottle of something special that I don’t drink everyday and savor and appreciate it and kind of geek out on it. It’s two very different experiences and I just don’t

personally like to see them conflated.” Jeff Young is not a kettle sourer. He explained, “So we prefer to use bacteria found naturally on malted barley, on grain. And we find because this is a wild culture that is developed as the grain is growing or in the field that it lands on the grain, there’s diversity in the culture, which also lends to diversity in basically the flavor profile when we add that sourness. So we are doing a pre fermentation wort souring process using grain as the inoculant. And that grain has natural wild culture bacteria.” Continued Young, “So it happens that your two rows and your pilsener malts and your pale malts have a fair amount of bacteria on them and in them, whereas anything beyond that, anything that gets kilned a little bit or processed a little bit more, the culture is gonna die off very rapidly.” Young, a scientist by training and background, said that although pre-fermentation sour mashing may have a quicker turn around, it requires much more accuracy and therefore they’ve put a lot of experimentation into the process. “So we, batchwise, have to have consistency but then one of the intrinsic differences between this pre-fermentation souring versus post-fermentation souring, say in barrels, is when you have smaller containers like barrels you then get the ability to blend at the end and kind of hedge your bets on hundreds of barrels versus one bet, one batch, good or bad,” said Young. “If the batch goes bad and there’s something you don’t understand not only could it mean that that batch has to be dumped but it could mean that your entire process, your entire brewery, if you’re Blue Owl brewing and this is the only thing you do, could come to a halt. There’s very little information out there like direct information that you can look up that says if your beer is kind of doing this, then you need to kind of do that.” He went on to say, “On one hand that’s a big risk for my company and what we’re doing and on the other hand it’s super exciting because for once the shit hasn’t been done. That we have to figure this out for ourselves and actually do experiments to determine or try to illuminate what’s going on under the surface here. And in brewing when I think we’ve gotten to a

other beverages. I like to think of them as point to where everything’s been done and champions of the daily drinker sour style, and then they’ve added mushrooms to everything it's surprisingly easy to open people up to the and then they’ve put everything into a barrel concept who are previously unfamiliar.” and then they’ve put wild yeast into everyBack to the Jeffs. Stuffings had this thing, there’s not a whole lot left out there to say about Young’s beers, “I think one of to do—until you find something that hadn’t the coolest things that Jeff has said about really been done yet.” culturing bacteria off of grain and kind of Young and Stuffings are not the only getting more complexity out of the kettle or ones out there drawing lines of distincthe pre acidification process through that, tion. It’s become a hotly contested topic I think there’s definitely something to that. amongst brewers, distributors, retailers, And I think those beers probably have more and consumers a like. interesting things going on than let’s just say We reached out to their mutual dissomething that was just pitched with lactic tributor, Flood Independent Distribution for bacillus from the lab or even at worst just comment. Founder Kyle White responded lactic acid dumped in, which I know some to us over email. “I personally find it easier brewers that will do that for their kettle to describe the extra care, time and process sours.” He went on to say, “I just get a little involved in more age-driven fermentation, frustrated when the two are kind of lumped. I rather than describing kettle souring/sour think it’s a lazy thing to lump the two togethmashing as a lesser-than product. I think er. So that’s all I’m trying to do is just say you a well made, properly priced kettle sour is know these are two very different philosophia widely appealing product, and to use it as cal approaches. I don’t even like to compare a baseline for the concept of a "sour beer" the two. I mean they need to be compared shouldn't really cause anyone harm. Highjust so people understand. But once there’s lighting what makes the barrel aging process that knowledge of what the two breweries or mixed culture/spontaneous fermentation are after, you should really not put them in so unique and special is adding layers of the same category anymore. And I’ve told value to a beer, if approached this way.” this to Jeff, I’ll get the comment occasionally Talking about the cousin breweries like ‘oh you make sour beers, like Blue Owl’. White said, “We describe Jester King as a And it’s always so hard for me to hear that farmhouse brewery, and tend to get pretty because I love Blue Owl. I think they’re doing specific into the process and intent behind spot on beers. But what we’re doing is very, each of the beers when selling. I think convery different than that and everyone at Blue text can be pretty significant to the full apOwl would acknowledge it. It’s not a better preciation of what they do. To dumb it down, or worse thing. It’s just two very different apthere's always broad strokes to describe proaches. So I think my angle, my MO is just most of their beers, a quick, if incomplete try to see them a little bit better understood summary (‘This is a saison with wild yeast and people can recognize they’re just two and a lot of hops aged on cedar spirals’, for example). Blue Owl utilizes sour mashing, and proudly BLUE OWL'S embraces it. I try to avoid the term ‘kettle souring,’ MIU (MODULAR as it's become a negative INOCULATION UNIT) buzzword, but I think that explaining the process Blue Owl uses, with the purpose built equipment like the MIU (Modular Inoculation Unit), helps those with a grudge against the style get excited about it. I think the appeal of what they’re doing is quite broad—the tart flavor is hugely familiar in many

AUSTIN very different things.” Asked if he felt the need to distinguish Blue Owl from Jester King, Young replied, “Yeah, a little bit. And I think Jeff would want me to as well. I think he would also want us to say that they’re not a sour beer producer. They’re a farmhouse kind of mild fermentation. They’re really getting into their spontaneous fermentation program. And their claim to fame isn’t being sour. And I respect that and understand that. But we do have some overlap and it does take some kind of education. I don’t mind saying, like if I’m talking to someone and I can relate to them saying like ‘hey I’ve been out to Jester King, you kind of get what’s going on out there. Well we’re kind of like that’, you know. I throw in some caveats. But I don’t mind being related to them but we certainly differentiate ourselves as I think Jeff would want us to and we would want Jester King to, too.” He went on to say, “I understand that what they’re trying to do

and if they’re going to be successful at it and for it to catch on the business strategy of it it’s very nichey. And you’ve got to ﬁnd that niche. It’s not going to be isolated here in Austin, Texas. They’re good people that have an idea that they believe in, are making it work, and are continuing to do it. So much respect for them. We have a slightly different business plan but I still kind of take some notes from them. It’s like we still are nichey. Blue Owl is nichey.” Regarding their relationship in the market place, White added, “The market has been really receptive to both, even as they're both in different stages of their growth and recognition. Jester King had laid the groundwork and set into motion a movement by the time we became involved in 2014. We've been proud to have helped the brand grow in the home market, but I think the ripples they've made in the world have been successful at generating more and more buzz at home as well. We've loved working with Blue Owl from the ground up, seeing a great concept become reality and working to stay ahead of a rapidly changing Austin beer market. Now that we have a year of history with them, and have seen what has worked best. I think the understanding of the sour mash idea, the brand recognition and the quality are all there, now we work on ﬁne-tuning and getting more beer to more places.” Like a kid with two rich and generous uncles, Austin is lucky as a kid on Christmas unwrapping both Super NES and Sega Genesis under the same tree. Austin is graced with an artist embracing the unknown and chaos out west and a scientist furiously chasing repeatability, innovation, and improvement to perfection on the east, both working tirelessly to on their respected niche crafts. And in reverence to the hours spent over their polar-sister methodologies, the least appreciation we can bestow upon our acetic benefactors is to educate ourselves beyond the term “sour,” and become a “post-sour beer” community. Ordering a “sour” should be rewarded with as much shame as ordering a “dark beer” or a “light beer.” So next time, please show some respect and just fucking stop it, man.

TAKE AUSTIN HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS

FIND GROWLER STATIONS NEAR YOU

DRINK512.com

TEXAS GABF MEDAL WINNERS GOLD Big Drought Stout, Solid Rock Brewing, Classic Irish-Style Dry Stout Industry, The Austin Beer Garden Brewing Co., German-Style Pilsener Anodyne Wheat Wine, Revolver Brewing, Other Strong Beer Real Heavy, Real Ale Brewing Co., Scotch Ale SILVER Sir Williams, Grapevine Craft Brewery, English-Style Brown Ale BRONZE Toad Choker Barley Wine, Nine-Band Brewing Co., Barley Wine-Style Ale Flyin' Monks, Adelbert's Brewery, Belgian-Style Dubbel or Quadrupel Witbier, Community Beer Co., Belgian-Style Witbier Redbud with Cucumber, Independence Brewing Co., Field Beer Hell Yes, The Austin Beer Garden Brewing Co., Munich-Style Helles LARGE BREW PUB AND LARGE BREW PUB BREWER OF THE YEAR The Austin Beer Garden Brewing Co. 2016 PRO-AM WINNERS Just Ryeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;te, Panther Island Brewing and AHA Member Clifton Ellis

TEXAS WORLD BEER CUP MEDAL WINNERS GOLD Archetype Historical IPA, Circle Brewing Co., Historical Beer Hissy Fit Marzen Lager, Bitter Sisters Brewing Co., German-Style Maerzen Power & Light Pale, Independence Brewing, Golden or Blonde Ale SILVER Mother in Lager, Karbach Brewing Co., European-Style Dark/Muenchner Dunkel Four Swords, Deep Ellum Brewing Co., Belgian-Style Dark Strong Ale Chump Change, Oak Highlands Brewery, Other Belgian-Style Ale BRONZE Rocket 100, The Austin Beer Garden Brewing Co., American-Style Lager

PHOTOS BY SHAWN PHILLIPS

Adelbert's Photo: Adelbert's Brewery

PHOTOS BY TYLER MALONE

BEER & LOATHING

The Best of Beer and Loathing Words by CHRIS TROUTMAN Photos by SHAWN PHILLIPS

HAVE WE MENTIONED THAT WE’RE SLACKERS? Yeah, this magazine takes a lot of work,

blah, blah, blah, but at heart we’re a bunch of procrastinators that just barely squeak this masterpiece out minutes before the deadline after hours of YouTube rabbit holes, Facebook beer group ironic scrolling, group text inside jokes, and building and rebuilding motivational playlists. Oh, and also just drinking to drink. So each time you read one of these and discard it in the trash by the toilet, know you’re throwing away a tiny little miracle. So Beer and Loathing Plan A was to tag along with our friend Eric "Chronicle Cover" Puga at a UT tailgate and get drunk and troll a little bit. Due to scheduling conﬂicts and newly initiated wristband deterrents, that fell through. B&L Plan B came from a friendly assembly of beer guiders and Red Horners gathered ‘round their booth at the Texas Craft Brewers Fest. They own a bus. We own lives we’d rather not ruin with DUIs, but alas, we calendar-challenged guiders dropped the ball and between GABF and the other onslaught of fall beer events, failed to “save the date.” B&L Plan C was the least favorite. We did a big brewery crawl in Denver while at GABF. Shawn got some good pics, we got good and

WHICHCRAFT MORT SUBITE

drunk and even in a ﬁght. It had all the makings of a solid B&L. The only problem is we’ve done Denver, Fort Collins, and Boulder B&Ls. Also, we didn’t use the #beerandloathing hashtag. Always be branding. So welcome B&L Plan D, in which I get drunk writing about all the other great ideas we had but failed to execute. No, I kid. Saving that one for a REALLY rainy day. Back to Plan D. We realized that we were missing three key things that could easily all be accomplished in one glorious (and drunken) fell swoop: Best of pics, Best of content, Beer and Loathing. Thus is the horrid origins of our most ambitious Beer and Loathing to date, the BEST OF BEER AND LOATHING! Fourteen categories, fourteen stops, fourteen excuses for why we were there and taking pictures and asking questions, fourteen beers at least, and fourteen opportunities to fuck it all up. Delirious with panic, Aaron and Josh agreed to our maniacal idea like so many electoral voters drinking the same KoolAid, and Josh even offered to DD our dumb asses around. I’ll skip to the end. We didn’t do 14 stops. That’s just stupid thinking. We whittled our stops down to eight we truly needed. I’ll say up front, if by chance you stumbled into our path that evening, I apologize. Please bring this page to me with a valid ID and I will buy your next beer. What’s too perfect about this B&L is that the theme is THE BEST OF AUSTIN 2016, meaning that instead of coming up with some gimmick to link four or ﬁve new or cool places together, we just got to go to a bunch of our favorite, ahem, BEST IN AUSTIN 2016 spots. It’s totally repeatable, and totally fun. Just secure a DD or be ready to rideshare/bike all day, cause it’s a marathon, not a sprint. 3:00 PM we agreed to meet up at the new WhichCraft Mueller to start our grand adventure. The ground rules were that Shawn and I each had to get a beer at each stop, and Josh went for coffee, when available. So with a pour

BLUE OWL over, Real Ale Mysterium Verum IPA, and an Austin Beerworks Mondocon beer, we got our “casual perusing” on as we walked around the tables of patrons and shelves of beer, occasionally pointing to something and remarking, “Ooh, I haven’t had that [insert out of state bomber here] in a while,” in a deﬁnitely non-creepy way. We were three craft Joe Cools of the highest degree thankfully saved from ourselves when WC owner Jody Reyes came in and gave us someone to release our awkward energy on. We chatted about the new space, the taps, etc. When asked why we were there I’m sure we each gave him a different reason. Joe Cool. We snagged a bot of Last Stand SMaSH IPA for pics and hit the road. We had to catch at least three other people before they got off work. 3:45 PM We forgot we had to get a pic of our buddy Habeab Kurdi who penned this issues Last Call (p.104) at his new joint Mort Subite. We had till 4:30 to get to our next stop so the plan was Josh would drop us off and then circle the block while we grabbed a quick beer and a pic. Also, Aaron, who works downtown, wanted to meet us. So lots of moving parts, no room for haphazard mistakes. I'm sure you can guess what happened. We got in there, goofed around about all the funny belgian glasses, Josh parked, Aaron showed up right when we were about to leave, we eventually got our photo and a funny wooden handled science beaker glass of Kwak and left. It’s a super chill space with a lineup of belgos with way more thought put into them than we deserved. A testament to the beer diversity our city has achieved. And they even have wine for the mom-in-laws (not stereotyping here, a mom ordered a red), and a handful of local beers. We bought a beer for the guy who had to wait while we dicked around with the lighting and the diversity of glasses and hit the road. We had to meet Jeff Young at Blue Owl before 5pm. 4:22 PM We are still in trafﬁc, but not so bad as I am texting Jeff we are on our way when I am actually texting Josh, Shawn and Aaron ‘cause I’m dumb and don’t read and chugged a test tube of Kwak a few minutes before (who remembers it’s so chocolatey?!). We slid into a parallel street spot, and were in Blue Owl by 4:35. Jeff and I argued about the missing texts a few minutes before I realized

HOPS & GRAIN my mistake and made some joke about kettle sours to cover it up (harassment is my love language), and he took us into the taproom. I settled into a tall glass of Wee Beastie, which I kept pronouncing "wə-bēstē" for some reason. I think I wanted to come across as cultured, but I’m not sure why or to whom. I broke the rules and followed that with the latest batch of Van Dayum. Then Jeff and I went toe-to-toe on another two (?) while Shawn kept snapping pics of that Best of taproom and Jeff’s mug for the SourTownAustin feature (p.36). Yeah, three birds, one fucking stone. Plus about four beers. Once we’d warmed him up to us and he forgave our tardiness, Jeff took us back and poured some samples off the tank of his latest seasonal, a semi acidic imperial oatmeal stout. It was hella tasty. Roasty, thick, and a slight dry tartness. Def a beer jacket contender. After some high fives from Tre and Jeff, we got back on the road headed for Hops & Grain to catch Bob before he got off work at 6:00 PM. 5:30ish PM We make the quick jaunt from Blue Owl to the end of 6th St. just in time to catch the 2012 and 2013 Readers’ Choice Best Personality Josh “Yeah, I ride my bike to Colorado NFBD” Hare knocking back some shifties at the end of the taproom bar. We order a round of their tasty af Czech Pils and talked lager shop long enough (about a minute or two) before Hare busted out a sweaty silver bullet sixer of his latest lagered Bob Ross-terpiece, a Premium Corn Beer fit for a "banquet." Oh yeah, it tasted like the first time, minus the pending next morning headache. Hare moved the party to the tank room where we just happened

THE BREWER'S TABLE

OAK-FERMENTED BREWERY & WOOD-FIRED SEASONAL KITCHEN FO OD 47 15 E 5 T H ST R E E T

AUSTIN, TE XAS 78702

G O OD AS

BEER SPRING

EXECUTIVE CHEF

Z ach H u n te r

2017

HEAD BREWER

Drew Durish

to run into his brand new beautiful foeders. These sexy wooden beasts sat in a quiet majesty, radiating an aura of future beers so strong we couldn’t help but involuntarily salivate. Hare posed atop his wooden armada for some gratuitous “check out my wood” pics, when good old Bob Galligan ran his last tour of the evening into our awkward little party. I don’t know if he ended the tour, or if the tourists just figured out that scene wasn’t for them, but the crowd boiled down to just the five of us talking wood, San Marcos, science, and lifestyle cross branding. As we did this, Shawn and Josh snuck Bob away and made up some story to get some pics of him sans giving away his Best Personality award. I’m guessing they offered sexual favors, but I can’t know for sure. I snagged a fresh Zoe and met them in the lab as Bob gave us the QC run down. It’s eLABorate, to say the least… and I will. I think maybe Josh (our Josh) grabbed another coffee, and we got some Topos for the road and continued east to Live Oak. 7:I’m not even sure PM We pull in right before trivia kicks off and immediately run into Tre (from Blue Owl) again in the parking lot. More high fives and we all walk into everyone’s favorite new megachurch for sacraments of Pilz and Primus. I grab my tall traditional wheat glass filled to the brim with Primus and turn around to see none other than Live Oak Master General, the good Doctor Chip McElroy himself sitting at a table drinking with the other taproom plebeians like he’s one of us mere mortals. We shook hands, I made him do that weird wrap your arms and drink cheers thing for a photo, he obliged cause he’s the truest of gentlemen and a goddamn good sport, and then went right back to focusing on the (only true) Pilz (in Austin) in his glass. I spun around and there was a sudden gaggle of industry folk present, I guess for trivia. Among them was the young sire, Grady “Three Gravies” Wright of Brew & Brew fame. We told him what we were up to, minus the “Best of” photo run, and told him we’d possibly swing by the ol’ B&B later. Admittedly, we were getting a little bit sloppy at this point, and I’m sure EVERYONE knew exactly what our dumb asses were up to, but we still held to the illusion that this

LIVE OAK was nothing more than us grabbing updated pics and Beer and Loathing. We ordered some more Pilz and sat under the live oaks and sipped them over some satisfying white sneakers and lawn mower quality dad talk. We picked Live Oak for best brewery 2016, and sipping Pilz out of tall glasses under the moon and trees that night only reinforced our choice. We coulda stayed there for days but we were getting hungry and still had an assload of best of stops to make. 8:something? PM We took 71 west to the other lager cathedral in town, the ABGB. We ordered their classic pitcher, pie, and salad combo with the recently golded Industry Pils and a Calabrese to get some solid pics for our Best of Beer+Food Eds' pic. I slugged down a pils and went inside to the little boys’ room and on the way out ran into old man Josh “Big Beard” Cockrell, of Jester King art fame. He was in town for the holidays and kicking back some pils of his own. We chatted about old Beertownaustin dayz and such. I told him about our secret mission and told him he should meet us at Brew & Brew later. He agreed, we cheers-ed and hugged and I headed back outside to find a Mr. Eric Puga had joined us and only two slices and not even a full beer left. Apparently, best Beer+Food doesn’t last long if you go to visit to the little boys’ room. We grabbed a round of Rocket 100s to keep that lager party going. They were good, but I was still hungry and we knew the Soursop truck was awaiting us at our next stop the newly opened St. Elmo. 9:ishishy? PM Stop number seven is where earlier decisions began to catch up with us. Our Best New Brewery pick was ripe and ready for us with owners/operators Bryan Winslow and Tim Bullock there pouring beers, busing tables, doing brewhouse things, and dishing out high fives and hugs. Puga grabbed a pitcher of their killer stout Angus, ending our lager run, but worth it. Josh grabbed another coffee and I think a house-made mineral water. And maybe a Carl, because 4.6%. I ordered a nice sampling of the plates from Soursop and headed back inside where we started a thrilling game of Jenga! We were on our second tower when the table next to us offered the remainder of their 100 (more like 30, but still a lot) order of Sambal wings. We tore apart those wings like liberal pundits into Trump’s cabinet picks. We immediately received our own order of wings, bringing the table total to about 136. Then a fried chicken sandwich, Pho-Tine (possibly the perfect beer soaking dish ever), a Thai salad, and some fried flat bread. Good grief. Luckily Mr. Winslow (not Eddie and Laura’s dad), was ready to take one for the team and help finish off those wings. We followed the impromptu Soursop feast with some crisp Carls [kölsch] picked up our Jenga! mess (I hope), and with more high fives

Discover our

BOLD NEW ADDITIONS TO AUSTINâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S CRAFT SCENE

Mead. Who Knew?

Find us near you. MeridianHive.com/Mead-Finder

CHECK OUT OUR FULL PRODUCT RANGE AT OUR TASTING ROOM FRI 5-8PM & SAT 2-7PM 8120 EXCHANGE DRIVE AUSTIN, TEXAS 78754

ST. ELMO

and hugs made our way out with happy heads and tummies. ??? PM We ﬁnally made it to Brew & Brew! Stop number 8! Fuck yeah, it felt so good. Our Ed’s pick for Best Beer Bar 2016 did not disappoint with liter steins of Austin Beerworks Einhorn at the ready. Shawn jumped back on the Pilz train while we all convened on the serene concrete patio overlooking downtown from the peaceful east 5th vantage. And just when we didn’t think it’d get any better, we were re-joined by Aaron, Grady, Tre (I’m pretty sure he was there), and Josh Cockrell, along with newcomers Garrett Crowell and Adrienne Ballou of Jester King, plus Rachael Hackathorn, Zilker’s taproom manager. I was beyond hazy at this point, but in my fuzzy memory it had the air of a beer fueled gathering of old highschool friends all home from college for the Thanksgiving break, carefree and down to party. We all drank with the abandon that only comes from the knowledge you have no work or responsibilities for the remainder of the week. Just food, more drink, some football on TV, and at the worst, possibly some awkward family illinformed political discussions. In my mind we lived on that patio for years, but actually I think we were only there for an hour tops. Josh and Shawn split off and headed home as they both had to drive their families long distances at ungodly hours the next morning. And honestly, I should have too. But I had a white whale in my cross hairs I’d been secretly planning to add as a ninth bonus stop. A 10 point buck in beer and loathing terms. I had my frothy heart set on christening the freshly opened Taco Bell Cantina on campus. I loudly yelled, “Let’s all go drink at Taco Bell!” I got awkward looks. Not

judgey looks, more so like, “why would you want to leave this to go there?” looks. I immediately felt the same, but doubled down and shouted again, “Come on! They’ve got Live Oak on draft!” Finally, I convinced Aaron and Eric to go. Aaron because he knew it’d be good for the article, and Eric probably only because we were his ride. Sorry, guys. Midnighty PM We parked right in front of this goddamn sacrilegious “bar.” We sauntered in, saw we were the only people there, looked at the video menus and let the loathing set in. We ordered some bullshit “food” and I got a Live Oak Hefe in a stupid plastic Taco Bell cup. Aaron and Eric opted for the frozen fruit flavored machines filled with blue and purple concoctions, not even fucking trying to stay on the “Run for the Border” theme. The sad girl behind the counter asked them if they’d like generic vodka, gin, or rum added and I think they ordered rum. At Taco Bell. They ordered rum at Taco Bell. I can’t fucking believe I just wrote “They ordered rum at Taco Bell” in Austin’s only/best local craft beer magazine. Fucking 2016. Without talking to each other we choked down our bullshit food on bullshit trays in shame. The Hefe, the only glimmer of light in that dark dark place, couldn’t even redeem it. Aaron and Eric slurped up about half their blue or purple bullshit drinks “with rum” and we left with heads down. I don’t know what I expected, but it wasn’t that. I guess it's only fitting we ended our Best of 2016 Beer and Loathing with the worst. Fucking 2016.

T GAN A V A

D E P t HOP We pu R EXT

visit

.COM W E R B ASH L F N E E R

TAST I NG ROOM OPE N J ANUARY 2017

TA P RO O M S C H E D U L E Last Stand

Brewing Co. (p.92)

Live Oak

Brewing Co. (p.66)

New Braunfels Brewing Co. (p.93) Oasis, TX Brewing Co. (p.94)

Oskar Blues

Brewery (p.84)

Rentsch Brewery (p.96) Real Ale

Brewing Co. (p.94) San Gabriel River Brewery (p.96)

Closed

12–8pm

Closed

12–8pm

Closed

12–10pm

Closed

12–8pm

Closed

12–6pm

Closed

12–10pm

Closed

12–8pm

Closed

12–6pm

Closed

12–10pm

4–10pm

4–9pm

12–8pm

Closed

5–9pm

3pm–12am

3–6pm

4–8pm

11am–7pm

4–8pm

12–10pm

4–9pm

12–11pm

4–8pm

11am–3pm

5–9pm

2–5pm

1–6pm

12–8pm

11am–7pm

12–8pm

12–10pm

1–7pm

12–11pm

1–6pm

Closed

12–5pm

Closed

12–8pm

1–7pm

12–8pm

1–6pm

12–10pm

Closed

12pm–12am 12pm–12am

Closed

2–8pm

Closed

Save The World (p.97) South Austin Brewery (p.72) Strange Land Brewery (p.98) Thirsty Planet

5–9pm

Brewing Co. (p.98)

Closed Closed

Closed

Zilker

Twisted X

Thousand Oaks

Brewing Co. (p.100)

12–8pm Closed

11am–9pm Closed

4–10pm

11am–9pm Closed

4–10pm

11am–9pm Brewing Co. (p.100)

Closed

12–8pm Closed

2pm–12am 12pm–12am Brewing Co. (p.66)

BY NOW WE HAVE ESTABLISHED THE FACT THAT BREWERY TAPROOMS ARE THE NEW BARS. EVEN MORE HAVE OPENED SINCE LAST ISSUE. AND OTHERS HAVE EXTENDED HOURS. PLAN ACCORDINGLY.

MONDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY THURSDAY

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

4th Tap Brewing 11am–10pm 11am–10pm 11am–10pm 11am–10pm 11am–12am 11am–12am Co-Op (p.78) Adelbert’s Closed Closed 5–10pm 5–10pm 5–10pm 1–10pm Brewery (p.78)

SUNDAY

12–10pm

Closed

3–10pm

Closed

5–10pm

Closed

5–9pm

Closed

3–10pm

Closed

4–10pm

5–10pm

Closed

5–10pm

Closed

3–10pm

5–8pm

4–11pm

5–10pm

5–9pm

12–10pm

12–5pm

12–10pm

5–8pm

12–11pm

1–7pm

1–8pm

12–6pm

Closed

12–6pm

Closed

1–6pm

1–7pm

Closed

1–7pm

Closed

Brewing Co. (p.88)

Closed

Altmeyer & Lewis

Brewing (p.90)

Closed

Circle

Bluebonnet Beer Co. (p.90) Blue Owl Brewing (p.64) Bull Creek

Brewing Co. (p.88)

Austin Beerworks (p.80) Barrow

Brewing Co. (p.82)

Closed

4–10pm

12–10pm

12–7pm

Guadalupe Closed Closed Closed Closed 4–9pm 2–9pm 2–8pm Brewing Co. (p.91) Hops & Grain Brewing (p.65) 10am–10pm 10am–10pm 10am–10pm 10am–10pm 10am–10pm 10am–10pm 10am–10pm Independence Closed 1–10pm Closed Closed 2–8pm 4–10pm 4–10pm Brewing Co. (p.71) Infamous 5–9pm 12–5pm Closed Closed 5–9pm 4–9pm 1–9pm Brewing Co. (p.91)

Jester King Brewery (p.92)

BU R

BREWERIES & BREW PUBS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .p. 64 MEDICAL PKWY.

14 42

ST .

W. 30

43 46

41s t ST .

ST.

38 th S

45 DU VA L

PY. / RT. 1

50 51

GU AD AL UP ES T.

LV D.

45 th

ST.

ST. ER

DEAN KEATON

ST.

RED

13 RIV

MO PAC EX

24 . 5

University of Texas

R MANO

19th ST. / MLK

RSTA TE 3

BARS & RESTAURANTS 1. Flying Saucer 815 West 47th Street 2. Crown and Anchor Pub 2911 San Jacinto Boulevard 3. Dog & Duck Pub 2400 Webberville Road 4. Waller Creek Pub House 603 Sabine Street 5. Haymaker 2310 Manor Road 6. School House Pub 2207 Manor Road 7. Little Woodrow’s 520 West 6th Street 8. The Liberty 1618 East 6th Street 9. Alamo Drafthouse, Ritz 320 East 6th Street 10. The Ginger Man 301 Lavaca Street 11. Frank 407 Colorado Street 12. Hopﬁelds 3110 Guadalupe Street 13. Contigo 2027 Anchor Lane 14. House Pizzeria 5111 Airport Boulevard

G = growler ﬁlls

15. Hi Hat Public House 2121 East 6th Street 16. The Brew Exchange 706 West 6th Street 17. Banger’s Sausage House & Beer Garden 79 Rainey Street 18. Jackalope 404 East 6th Street 19. Star Bar 600 West 6th Street 20. Gourmands 2316 Webberville Road 21. Austin Ale House 301 West 6th Street 22. Nasty’s 606 Maiden Lane 23. Spider House 2908 Fruth Street 24. Thunderbird Coffee, Manor 2200 Manor Road 25. Violet Crown Social Club 1111 East 6th Street 26. The Grackle 1700 East 6th Street 27. The White Horse 500 Comal Street 28. Cherrywood Coffeehouse 1400 38 1/2 Street 29. Mort Subite 308 Congress Avenue

52 41

INTE

7th

6th

ST.

25 35

31 17

COM AL S T.

18 9 4

ST.

21 11 10

COL ORA DO S CON T. GR E SS A VE. SAN JACIN TO B LVD .

ST.

WAL LER

T. RAN DE S

19 7 6th

ST.

Texas Capitol

RIO G

ST.

DAL UPE LAV ST. ACA ST.

12th

E. 19th

ST.

GUA

N. L

BLV D.

15th

ST.

ERV WEBB

. ILLE RD

CENTRAL

51 st S T.

40 37 15 38 49 39

30. Easy Tiger Bake Shop and Beer Garden 709 East 6th Street 31. Craft Pride 61 Rainey Street 32. Salt & Time 1912 East 7th Street 33. in.gredients 2610 Manor Road 34. Hole in the Wall/East Side King 2538 Guadalupe Street 35. Wright Bros. Brew & Brew G 500 San Marcos Street

BREWERIES & BREW PUBS 36. Draught House Pub & Brewery G 4112 Medical Parkway 37. Hops & Grain Brewing 507 Calles Street 38. Live Oak Brewing Co. 1615 Crozier Lane 39. Blue Owl Brewing Co. 2400 East Cesar Chavez Street 40. Zilker Brewing Co. 1701 East Sixth Street 41. Friends & Allies Brewing 979 Springdale Road

STORES 42. Central Market G 4001 North Lamar Boulevard 43. Hyde Park Market 4429 Duval Street 44. Whole Foods Market G 525 North Lamar Boulevard 45. Antonelli’s Cheese Shop 4220 Duval Street 46. Twin Liquors, Hancock 1000 East 41st Street 47. Rosedale Market 1309 West 45th Street 48. Quickie Pickie G 1208 East 11th Street 49. East 1st Grocery 1811 East Cesar Chavez Street 50. H-E-B, Mueller G 1801 East 51st Street 51. Whichcraft, Mueller G 1900 Simond Avenue, Suite 200

OTHER 52. Austin Eastciders 4007 Commercial Center Drive, Suite 700

BREWERIES & BREW PUBS

Blue Owl Brewing INFO

BREWERY SNAPSHOT

LOCATION. . . . . 2400 East Cesar Chavez Street Austin, TX 78702 DRINKING HOURS . . . . . . . . . Wed–Fri 3–10pm, Sat 12–10pm, Sun 12–6pm GUEST TAPS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No BEER SOLD ON-SITE. . . . . . . No, samples only BEER TO-GO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No BEER SOLD OFF-SITE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Yes URL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.blueowlbrewing.com

Jeff Young, former brewer of Black Star Co-op, opened Blue Owl Brewing in the fall of 2015. With a focus on keeping their beers approachable and affordable, Young and co. aim to make their canned beers the ﬁrst “afterwork” sour beer for the everyman.

BEER SAMPLING

WE RECOMMEND Little Boss, Van Dayum!

Little Boss . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Sour Session Wheat Spirit Animal. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Sour Pale Ale Professor Black . . . . . . . . . . .Sour Cherry Stout Van Dayum! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sour Amber Ale

Draught House INFO

BREW PUB SNAPSHOT

LOCATION. . . . . . . . . . . . .4112 Medical Parkway Austin, TX 78756 DRINKING HOURS . . . . . . Mon–Thu 3pm–2am, Fri–Sun 1pm–2am GUEST TAPS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Yes (many) BEER SOLD ON-SITE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Yes BEER TO-GO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Yes (growlers) BEER SOLD OFF-SITE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No URL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.draughthouse.com

The Draught House brewhouse is back online with a new seven-barrel custom made, direct ﬁred, single infusion brewhouse. Brewer and manager Josh Wilson heads up a random program that includes the return of some old favorites, plus barrel-aged beers and the occasional lager.

HOUSE BEER SAMPLING

Red Planet (also Double Red Planet), Hop School

Red Planet. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Red Ale Hop School. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .American IPA Jubal Ale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Winter Warmer

WE RECOMMEND

Friends & Allies Brewing INFO

BREWERY SNAPSHOT

LOCATION. . . . . . . . . . . . . 979 Springdale Road* Austin, TX 78702 GUEST TAPS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No BEER SOLD ON-SITE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No BEER TO-GO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No BEER SOLD OFF-SITE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Yes URL . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.friendsandallies.beer

For now the Friends & Allies crew, made up of Devon Ponds, Ben Sabin, and Nathan Crane, are brewing their beer at 4th Tap Brewing Co-Op.They are aiming to open their new brewery and tap room on Springdale Road in early 2017. In the space they will brew four core beers and a host of seasonals.

BEER SAMPLING

WE RECOMMEND

Noisy Cricket. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Session IPA Springdale. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . White Ale Urban Chicken . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Saison

Noisy Cricket, Urban Chicken *Currently brewing at 4th Tap. East Austin brewery and taproom to open soon.

Hops & Grain Brewing INFO

BREWERY SNAPSHOT

LOCATION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .507 Calles Street Austin, TX 78702 DRINKING HOURS . . . . . Mon–Sun 10am–10pm GUEST TAPS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No BEER SOLD ON-SITE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Yes BEER TO-GO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No BEER SOLD OFF-SITE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Yes URL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.hopsandgrain.com

Bringing his Colorado beer knowledge and inspiration to Austin, Josh Hare opened one of Austin’s east side breweries. They offer year-round and rotating beers canned for easy use during your outdoor drinking endeavors and a handful rotating series: Dispensary, Volumes of Oak, and Volumes of Funk. In 2016 they announced plans to open a second location in San Marcos.

BEER SAMPLING A Pale Mosaic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .American IPA Greenhouse IPA . . . . . . . . . .Rotating IPA Series PorterCulture. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Baltic Porter The One They Call Zoe . . . . . . . . . . . Pale Lager

WE RECOMMEND A Pale Mosaic, The One They Call Zoe

BREWERIES & BREW PUBS

Live Oak Brewing Co. INFO

BREWERY SNAPSHOT

LOCATION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1615 Crozier Lane Austin, TX 78617 DRINKING HOURS . . . . . . . . .Sun–Thu 12–8pm, Fri & Sat 12–10pm GUEST TAPS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No BEER SOLD ON-SITE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Yes BEER TO-GO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No BEER SOLD OFF-SITE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Yes URL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.liveoakbrewing.com

Built by hand by Chip McElroy in a small building on the east side of town, Live Oak has been an Austin staple since 1997. They use an old-world style of brewing mostly practiced throughout Germany and the Czech Republic and utilize techniques such as open fermentation and secondary lagering. They recently moved to their new brewery near the airport and started canning their beer. It is a new Austin “must visit.”

BEER SAMPLING Big Bark . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Amber Lager HefeWeizen. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Hefeweizen Liberation Ale. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .American IPA Pilz . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Czech Pilsner

WE RECOMMEND HefeWeizen, Pilz

Zilker Brewing Co. INFO

BREWERY SNAPSHOT

LOCATION. . . . . . . . . . . . . 1701 East Sixth Street Austin, TX 78702 DRINKING HOURS . . . . . . . Wed & Thu 4–10pm, Fri 2pm–12am, Sat 12pm–12am, Sun 12–8pm GUEST TAPS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No BEER SOLD ON-SITE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Yes BEER TO-GO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No BEER SOLD OFF-SITE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Yes URL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.zilkerbeer.com

Zilker Brewing was born of two brothers and their home brewing buddy out of a love of crisp, dynamic, drinkable beers. The three craft their brand using quality malt, fresh hops, and a Belgian Trappist yeast to create surprisingly interesting, yet easy drinking beers. Pop into their urban brewery on East 6th for the latest and freshest, and look for Zilker on draft and in cans now.

BEER SAMPLING

WE RECOMMEND

Coffee Milk Stout . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Coffee Stout East Side Beer (ESB). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ESB Marco IPA. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .American IPA Pale Ale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . American Pale Ale

ESB, Marco IPA

B EE r A n d h A p p i n e s s A r E t h e s Am E

Founded in 2006, Uncle Billy’s Brewery and Smokehouse offers the perfect combination of award-winning, craft beers and delicious, slow-smoked Texas BBQ.

....................................

TREVOR NEARBURG Uncle Billy’s Head Brewer

Open Mon. - Thurs. 4pm - 12am • Fri. 4pm - 1am • Sat. 10am - 1am • Sun. 10am - 12am FREE PARKING • BREWERY TOURS AVAILABLE BY REQUEST • BOOK NOW FOR PRIVATE EVENTS

# u n c le b i lly S

u n c le b i llys .c o m

BREWERIES & BREW PUBS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .p. 70 20 B

HAV EZ

ST.

RIN

GS R D.

E ID RS

OLT O RF

23 BE N RA

MA NC HA CA ST AS SN

EY L

NG RE SS AV E.

S. C O

RD .

S. 1 st S T.

14 22

ST.

DA M

WO OD WA RD S

HI TE B

LN .

LV D. /

STA TE 3

7 9 11

AR M LA

IN T

. DR

4 24 25 D. LV

/29 0

19 18 N.

BARS & RESTAURANTS 1. Zax Restaurant & Bar 312 Barton Springs Road 2. Hopdoddy Burger Bar, SOCO 1400 South Congress Avenue 3. Barley Swine 2024 South Lamar Boulevard 4. Black Sheep Lodge 2108 South Lamar Boulevard 5. Red’s Porch 3508 South Lamar Boulevard 6. Opal Divine’s, Penn Field 3601 South Congress Avenue 7. Draft Pick 1620 East Riverside, #1618 8. Stouthaus Coffee Pub 4715 South Lamar Boulevard 9. The Buzz Mill 1505 Town Creek Boulevard

10. Gibson Street Bar 1109 South Lamar Boulevard 11. Jackalope, South Shore 1523 Tinnin Ford Road 12. Radio Coffee & Beer 4204 Manchaca Road

BREWERIES & BREW PUBS 13. Uncle Billy’s G 1530 Barton Springs Road 14. Pinthouse Pizza-South Lamar G 4236 South Lamar Boulevard 15. Austin Beer Garden Brewing G 1305 West Oltorf Street 16. (512) Brewing Co. 407 Radam Lane, F200 17. Independence Brewing Co. 3913 Todd Lane 18. South Austin Brewing Co. 415 East Saint Elmo Road, Suite 1D

SOUTH

ART ON SP

AR C

VE RI

CE PA MO S.

/ Y. XP

CES

.1 RT

ST. EL

MO RD .

19. St. Elmo Brewing Co. 440 East Saint Elmo Road, Suite G-2

STORES 20. Thom’s Market 1418 Barton Springs Road 21. Central Market G 4477 South Lamar Boulevard 22. Spec’s, Brodie Lane 4978 West Highway 290 23. Live Oak Market 4410 Manchaca Road 24. South Lamar Wine and Spirits 2418 South Lamar Boulevard 25. Which Craft, South Lamar 2418 South Lamar Boulevard 26. Whip In G 1950 South IH-35 27. SoCo Homebrew 4930 South Congress Ave, Suite 307 G = growler ﬁlls

BREWERIES & BREW PUBS

(512) Brewing Co. INFO

BREWERY SNAPSHOT

LOCATION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .407 Radam Lane Austin, TX 78745 DRINKING HOURS. . . . . . . .Saturdays with RSVP GUEST TAPS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No BEER SOLD ON-SITE. . . . . . . No, samples only BEER TO-GO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No BEER SOLD OFF-SITE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Yes URL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.512brewing.com

Kevin Brand moved back to Austin from California in early 2008 to start the brewery and began brewing beer that summer. Brand’s initial lineup was the Wit, Pale, and IPA, but quickly added the Pecan Porter to the year round line up after the enormous reception it received as the ﬁrst winter seasonal. Currently (512)’s beers are only available on draft but they have had some special releases in bottles. They will break ground on a new facility in south Austin in 2017.

BEER SAMPLING (512) IPA. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .American IPA (512) Pecan Porter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Porter (512) Wit. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Witbier

WE RECOMMEND Pecan Porter, IPA

Austin Beer Garden Brewing Co. INFO

BREW PUB SNAPSHOT

LOCATION. . . . . . . . . . . . 1305 West Oltorf Street Austin, TX 78704 DRINKING HOURS . . . . . . Varied, check website Closed Mondays GUEST TAPS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No BEER SOLD ON-SITE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Yes BEER TO-GO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Yes BEER SOLD OFF-SITE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No URL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.theabgb.com

Austin Beer Garden Brewing Co. (ABGB) swung wide their doors in late 2013 and have been steadily supplying their south Lamar hood and beyond with tasty brewed beverages and pies like old pros. And that’s because this establishment is run by some old stalwarts of Austin brewing lore. Amos Lowe and Brian “Swifty” Peters, co-brewers and founders, work tirelessly to keep the suds a ﬂowing. 2016 GABF Gold Medal winner for Industry and Gold Medal winner for Hell Yes. Also awarded Large Brew Pub and Brew Pub Brewer of the Year.

HOUSE BEER SAMPLING Day Trip . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pale Ale Hell Yes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Helles Lager Industry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . German Pilsner Rocket 100. . . . . . . . . . . Pre-Prohibition Pilsner

WE RECOMMEND Hell Yes, Industry, Rocket 100

Independence Brewing Co. INFO

BREWERY SNAPSHOT

LOCATION. . . 3913 Todd Lane, Austin, TX 78744 DRINKING HOURS. . . . . . . . . .Thu & Fri 4–10pm, Sat 1–10pm, Sun 2–8pm GUEST TAPS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No BEER SOLD ON-SITE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Yes BEER TO-GO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No BEER SOLD OFF-SITE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Yes URL . . . . . . . . .www.independencebrewing.com

Husband and wife Rob and Amy Cartwright started Independence Brewing Co. in south Austin in 2004, but were active members of the ATX brewing community long before. Since opening, Independence has created a local niche for themselves by packaging the Oklahoma Suks bottles every fall for the UT vs. OU game. They have recently expanded to a 60-barrel JV Northwest brewhouse and expanded their regular lineup. 2016 GABF Bronze Medal winner for Redbud with Cucumber.

BEER SAMPLING Red Bud . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Berliner Weisse-Style Stash IPA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .American IPA White Rabbit . . . . . . . . . . .Belgian-Style Witbier

WE RECOMMEND Red Bud, White Rabbit

North by Northwest, Slaughter INFO

BREW PUB SNAPSHOT

LOCATION. . . . . . . . . 5701 West Slaughter Lane DRINKING HOURS. . . . . . Varied, check website GUEST TAPS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No BEER SOLD ON-SITE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Yes BEER TO-GO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Yes BEER SOLD OFF-SITE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Yes URL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.nxnwbrew.com

North by Northwest is Austin’s oldest brew pub and offers a complete menu, with the restaurant itself driving many people to the establishment. This, their second location, opened in 2015, offering a similar food menu, atmosphere, and beer portfolio.

HOUSE BEER SAMPLING

Porch Time Pilsner, Sunbreak IPA

Black Hop Down . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Black IPA O(double)G . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Gose Porch Time Pilsner . . . . German-style Pilsner Sunbreak IPA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .American IPA

WE RECOMMEND

BREWERIES & BREW PUBS

Pinthouse Pizza, South Lamar INFO

BREW PUB SNAPSHOT

LOCATION. . . . . . .4236 South Lamar Boulevard DRINKING HOURS . . . . .Sun–Wed 11am–11pm, Thu–Sat 11am–12am GUEST TAPS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Yes BEER SOLD ON-SITE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Yes BEER TO-GO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Yes BEER SOLD OFF-SITE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Yes URL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.pinthousepizza.com

With great fanfare Pinthouse Pizza’s second

HOUSE BEER SAMPLING Electric Jellyﬁsh . . . . . . . . . . . . . .American IPA Sola Weizen. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Hefeweizen White Tiger Gose . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Gose

location opened in 2015 on South Lamar Boulevard. Right out of the gate, Electric Jellyﬁsh was an instant Austin classic. No beer has ever garnered more Instagram photos and Facebook posts in its ﬁrst month of existence as this one. But they did not rest there. They continued pumping out distinct ales and lagers, while still sailing in the well-loved waters of its older sibling up north.

WE RECOMMEND Electric Jellyﬁsh, Sola Weizen

South Austin Brewery INFO

BREWERY SNAPSHOT

LOCATION. . . . . . . . . .415 East Saint Elmo Road Austin, TX 78745 DRINKING HOURS. . Fri 3pm–12am, Sat 2–5pm GUEST TAPS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No BEER SOLD ON-SITE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Yes BEER TO-GO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No BEER SOLD OFF-SITE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Yes URL . . . . . . . . . . .www.southaustinbrewery.com

Parked in the same neighborhood as Independence and (512) breweries, South Austin Brewery started producing Belgian-style ales in 2012. Changes have been afoot in south Austin. The brewery has recently redesigned their taproom and expanded their beer lineup beyond the original two classic Belgians to include everyday drinking beers now packaged in 16oz tallboys. Groovy.

BEER SAMPLING

WE RECOMMEND

6 String Saison . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Saison Evel Ale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Blonde Ale Kol’Beer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kölsch-Style Ale TPA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . American Pale Ale

TPA

BREWERIES & BREW PUBS

St. Elmo Brewing Co. INFO

BREW PUB SNAPSHOT

LOCATION. . . . . . . . . . . . 440 East St. Elmo Road Austin, TX 78745 DRINKING HOURS. . . . . . . Tue–Thu 4–11pm, Fri 4pm–12am, Sat 11am–12am, Sun 12–10pm GUEST TAPS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No BEER SOLD ON-SITE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Yes BEER TO-GO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No BEER SOLD OFF-SITE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No URL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.stelmobrewing.com

Bursting from the loins of ex-Austin Beerworkers, Bryan Winslow and Tim Bullock, St. Elmo birthed in late 2016. The ATX scene was quite proud of the fresh, young brewery. They opened with a delicious handful of brews. Grab a beer and grab a seat inside their clean taproom or head out back to lounge in their airy beer garden. All this goes great with the tasty grub being cooked out back from Soursop. Get the La Koreanita burger and thank us later.

HOUSE BEER SAMPLING

WE RECOMMEND

Angus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Stout Carl . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kölsch-Style Ale Chico . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pale Ale Jan. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . German IPA

Carl, Jan

Uncle Billy’s Brewery INFO

BREW PUB SNAPSHOT

LOCATION. . . . . . . . . 1530 Barton Springs Road Austin, TX 78704 DRINKING HOURS. . . . . .Sun–Thu 11am–12am, Fri & Sat 11am–1am GUEST TAPS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Yes BEER SOLD ON-SITE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Yes BEER TO-GO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Yes BEER SOLD OFF-SITE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Yes URL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.unclebillys.com

Texas is BBQ heaven. Austin is Texas Craft Beer heaven. Put them together and you get Uncle Billy’s Brewery and Smokehouse. Uncle Billy’s is the ideal spot after a day of festivaling at Zilker Park or cooling off at the springs. Brewers keep on the Austin staple Green Room IPA while mixing in a constant rotation of beers with an emphasis on hoppy ales and sessionable lagers.

HOUSE BEER SAMPLING

WE RECOMMEND

Barton Springs Pale Ale. . . American Pale Ale Freakadella Amber. . . . . . . . . . . . . . Amber Ale Lazy Day Lager. . . . . . . . . . . . . American Lager Schutzenfest. . . . . . . . . . . . Lichtenhainer-Style

Lazy Day Lager, Schutzenfest

BREWERIES & BREW PUBS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .p. 78 9

The Domain

KER

CAP. OF TX HWY.

BR A

17 16 18

LN .

AM ER

LN .

183 / LN .

INT

BU RN E

TR D.

STA TE

AN DE RS

. BLVD

N. M OPA C EX PY. / RT. 1

ARCH

RESE

NO RT

BARS & RESTAURANTS 1. Mister Tramps 8565 Research Boulevard 2. Alamo Drafthouse, Village 2700 West Anderson Lane 3. Pour House Pub 6701 Burnet Road 4. Billy’s on Burnet 2105 Hancock Drive 5. Hopdoddy Burger Bar, Anderson 2438 West Anderson Lane 6. Drink.Well. 207 East 53rd Street 7. Workhorse Bar 100 North Loop Boulevard East 8. C. Hunt’s Ice House 9611 McNeil Road 9. Yard House 11800 Domain Blvd #700 10. Brass Tap, Domain 10910 Domain Dr #120

HL OO

LN .

EN IG

. AIRPORT BLV D

W. KO

MA RB LV D.

53 RD

NORTH

27 US 290

ST RE ET

BREWERIES & BREW PUBS 11. Pinthouse Pizza G 4729 Burnet Road 12. North By Northwest (NXNW) G 10010 N Capital of TX Highway 13. Black Star Co-op G 7020 Easy Wind Drive 14. Circle Brewing Co. 2340 West Braker Lane 15. Austin Beerworks 3009 Industrial Terrace 16. Adelbert’s Brewery 2314 Rutland Drive, Suite 100 17. 4th Tap Brewing Co-op 10615 Metric Boulevard 18. Oskar Blues Brewery 10420 Metric Boulevard

STORES 19. Whole Foods Market, Gateway 9607 Research Boulevard

20. Specs, Arbor Walk 10515 N Mopac Expressway 21. Sunrise Mini Mart 1809 West Anderson Lane 22. Specs, Airport Boulevard 5775 Airport Boulevard 23. Austin Homebrew Supply 9129 Metric Boulevard 24. King Liquor 5310 Burnet Road 25. Growler Room G 6800 Burnet Road, Suite 2 26. Whole Foods Market, Domain G 11920 Domain Drive

OTHER 27. Meridian Hive 8120 Exchange Drive, Suite 400 G = growler ﬁlls

BREWERIES & BREW PUBS

4th Tap Brewing Co-op INFO

BREWERY SNAPSHOT

LOCATION. . . . . . . . . . . .10615 Metric Boulevard Austin, TX 78758 DRINKING HOURS. . . . . Mon–Thu 11am–10pm, Fri & Sat 11am–12am, Sun 12–10pm GUEST TAPS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No BEER SOLD ON-SITE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Yes BEER TO-GO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No BEER SOLD OFF-SITE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Yes URL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.4thtap.coop

Opened in 2015, 4th Tap Brewing Co-op is the ﬁrst 100% worker-owned cooperative brewery in Texas. No, it is not the same as Black Star. Black Star is member-owned, 4th Tap is worker-owned. If the difference is lost on you, no worries, you can still enjoy their beers. Similar to Black Star, they started with a handful of unique beers, like the Tamarind Wheat Ale.

BEER SAMPLING

WE RECOMMEND Long Walk, Renewal

Long Walk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Grapefruit IPA Renewal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Tamarind Wheat Ale Sun Eater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Sorghum Ale

Adelbert’s Brewery INFO

BREWERY SNAPSHOT

LOCATION. . . . . . . . . . .2314 Rutland Drive #100 Austin, TX 78758 DRINKING HOURS. . . . . . . . . . Wed–Fri 5–10pm, Sat 1–10pm, Sun 1–7pm GUEST TAPS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No BEER SOLD ON-SITE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Yes BEER TO-GO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Yes BEER SOLD OFF-SITE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Yes URL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.adelbertsbeer.com

In 2010, Scott Hovey was ripe for a midlife career change and when he looked for inspiration, he found it in the eclectic and exciting life of his deceased older brother, Adelbert. Adelbert’s is a tribute to George Adelbert (1953–2000). Scott was introduced to the complexities and ﬂavor possibilities in bottle conditioned aged Belgian beers at the 2010 Craft Brewers Conference. He returned and set out to start Austin’s ﬁrst all Belgianstyle bottle and keg conditioned brewery, aptly named after his older brother. 2016 GABF Bronze Medal winner for Flyin’ Monks.

BEER SAMPLING Naked Nun . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Belgian-Style Witbier Philosophizer . . . . . . . . . . Belgian-Style Saison Tripel B. . . . . . . . . . . . . .Belgian-Style Tripel Ale Scratchin’ Hippo . .Belgian-Style Biere de Garde

WE RECOMMEND Naked Nun, Philosophizer

BREWERIES & BREW PUBS

Austin Beerworks INFO

BREWERY SNAPSHOT

LOCATION. . . . . . . . . . . . 3009 Industrial Terrace Austin, TX 78758 DRINKING HOURS . . . . . . . . . .Wed–Fri 5–10pm, Sat & Sun 1–7pm GUEST TAPS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No BEER SOLD ON-SITE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Yes BEER TO-GO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No BEER SOLD OFF-SITE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Yes URL . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.austinbeerworks.com

Austin Beerworks is a collection of four friends spanning from the East coast to Austin, united and “hell-bent on excellence” in beer making. The beerworkers, Michael, Will, Adam, and Mike, have raised an impressive production brewery and cannery in the northwest sector of town since April 2011. With their regular lineup of four beers—including 2014 GABF silver medal winner Fire Eagle IPA—the four friends have come storming out of the gates and onto the Austin beer scene.

BEER SAMPLING Clockwork Orange. . . . . . . . . . . . .American IPA Fire Eagle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .American IPA Heavy Machinery . . . . . . . . .Rotating IPA Series Pearl Snap German Pils. . . . . German Pilsner

WE RECOMMEND Fire Eagle, Heavy Machinery, Pearl Snap

Black Star Co-op INFO

BREW PUB SNAPSHOT

LOCATION. . . . . . . . . . . . . .7020 Easy Wind Drive Austin, TX 78752 DRINKING HOURS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mon 4–11pm, Tue–Thu 11am–11pm Fri & Sat 11am–12am, Sun 11am–11pm GUEST TAPS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Yes BEER SOLD ON-SITE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Yes BEER TO-GO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Yes BEER SOLD OFF-SITE . . . . . . . Yes, limited draft URL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.blackstar.coop

Black Star Co-op is the ﬁrst known cooperatively-run/owned brew pub in the world with members from across the globe. Monthly beer socials, starting in 2006, provided an outlet for recruiting new members and grew to host up to 500 members at each gathering. Black Star Co-op encapsulates everything Austin with an emphasis on local producers and community action, all through enjoyment of local beer.

HOUSE BEER SAMPLING

WE RECOMMEND Vulcan, Recalcitrant Dockhand

High Esteem . . . . . . . . . . . . . American Pale Ale Vulcan. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .American IPA Recalcitrant Dockhand . . . . . . . . Robust Porter

BREWERIES & BREW PUBS

Circle Brewing Co. INFO

BREWERY SNAPSHOT

LOCATION. . . . 2340 West Braker Lane, Suite B Austin, TX 78758 DRINKING HOURS. . . . Thu 5–9pm, Fri 5–10pm Sat 12–10pm, Sun 12–6pm GUEST TAPS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No BEER SOLD ON-SITE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Yes BEER TO-GO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No BEER SOLD OFF-SITE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Yes URL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.circlebrewing.com

Circle Brewing appeared on the internet beer rumor mill in the second half of 2008. Fast forward two years, Ben Sabel and Jud Mulherin were brewing their ﬁrst batches of beer for Austin. Circle brews their beer following the Reinheitsgebot, the German purity law from 1516. Their basic philosophy to make beer “with only the best ingredients and NONE of the other stuff.” You can now ﬁnd some of their year-round beer in bottles in a large circumference around Austin. Look for fa fresh brand update and cans to hit the streets in 2017.

BEER SAMPLING Blur Texas Hefe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Hefeweizen Envy Amber Ale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Amber Ale Hop Overboard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Session IPA Nightlight Irish Stout . . . . . . . . . Dry Irish Stout

WE RECOMMEND Nightlight Irish Stout, Hop Overboard

North by Northwest, Stonelake INFO

BREW PUB SNAPSHOT

LOCATION. . . . . . . . . 10010 Capital of TX Hwy N Austin, TX 78759 DRINKING HOURS. . . . . . Varied, check website GUEST TAPS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No BEER SOLD ON-SITE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Yes BEER TO-GO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Yes BEER SOLD OFF-SITE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Yes URL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.nxnwbrew.com

North by Northwest is Austin’s oldest and most upscale brew pub and offers a complete menu, with the restaurant itself driving many people to the establishment. Identiﬁable by the grain silo out front, the feel is very “Northwest lodge,” rounded out by stone, wood and a ﬁreplace. They have recently branched out and opened NXNW2 in south Austin with a similar food menu, atmosphere, and beer portfolio.

HOUSE BEER SAMPLING Bavarian Hefeweizen . . . . . . . . . . . Hefeweizen Black Jack . . . . . . . . . . . .Barrel-aged Black Ale Prost Pilsner. . . . . . . . . . German-style Pilsner Py Pingo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . America Pale Ale

WE RECOMMEND Black Jack, Prost Pilsner

TAPROOM NOW OPEN FRIDAY, SATURDAY AND SUNDAY

12521 Twin Creeks Rd. www.texaskeeper.com @txkeepercider

BREWERIES & BREW PUBS

Pinthouse Pizza, Burnet INFO

BREW PUB SNAPSHOT

LOCATION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4729 Burnet Road Austin, TX 78756 DRINKING HOURS . . . . .Sun–Wed 11am–11pm, Thu–Sat 11am–12am GUEST TAPS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Yes BEER SOLD ON-SITE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Yes BEER TO-GO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Yes BEER SOLD OFF-SITE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Yes URL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.pinthousepizza.com

Pinthouse Pizza opened to much anticipation in the fall of 2012, on the cusp of Austin Beer Week. Following California’s Pizza Port model, the brew pub slings beers from the bar, and pizzas from the counter in the beer hall-esque atmosphere. Director of brewing Joe Mohrfeld oversees a solid line up of staple beers, along with a series of special releases and experimental IPA series. Go for the pizza, stay for the beer. Their second location on South Lamar is now open and crackin’.

HOUSE BEER SAMPLING Best Coast IPA. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .American IPA Blind Jake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .American Porter Calma Muerta . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Session Ale

WE RECOMMEND Best Coast IPA, Blind Jake

Oskar Blues Brewery INFO

BREWERY SNAPSHOT

LOCATION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10420 Metric Blvd Austin, TX 78758 DRINKING HOURS . . . . . . . . Sun–Mon 12–8pm, Tues–Sat 12–10pm GUEST TAPS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No BEER SOLD ON-SITE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Yes BEER TO-GO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No BEER SOLD OFF-SITE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Yes URL . . . . www.oskarblues.com/brewery/austin

We know what you are thinking, “I think they made a mistake. These ABG morons included a Colorado brewery in their magazine about Austin.” If you haven’t been living under a rock for the last year, you know Oskar Blues opened a brewery here in Austin (their third in the USA). While you may feel it is not technically “local beer” as most of their recipes were originally born in CO, they are now brewing here and operating a taproom in North Austin (the Tasty Weasel). And for that reason, here it is, in the guide. In the words of Charlie Papazian, “relax, don’t worry, have a fresh Dale’s.”

BEER SAMPLING Dale’s Pale Ale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pale Ale Mama’s Little Yellow Pils. . . . . . . . . . . . Pilsner Old Chub. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Scotch Ale Pinner. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Session IPA

WE RECOMMEND Old Chub, Pinner

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the go-to that goes with.

BREWERIES & BREW PUBS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .p. 88 33

35 32 5

CEDAR PARK

10 25

ROUND ROCK

36 6

7 HUDSON BEND

PFLUGERVILLE

21 18 MANOR

31 AUSTIN

11 14 38 19 20 22 24

OAK HILL

AUSTINBERGSTROM INT. AIRPORT

37 23 12 13 16 26 27

BARS & RESTAURANTS 1. Alamo Drafthouse, Slaughter Lane 5701 West Slaughter Lane 2. The Dig Pub G 401 Cypress Creek Road, Cedar Park 3. Opal Divine’s, Marina 12709 Mopac & Parmer Lane 4. BB Rover’s Cafe & Pub 12636 Research Boulevard 5. Westside Alehouse 1500 N IH-35, Round Rock 6. Alamo Drafthouse, Lakeline / Glass Half Full Taproom 14028 U.S. 183 7. Hanover’s Draught Haus 108 East Main Street, Pﬂugerville 8. The Brass Tap 204 East Main Street, Round Rock 9. The Growler Bar G 1300 FM-685, Building 1, Suite 100, Pﬂugerville

BREWERIES & BREW PUBS 10. Double Horn Brewing Co. G 208 Avenue H, Marble Falls 11. The Barber Shop G 207 Mercer Street, Dripping Springs 12. Wimberley Brewing Co. G 9595 Ranch Road 12, Wimberley 13. Middleton Brewing G 101 Oakwood Loop, San Marcos

14. Pecan Street Brewing G 106 East Pecan Drive, Johnson City 15. San Gabriel River Brewery 500 Chaparral Drive, Liberty Hill 16. Faust Brewing Co. 240 S. Seguin Ave., New Braunfels 17. Red Horn Coffee House and Brewing Co. G 13010 West Parmer Lane, Suite 800, Cedar Park 18. Solid Rock Brewing 2214 Bee Creek Road, Spicewood 19. Jester King Brewery 13005 Fitzhugh Road 20. Thirsty Planet Brewing Co. 11160 Circle Drive 21. Infamous Brewing Co. 4602 Weletka Drive 22. Twisted X Brewing Co. 23455 West RR 150, Dripping Springs 23. Altmeyer & Lewis Brewing Co. 15898 TX-123, San Marcos 24. Real Ale Brewing Co. 231 San Saba Court, Blanco 25. Save The World Brewing Co. 1510 Resource Pkwy., Marble Falls 26. New Braunfels Brewing Co. 180 West Mill St, New Braunfels 27. Guadalupe Brewing Co. 1580 Wald Road, New Braunfels

GREATER ATX

28. Oasis, TX Brewing Co. 6550 Comanche Trail 29. Bluebonnet Beer Co. 1700 Bryant Drive #107, Round Rock 30. Bull Creek Brewing Co. 7100 FM3405, Liberty Hill 31. Strange Land Brewery 5904 Bee Cave Road 32. Rentsch Brewery 2500 NE Inner Loop, Georgetown 33. Whitestone Brewery 601 E Whitestone Boulevard, Cedar Park 34. Flix Brewhouse G 2000 S IH-35, Round Rock 35. Barrow Brewing Co. 108 Royal Street, Salado

STORES

G = growler ﬁlls

36. Hamrick’s Market 401 Cypress Creek Road, Cedar Park

OTHER 37. Texas Keeper Cider 12521 Twin Creeks Road, Manchaca 38. Argus Cidery G 12345 Pauls Valley Road #2

BREWERIES & BREW PUBS (DISTRIBUTING)

Altmeyer & Lewis Brewing Co. INFO

BREWERY SNAPSHOT

LOCATION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15898 TX-123 San Marcos, TX 78666 DRINKING HOURS . . . . . .Fri 5–9pm, Sat 1–8pm GUEST TAPS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No BEER SOLD ON-SITE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Yes BEER TO-GO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No BEER SOLD OFF-SITE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Yes URL . . . . . . . . .www.altmeyerlewisbrewing.com

Stewart Altmeyer and Byron Lewis ofﬁcially opened their brewery in November 2016. The two brother-in-laws joined forces to open Altmeyer & Lewis Brewing Co. in San Marcos, its ﬁrst production brewery. With a science background and German lineage they hope to create beers every Texan can love. Sounds like a familiar story. Now you have a reason to visit San Marcos other than shopping at the outlets (just kidding San Marcos).

BEER SAMPLING A&L Bock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Bock A&L Double IPA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Double IPA A&L German Lager. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Helles A&L Red . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Red Ale

WE RECOMMEND A&L Lager, A&L Bock

Barrow Brewing Co. INFO

BREWERY SNAPSHOT

LOCATION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108 Royal Street Salado, TX 76571 DRINKING HOURS . . .Thu 4–10pm, Fri 4–11pm, Sat 12–11pm, Sun 1–8pm GUEST TAPS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No BEER SOLD ON-SITE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Yes BEER TO-GO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Yes BEER SOLD OFF-SITE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Yes URL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.barrowbrewing.com

Somewhere between Austin and Waco there is a village called Salado. In this village their is a brew pub called Barrow Brewing Co. and as of April Fools’ Day, they are open for business. This is a dream that’s been in the works since 2014, when there was a petition to have the village laws changed to allow for a brewery. That is dedication to your craft.

BEER SAMPLING

Evil Catﬁsh IPA, 784 Belgian White

784 Belgian White . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Witbier Evil Catﬁsh IPA . . . . . . . . . . American Pale Ale Ski Boat Blonde . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Blonde Ale

WE RECOMMEND

BREWERIES & BREW PUBS (DISTRIBUTING)

Bluebonnet Beer Co. INFO

BREWERY SNAPSHOT

LOCATION. . . . . . . . . . . 1700 Bryant Drive, #107 Round Rock, TX 78664 DRINKING HOURS . . . . . . . . . . . Fri & Sat 5–8pm GUEST TAPS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No BEER SOLD ON-SITE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Yes BEER TO-GO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No BEER SOLD OFF-SITE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Yes URL . . . . . . . . . . . . www.bluebonnetbeerco.com

Bluebonnet Beer Co., owned by David and Clare Hulama, started brewing in Round Rock in late 2014. This was after they quit their jobs at Dell. When you have homebrew cred like David and Clare do, it is a pretty safe bet to Ofﬁce Space it and peace out. Like Twisted X, they built their brewery in a small industrial park. Their taproom is open on Fridays and Saturdays— serving up their four year-round beers and one or two seasonal/special beers.

BEER SAMPLING American Amber Ale . . . . . . . . . . . . Amber Ale American IPA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .American IPA Cream Ale. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cream Ale Texas Pecan Brown Ale . . . . . . . . . . .Brown Ale

WE RECOMMEND American IPA, Texas Pecan Brown Ale

Bull Creek Brewing Co. INFO

BREWERY SNAPSHOT

LOCATION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7100 FM 3405 Liberty Hill, TX 78642 DRINKING HOURS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Most Saturdays 12–5pm GUEST TAPS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No BEER SOLD ON-SITE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Yes BEER TO-GO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No BEER SOLD OFF-SITE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Yes URL . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.bullcreekbrewing.com

Bull Creek has been brewing small batches since 2011 and distributing in small amounts. In 2014 they began a major brewery expansion so they could eventually distribute to a larger area. The are located in Liberty Hill, outside Georgetown and are currently only doing private tours and tastings via RSVP from their website and Facebook.

BEER SAMPLING

Iron Balls

Iron Balls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Imperial Stout Longhorn Blonde. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Blonde Ale Tommy Raj . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . American IPA

WE RECOMMEND

Guadalupe Brewing Co. INFO

BREWERY SNAPSHOT

LOCATION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1580 Wald Road New Braunfels, TX 78132 DRINKING HOURS . . . .Fri 4–9pm, Sat 2–9pm Sun 2–8pm GUEST TAPS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No BEER SOLD ON-SITE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Yes BEER TO-GO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No BEER SOLD OFF-SITE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Yes URL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.guadalupebrew.com

After trips to Europe and the Northwest, Keith Kilker and his wife Anna were inspired to start their own brewery. The ﬁrst step was studying at Siebel’s Brewing Technology program and a stint at a Colorado brew pub. They opened their brewery in 2011 with their honey ale as their ﬂagship beer, made with locally sourced honey. More beers followed and distribution began to Austin and the rest of Central Texas.

BEER SAMPLING

WE RECOMMEND

Americano Wheat Ale. . . American Wheat Ale Rye Ale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . America Rye IPA Scotch Ale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Scotch Ale Texas Honey Ale. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Honey Ale

Rye Ale, Scotch Ale

Infamous Brewing Co. INFO

BREWERY SNAPSHOT

LOCATION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4602 Weletka Drive Austin, TX 78734 DRINKING HOURS. . . . . . . . . Wed & Thu 5–9pm, Fri 4–9pm, Sat 1–9pm, Sun 12–5pm GUEST TAPS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No BEER SOLD ON-SITE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Yes BEER TO-GO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No BEER SOLD OFF-SITE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Yes URL . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.infamousbrewing.com

Josh Horowitz got the wheels running in Infamous Brewing Co. in Austin in June of 2012. In less than a year they got their brewhouse up and running. Infamous came on the scene in spring 2013 with their take on a cream ale and an IPA, with other seasonal and special releases coming soon after. They began canning their year-round beers in late 2013. In 2015 they partnered with Grapevine Craft Brewery (in Grapevine) to use excess capacity under an Alternating Proprietorship.

BEER SAMPLING Bugsy’s Fire Brush . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Amber Ale Hijack . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cream Ale IPA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .American IPA Sweep the Leg . . . . . . . . . . Peanut Butter Stout

WE RECOMMEND IPA, Sweep the Leg

BREWERIES & BREW PUBS (DISTRIBUTING)

Jester King Brewery INFO

BREWERY SNAPSHOT

LOCATION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13187 Fitzhugh Road Austin, TX 78736 DRINKING HOURS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Fri 4–10pm, Sat 12–10pm, Sun 12–7pm GUEST TAPS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Yes BEER SOLD ON-SITE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Yes BEER TO-GO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Yes BEER SOLD OFF-SITE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Yes URL . . . . . . . . . . . . www.jesterkingbrewery.com

Ambitious from the start, the brothers made their commercial debut with a session beer, wearing the moniker Commercial Suicide. It was anything but. They have since transitioned this beer, along with their original lineup, to farmhouse versions, followed by a very popular series of sour barrel-aged creations, and most recently ventured into sour beer and fermented (and re-fermented) fruit blends starting with the raspberry Atrial Rubicite, the strawberry Omniscience & Proselytism, La Vie en Rose, Provenance, Detritivore, and the oyster mushroom and sea salt Snorkel. The tasting room at the brewery is most often the best place to ﬁnd and grab their latest beers.

BEER SAMPLING Atrial Rubicite . . . . . . . . .Raspberry Sour Beer Black Metal . . . . . . . Farmhouse Imperial Stout Le Petite Prince . . . . . . Farmhouse Table Beer Noble King. . . . . . . . . . . . Hoppy Farmhouse Ale Spon . . . . . . . . . .Spontaneously Fermented Ale

WE RECOMMEND #greenbottles, Spon

Last Stand Brewing Co. INFO

BREWERY SNAPSHOT

LOCATION. .12345 Pauls Valley Road, Building I Austin, TX 78737 DRINKING HOURS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Fri 4–8pm, Sat & Sun 1–6pm GUEST TAPS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No BEER SOLD ON-SITE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Yes BEER TO-GO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Yes BEER SOLD OFF-SITE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Yes URL . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.laststandbrewing.com

Kerry and Mandi Richardson, with partner Mignonne Gros, quit their day jobs to chase their homebrew dreams. The end of that rainbow led them to a pleasant lot in Driftwood, near Argus, Revolution Spirits, and Jester King, where they brew their clean, balanced, well made take on American style craft beers. Go for the beers, but stay for the outdoor beer garden. They recently celebrated their ﬁrst anniversary with a SMaSH Citra IPA, and just recently released their ﬁrst bottled beer into the market, the Coffee Porter and the Belgian Pale Ale.

BEER SAMPLING BPA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Belgian Pale Ale Coffee Porter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Coffee Porter SMaSH Citra IPA . . . . . . . . . . . . . American IPA Simcoe Pale Ale. . . . . . . . . . American Pale Ale

WE RECOMMEND Coffee Porter, SMaSH Citra IPA

Middleton Brewing INFO

BREW PUB SNAPSHOT

CURRENT LOCATION. . . . . . 101 Oakwood Loop San Marcos, TX 78666 DRINKING HOURS. . . . Mon & Wed–Fri 2–10pm, Sat & Sun 12–10pm GUEST TAPS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Yes BEER SOLD ON-SITE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Yes BEER SOLD OFF-SITE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Yes BEER TO-GO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Yes URL . . . . . . . . . . www.middletonbrewingtx.com

The Middletons hail from the sunny state of California. They brought with them, like many other West Coast brewers, a love for the HOP. In addition to hoppy monsters, they specialize in subtle Belgian-style ales. They have recently moved into their new facility (castle?) in San Marcos.

HOUSE BEER SAMPLING

WE RECOMMEND Bobcat Red, Easy Rider Pale

Black Lab Porter . . . . . . . . . . . . . Robust Porter Bobcat Red . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Imperial Red Ale Easy Rider Pale Ale. . . . . . . American Pale Ale Limestone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Belgian-Style IPA Topaz. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Belgian-Style Tripel

New Braunfels Brewing Co. INFO

BREWERY SNAPSHOT

LOCATION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180 West Mill Street New Braunfels, TX 78130 DRINKING HOURS . . . . . . . . . . Thu & Fri 4–9pm, Sat & Sun 1–7pm GUEST TAPS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No BEER SOLD ON-SITE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Yes BEER TO-GO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No BEER SOLD OFF-SITE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Yes URL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.nbbrewing.com

Founded in 2011, New Braunfels Brewing Co. recently underwent changes with a new head brewer and equipment. They focus primarily on wheat beer, but throw in a sour or two when their fancy strikes. Ingrained in the local community, their facility and taproom is located in the historic downtown and open for regular “hoppy hours” as well as whenever they feel like throwing the doors open. So stop by if you’re a gambling man.

BEER SAMPLING

WE RECOMMEND

Erdeweiss. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dunkelweizen Luftweiss. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Hefeweizen Shivas Tears. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Weizenbock Waserweiss . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Berliner Weisse

Luftweiss, Waserweiss

BREWERIES & BREW PUBS (DISTRIBUTING)

Oasis, TX Brewing Co. INFO

BREWERY SNAPSHOT

LOCATION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6550 Comanche Trail Austin, TX 78732 DRINKING HOURS . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Thu 4–10pm, Fri & Sat 12pm–12am, Sun 12–10pm GUEST TAPS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No BEER SOLD ON-SITE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Yes BEER TO-GO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Yes BEER SOLD OFF-SITE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Yes URL . . . .www.oasistexasbrewingcompany.com

Oasis, TX Brewing Co. is located out in the enclave of Oasis, TX, just west of Austin overlooking Lake Travis. Brewer Spencer Telekemier brews up tasty session beers including a well-made pale ale and keller pilsner. Watch for new canned seasonal releases throughout the year. Treat your eyes and taste buds to a favor and hit up the scenic tasting room on the weekends.

BEER SAMPLING

WE RECOMMEND Meta Modern, Slow Ride Pale Ale

London Homesick Ale. . . . . . English-Style Ale Luchesa Lager. . . . . . German-Style Kellerbier Meta Modern. . . . . . . . . . American Session IPA Slow Ride Pale Ale. . . . . . . . American Pale Ale

Real Ale Brewing Co. INFO

BREWERY SNAPSHOT

LOCATION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231 San Saba Court Blanco, TX 78606 DRINKING HOURS. . . . . . . . Wed & Thu 12–6pm, Fri & Sat 11am–7pm, Sun 12–5pm GUEST TAPS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No BEER SOLD ON-SITE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Yes BEER TO-GO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No BEER SOLD OFF-SITE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Yes URL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.realalebrewing.com

One of the oldest breweries in central Texas, Real Ale has been in operation since 1996. The brewery originally operated out of a basement of an antique shop in Blanco (50 minutes outside Austin). In 1998, current owner Brad Farbstein took over. Real Ale moved just outside the downtown area in 2006 to a new facility, where they are currently located. In March 2015 they opened their new tasting room and extended their hours. 2016 GABF Bronze Medal winner for Real Heavy.

BEER SAMPLING 4-Squared . . . . . . . . . . . . . Blonde Ale (Squared) Axis IPA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .American IPA Fireman’s #4. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Blonde Ale Full Moon. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Rye IPA Hans’ Pils. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . German Pilsner

WE RECOMMEND Axis IPA, Hans’ Pils

:ML 0WZV +WЄ MM

House and Brewing Co. INFO

BREW PUB SNAPSHOT

LOCATION. .13010 West Parmer Lane, Suite 800 Cedar Park, TX 78613 DRINKING HOURS . . . . Mon–Thu 7am–10pm, Fri & Sat 7am–11pm, Sun 8am–10pm GUEST TAPS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . yes BEER SOLD ON-SITE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Yes BEER TO-GO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Yes BEER SOLD OFF-SITE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Yes URL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.redhornbrew.com

Opened in early 2015, Red Horn concentrates on fresh brewed beer and fresh roasted coffee. They are a full on brew pub now, brewing house made beer. Stop in for a pick me up or a knock me down. Anything you are looking for, they do it. A small menu of food is also available.

HOUSE BEER SAMPLING Beach Beer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .American Pale HapSlappy IPA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . American IPA TrailRunner Golden Ale . . . . . . . . . . Golden Ale

A BOLD NEW DRAUGHT-ONLY IPA FROM

@realalebrewing #onlyinTX

WE RECOMMEND HapSlappy IPA, TrailRunner Golden Ale

BREWERIES & BREW PUBS (DISTRIBUTING)

Rentsch Brewery INFO

BREWERY SNAPSHOT

LOCATION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2500 NE Inner Loop Georgetown, TX 78626 DRINKING HOURS. . . . . .Fri 4–8pm, Sat 12–8pm GUEST TAPS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No BEER SOLD ON-SITE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Yes BEER TO-GO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No BEER SOLD OFF-SITE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Yes URL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.rentschbrewery.com

Homebrewing is a great hobby. It’s even a better hobby when you can enjoy it with your family members. Andrew (son) and David (father) Rentschler were just hobbyist until Andrew’s travels in Europe. Imagine the number of brewery ideas that come from getting drunk in Europe.This father and son brewing company was not just some drunken dream though. They are now the ﬁrst brewery in Georgetown. Stop in for a beer and to compare passport stamps.

BEER SAMPLING Blonde . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Blonde Ale Hefeweizen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Hefeweizen IPA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .American IPA Weizenbock. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Weizenbock

WE RECOMMEND Hefeweizen, IPA

San Gabriel River Brewery INFO

BREWERY SNAPSHOT

LOCATION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 500 Chaparral Drive Liberty Hill, TX 78642 DRINKING HOURS. . . . . Fri 4–8pm, Sat 12–8pm GUEST TAPS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No BEER SOLD ON-SITE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Yes BEER TO-GO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Yes BEER SOLD OFF-SITE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Yes URL . . . . . . . .www.sangabrielriverbrewery.com

The brainchild of brothers Patrick and John Peck, San Gabriel River Brewery opened earlier this year. They made their ﬁrst festival appearence this past September at the Texas Craft Brewers Festival. During taproom hours they usally have food truck servin up some tasty grub. They even have a bottle club. For $35 a month you get four bottles, three your choice and one seasonal.

BEER SAMPLING

WE RECOMMEND

Amber. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Amber Ale Honey Porter . . . . . . . . . . . . . .American Porter IPA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .American IPA Texas Red . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Red Ale

Honey Porter, IPA

Save The World Brewing Co. INFO

BREWERY SNAPSHOT

LOCATION. . . . . . . . . . . 1510 Resource Parkway Marble Falls, TX 78654 DRINKING HOURS. . . . . . Fri 3–6pm, Sat 1–6pm GUEST TAPS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No BEER SOLD ON-SITE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Yes BEER TO-GO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No BEER SOLD OFF-SITE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Yes URL . . . . . . . . . www.savetheworldbrewing.com

Save the World is nestled cozily out west in Marble Falls and brew up a unique portfolio of Belgian-inspired ales. The beer stands on its own, but the exceptional aspect to this brewery is that they are 100% philanthropic and giving away all the proceeds to international, national, and local charities. Former physicians, husband and wife owners Dave and Quynh Rathkamp hung up their stethoscopes in 2012 and donned brewers’ boots in early 2014.

BEER SAMPLING Agnus Dei. . . . . . . . . . . . . .Belgian-Style Witbier Froctum Bonum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Saison Ale Humilus Filius . . . . . . . . Belgian-Style Pale Ale

WE RECOMMEND Agnus Dei, Humilus Filius

Solid Rock Brewing INFO

BREWERY SNAPSHOT

LOCATION. . . . . . . . . . . . . 2214 Bee Creek Road Spicewood, TX 78669 DRINKING HOURS . . . . . . . . . No Current Hours (check website) GUEST TAPS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No BEER SOLD ON-SITE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Yes BEER TO-GO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No BEER SOLD OFF-SITE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Yes URL . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.solidrockbrewing.com

Like so many breweries, Solid Rock is born out of a passion for homebrewing. Solid Rock was established in 2013 by three homebrewing friends: Curt Webber, Steve Jones, and Stephen McCarthy. They are shooting to create beers that are drinkable, refreshing, and even familiar. As they say in their mission statement, “We brew our beers to ﬁt like your favorite pair of jeans.” 2016 GABF Bronze Medal winner for Big Drought Stout.

BEER SAMPLING

WE RECOMMEND Big Drought Stout . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dry Stout Cho’Sen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Hybrid Ale Cornerstone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cream Ale Dauntless IPA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .American IPA Roundhead Red . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Irish Red Ale

Roundhead Red, Dauntless IPA

BREWERIES & BREW PUBS (DISTRIBUTING)

Strange Land Brewery INFO

BREWERY SNAPSHOT

LOCATION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5904 Bee Cave Road Austin, TX 78746 DRINKING HOURS. . . . . . . . . . . .Fri & Sat 5–9pm GUEST TAPS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No BEER SOLD ON-SITE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Yes BEER TO-GO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No BEER SOLD OFF-SITE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Yes URL . . . . . . . . . . www.strangelandbrewery.com

Like most breweries, time lines for opening are always optimistic, but bureaucracy usually gets in the way. But Strange Land is ﬁnally open for business. And thank God, because the burger brewery jokes were growing a little thin. Located behind the Hat Creek in southwest Austin (Westlake), Strange Land is brewing up an eclectic mix of brews. Stop by on a Friday or Saturday to sample their year-round and specialty beers. It’s small, but quite nice.

BEER SAMPLING Alemannia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Altbier Austinite Pilz. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Czech Pilsner Entire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Porter Ploughshare . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Saison

WE RECOMMEND Entire, Ploughshare

Thirsty Planet Brewing Co. INFO

BREWERY SNAPSHOT

LOCATION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11160 Circle Drive Austin, TX 78736 DRINKING HOURS . . . . . .Saturdays 11am–3pm GUEST TAPS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No BEER SOLD ON-SITE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Yes BEER TO-GO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No BEER SOLD OFF-SITE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Yes URL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.thirstyplanet.net

Following college graduation, Brian Smittle moved to Colorado where he volunteered at the Hubcap Brewery in Vail at night. He soon became a paid employee and full-time brewer. Through his work there, he met some college students who offered him an ownership piece of a brew pub in Oklahoma. They opened in 1993 and grew to include a brewery and four satellite stores. Later he decided to escape the restaurant side of things and open a full production brewery in Austin—Thirsty Planet Brewing Co.

BEER SAMPLING Buckethead IPA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .American IPA Thirsty Goat Amber. . . . . . . . . . . . . . Amber Ale Yellow Armadillo . . . . . . . . . . .American Wheat

WE RECOMMEND Buckethead IPA, Thirsty Goat

BREWERIES & BREW PUBS (DISTRIBUTING)

Thousand Oaks Brewing Co. INFO

BREWERY SNAPSHOT

LOCATION. . . . . . . . . . 3200 Woodall Drive, #C-1 Cedar Park, TX 78613 DRINKING HOURS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Fri 5–9pm, Sat 2–8pm GUEST TAPS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No BEER SOLD ON-SITE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Yes BEER TO-GO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No BEER SOLD OFF-SITE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Yes URL . . . . . . . . www.thousandoaksbrewing.com

First there was Twisted X in this space on Woodall Drive. Then there was IronSight Brewers. IronSight closed earlier this year and Grady Reynolds (half of IronSight) teamed up with former Rogness brewer Dave Heath decided to take another crack at it late this year as Thousand Oaks Brewing Co. For now their taproom is open on Fridays and Saturday. Bring the kids.

BEER SAMPLING

WE RECOMMEND Rye Blonde

Rye Blonde . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Blonde Ale

Twisted X Brewing Co. INFO

BREWERY SNAPSHOT

LOCATION. . . . . . . 23455 West Ranch Road 150 Dripping Springs, TX 78620 DRINKING HOURS. . . . . . . .Thu–Sat 11am–9pm, Sun 12–8pm GUEST TAPS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No BEER SOLD ON-SITE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Yes BEER TO-GO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No BEER SOLD OFF-SITE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Yes URL . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.twistedxbrewing.com

Established in 2011 in Cedar Park, Twisted X is now situated in Dripping Springs. With a Tex-Mex theme they are bound to quench the thirsts of a large swath of Austin beer drinkers. They have since shed their TexMex theme, mostly. Now they are basically just Tex. Either way, you can enjoy a fresh pint at the brewery in Dripping Springs or grab a sixer of cans at your local grocery store before the big sports match.

BEER SAMPLING

WE RECOMMEND

Austin Lager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Premium Lager Chupahopra . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . American IPA Cow Creek . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Amber Lager Later Days . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Session IPA

Austin Lager, Chupahopra

Whitestone Brewery INFO

BREW PUB SNAPSHOT

LOCATION. . . . . 601 East Whitestone Boulevard Cedar Park, TX 78613 DRINKING HOURS . . . . . . . . . Mon–Wed 3–9pm, Thu 2–10pm, Fri & Sat 12pm–12am, Sun 12–9pm GUEST TAPS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No BEER SOLD ON-SITE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Yes BEER TO-GO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Yes BEER SOLD OFF-SITE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Yes URL . . . . . . . . . . . www.whitestonebrewery.com

Whitestone opened the doors to their Cedar Park brew pub on New Years Day. Whitestone started like so many other brewing operations: a homebrewer’s dreams. Ryan Anglen was that homebrewer, with a background in software. He is fulﬁlling the dream with the help of Kris Gray, Whitestone’s head brewer formerly of Stone Brewing. Stop in their handsome taproom for a taste or two of their six yearround brews. They are currently distributing to a handful of spots in the area and are looking to expand that reach. Also, they have crowlers!

HOUSE BEER SAMPLING Könverter Kölsch . . . . . . . . . . Kölsch-Style Ale Lovely Day IPA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .American IPA Porch Daddy Baltic Porter. . . . . . Baltic Porter Siesta Saison . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Saison

WE RECOMMEND Könverter Kölsch, Lovely Day IPA

BREW PUBS (NON-DISTRIBUTING)

Barber Shop

Double Horn Brewing Co.

INFO

LOCATION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .207 Mercer Street Dripping Springs, TX 78620 GUEST TAPS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Yes BEER SOLD ON-SITE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Yes BEER TO-GO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Yes URL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.barbershopbar.com

LOCATION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .208 Avenue H Marble Falls, TX 78654 GUEST TAPS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Yes BEER SOLD ON-SITE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Yes BEER TO-GO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Yes URL . . . . . . . . . . . www.doublehornbrewing.com

BREW PUB SNAPSHOT

The Barber Shop is another testament to the iron will of homebrewers. With an emphasis on the “bar” in Barber Shop, they left the historical building’s name the same, while sprucing up the inside with a lush wood bar, rustic amenities and a strategically occupied tap wall. Brewer John McIntosh intends to focus on English pub ales.

Double Horn, the ﬁrst and only brew pub in Burnet County, is seated right off 281 in Marble Falls. Frustrated by the lack of quality beer, food, and atmosphere to enjoy it in, owner Dusty Knight opened Double Horn in 2011. Knight and head brewer Eric Casey have made it their mission to supply residents with quality house beers and local craft brews.

Faust Brewing Co.

Flix Brewhouse

INFO

LOCATION. . . . . . . . . . 240 South Seguin Avenue New Braunfels, TX 78130 GUEST TAPS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Yes BEER SOLD ON-SITE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Yes BEER TO-GO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Yes URL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.faustbrewing.com

LOCATION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2200 South IH-35 Round Rock, TX 78681 GUEST TAPS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Yes BEER SOLD ON-SITE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Yes BEER TO-GO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Yes URL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.ﬂixbrewhouse.com

BREW PUB SNAPSHOT

Housed in the historic Faust Hotel in New Braunfels, Faust Brewing is the perfect place to tell your designated driver to have a few with you. It’s better than your favorite stumble in, stumble out joint. No need to stumble anywhere, because you are already there. Drink Faust’s tasty house beers and go upstairs. Goodnight.

How many movie theatres have a brewhouse in their front window? Just one. You might even catch brewmaster Justin Rizza brewing up something tasty as you rush in for the latest Star Wars ﬂick. Drink from their six year-round and four seasonal house taps or one their 30+ guest taps.

Pecan Street Brewing

Wimberley Brewing Co.

INFO

LOCATION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106 East Pecan Drive Johnson City, TX 78636 BEER SOLD ON-SITE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Yes BEER TO-GO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Yes URL . . . . . . . . . . .www.pecanstreetbrewing.com

LOCATION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9595 Ranch Road 12 Wimberley, TX 78676 GUEST TAPS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Yes BEER SOLD ON-SITE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Yes BEER TO-GO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Yes URL . . . .www.wimberleybrewingcompany.com

BREW PUB SNAPSHOT Pecan Street resides in a space formerly occupied by the town hardware store, in Johnson City’s historic town square. Owners Tim and Patty Elliott, with their head brewer and son Sean, aim to make the brew pub the town gathering center that the hardware store once was. Their house beers and guest taps are complimented by head chef John Yachimski’s eclectic brick oven pizza, salad, and burger menu.

BREW PUB SNAPSHOT The real name for this place is Brewster’s Pizza and Wimberley Brewing Company. As you walk into Wimberley you will notice there are a lot of kids running around. Actually, they’re not running around, they’re working. This is a true family business, run by the Collies. Try the spinach pizza.

LAST CALL

Habeab Kurdi of Mort Subite FAVORITE SHIFT BEER Currently: De Ranke XX Bitter Usually: (512) Pecan Porter if it’s around. Always a good beer. Every damned time. In 105 degree July heat, and on a 83 degree day in December.

WEIRDEST/CRAZIEST LAST CALL EXPERIENCE (Scene deleted by editor due to its graphic nature)

LAST CALL CEREMONIES With a smile and a bellow, kindly yell out that it is time to order that last drink and close up that tab ya got going. Then, slowly raise the lights. A little more. A little more. Turn up the music. A little bit louder now. Smile. Do a weird “dance” behind the bar that is basically moving of limbs that looks like dancing but is just kinda gesticulating. That way. Toward that there door there. Yup that’s the one! Look how beautiful it is outside with that night sky OK thanks see ya mañarrow.

LAST CALL BEER RECOMMENDATIONS A) Your mother B) 1-800-COLLECT C) Rye neat, splash of ginger beer, splash of bitters. It may have a name, it may not, but it’s tasty and it soothes the belly. I call it the Ryegestif. Very lovely end of the evening drink. Gotta order it that way, too, or else you end up with a mess. Or just a whiskey ginger which is not the same not even close.

CLOSING TIME SONG Take Me Home, Country Roads. John Denver (FOS). Alternately: If there’s a good number of people in the bar still mingling and I’m OK with it: Anybody Wanna Take Me Home, off of Ryan Adam’s album Rock N Roll, which holds up dammit. Alternatively: If it’s time to G-T-F-O, depending on the crowd, either the soft sounds of Nick Drake’s Pink Moon, or maybe some Sigur Ros nowadays because dark bar + sleepy music = people realizing “Hey, I think they’re closing.” I still don’t mind cranking up some Kendrick Lamar if it needs to get loud. But that was more fun when Zoey and I were dancing as we closed and our regulars basically insisted on helping us close so they got to dance with us and yeah that was good times!

BIGGEST WALKED TAB

HARDEST CUSTOMER TO GET OUT

Thanks to the ol’ trust system, and confusion amongst themselves, a table once walked with more than $120 tab left behind. Thankfully they only walked. I am faster than them. I am faster than you (Promise. Ask my Jester King softball compatriots). If you walk out, I will run after you, and you will give us zee money, Lebowski. Adele came into our bar and didn’t tip on a $90+ bill recently, so that kinda counts, too. She knows better, she’s traveled the world, she understands the tipping system. Like, Hello?

The person who loves everyone and wants to keep things going and gets oblivious but not in an annoying way just in a silly manner and they also work in the industry so it’s cool if I just hang out for a little longer, maybe after close, since you’re here closing anyway and I’m not really in the way am I? Wait. That’s been me before… Really though, jokes aside, or maybe just a little bit over here to the side not all the way aside, the hardest customer to get out is, well, I don’t think I’ve ever had a problem getting someone out. Huh.