Weathered Souls Brewing’s Marcus Baskerville discusses life beyond Black is Beautiful

BY NINA RANGEL

Name: Marcus Baskerville

Title: Co-Founder, Head Brewer of Weathered Souls Brewing Co.

Birthplace: Rancho Cordova, California

Industry Experience: The former Citibank fraud manager took to home brewing nearly a decade ago. The hobby became a passion and led to him opening of Weathered Souls in 2016. Baskerville has since launched a second location in Charlo e, North Carolina.

San Antonio’s Weathered Souls Brewing Co. launched its Black is Beautiful campaign in 2020, raising money for social justice groups by encouraging other craft brewers to augment a special imperial stout recipe and donate some of the proceeds. Some 1,200 breweries got on board, raising $2.2 million during its first year.

Though the campaign charges on, company co-founder Marcus Baskerville has expanded his reach to include work on the Harriet Baskerville Incubation Program, an incubator aimed at helping underrepresented groups get a leg up in the craftbeer industry. In January, the brewery also picked up a James Beard Award nomination for Outstanding Bar.

We caught up with Baskerville for an update.

Let’s do a post-Black is Beautiful check-in. Can you give me an update? How many breweries and how much money, ballpark?

I’ll be completely honest, as far as Black is Beautiful goes, I stopped keeping count probably mid-2021. I would say we’re in the 1,500-brewery range, because we don’t get too many people that reach out to say, “Hey, we’re brewing now.” We do still get a lot of people that reach out to say, “We’re brewing it again,” or that they contributed again. At some point, I need to log into the website and see where the actual amount is. Because, again, that’s something that I don’t think I’ve looked at since the beginning of 2022, at the very latest. I’ve just been so focused on trying to grow the [Weathered Souls] brand, and not specifically Black is Beautiful.

So, in terms of growing the brand, that includes the program named for your grandmother. Can you catch me up with what’s happening there?

The Harriet Baskerville Incubation Program. We actually just had the ribbon cu ing back in February and hired a full time employee to start guiding the program and start working on writing grants and all of that fun stuff. And then we also just hired an educational program staff member because I don’t have the capacity to go between locations. So, we thought it was important that we actually had somebody that was going to have dedicated time and space for that. So, we’re working on the education plan now. And then we’re hoping to have our first core service program by the end of May, so the application process is open currently.

What dreams do you have for the next five years?

I want people to realize the beers that we create are an experience, right? The experiences that we try to create within our beer, it’s not about just throwing brownie ba er in a batch. We also toast coconut and walnuts in-house, we hand-select vanilla beans for their particular flavor notes — Mexican, which is going to be more floral, versus Indonesian, which is going to have a completely different character. All of those things go into the beers that we make, and I think a lot of people don’t realize that. So, one of the things that I’ve been doing is trying to speak more, engage more about that. Sometimes that looks like doing sensory panels and dinners at the brewery and a empting to build the culinary experience part of it, because beer is a beverage, but it’s still within the culinary world. It doesn’t have to be one dimensional, just because that’s been the history of what beer is.

Elaborate on that a bit: what you’re trying to build around the culinary aspects of beer.

With the recent [James Beard Foundation] nomination, I’ve been wanting to focus on highlighting the local culinary community, so you’re gonna see more beer dinners here. You’re gonna see more focus on bringing in pastry chefs and different people that are at the top of their culinary crafts making food that pairs specifically with our beers. I can’t give you names yet, but we’re going to have some pre y popu- lar, James Beard-nominated chefs coming in soon to start having some fun with our kitchen. Because our kitchen is closed Mondays and Tuesdays, I also want to start hosting pop-ups with people that don’t have commercial kitchens that are still trying to grow their brand. As far as Charlo e goes, we hired four-time James Beard nominee Gregory Cole [as Executive Chef], and it’s the same experience, generally, but we’re also including cocktails out there. We have a world-renowned mixologist there that is curating cocktails along with the food experience — you know, trying to bring that synergy of food, beer and liquor together. And that’s something that hopefully within the next year or two, I’ll be able to figure out in San Antonio.

Is there anything about plans that are already in motion?

We’re also working on some additional locations in San Antonio over the next couple of years, at least taproom-wise, and also more potential locations for taprooms in Charlo e within the next couple of years as well.

San Antonio seems to be an already saturated market in terms of craft beer. Thoughts?

San Antonio is [one of the largest cities] in the United States, and I feel like people have this mentality that you have to choose, right? You can’t support everybody, and you have to choose one brewery and that’s your favorite brewery, and that’s it. It’s just crazy to me that there hasn’t been more community around craft beer here. But I also look at the cultural effects of San Antonio, a Hispanic city. The preferences of minorities are definitely reflected in the culture of craft beer. So, if your dad drank Coors Light and Modelo your entire life, that’s ... what you are going to gravitate towards, typically. Plus, we’re more of a liquor city, so having to grasp the a ention of craft beer drinkers here has always been an uphill ba le, because there’s not many of them.

News

The San Antonio restaurateur behind last year’s Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month Passport has revived the initiate, offering discounts on eats from The Magpie, Curry Boys BBQ and Best Quality Daughter saaapirestaurantmonth.com.

Grady’s Bar-B-Q has closed all three of its San Antonio-area locations after more than 70 years in business. Company officials didn’t provide a reason for the closure but said they’re trying to find work for as many employees as possible.

Alamo Beer Co. has signed a production deal with Wyoming-based THC beverage maker HighBridge. The craft brewer will dedicate roughly a third of its production line to cranking out HighBridge drinks.

Openings

New coffeehouse Flower in Flour now serving premium coffees and drinks infused with CBD or Delta-8 THC. 6915 Bandera Road, Suite 104, (210) 251-4324, flowerinflour.com.

The owner of Schertz drinkery Bar House will open a new location near downtown San Antonio, a stone’s throw from Lucky Duck, Bentley’s Beer Garden and Roadmap Brewing. Construction will wrap up in January 2024. 820 N. Alamo

St., barhouseschertz.com.

Box St. All Day will launch a second location near La Cantera later this year, serving up the same brunch favorites featured at the flagship brick-and-mortar restaurant at Hemisfair. 17038 Fiesta Texas Drive, Suite 112., boxstallday.com.

High-end Mexican restaurant Mixtli has opened a specialty wine and food store, The Cellar, adjacent to its Southtown dining room. The new spot offers more than 1,200 wines. 812 S. Alamo St., Suite 103, (210) 338-0746, restaurantmixtli.com/ thecellar.

Rosario’s new Southtown San Antonio restaurant has opened its 5,000-square-foot rooftop bar, offering guests 25 years and older one more nightspot with downtown skyline views. 722 S. Saint Mary’s St., (210) 223-1806, rosariossa.com.

Hybrid bar-cafe-hair salon Head Space now open in San Antonio’s Lavaca neighborhood, offering coffee, eats and salon services. 109 Playmoor St., headspacesatx.com.

Lucy Cooper’s Texas Ice House will expand its SA footprint with a new location on the far West Side. The opening will take place “any day now,” chef-owner Braunda Smith said. 8403 TX-151, Suite 101, lucycoopers.com.

Low-Octane Summer

With temps heating up, we sampled four N/A beer options with Texas ties

BY BRANDON RODRIGUEZ AND NINA RANGEL

It’s almost summer in San Antonio, meaning cold beer will be ubiquitous.

It fills ice chests at backyard barbecues, it’s the beverage of choice at outdoor events and we pop one when finish mowing the lawn. All well and good, unless you’re trying to watch your alcohol intake or avoid it altogether.

Fortunately, the quality and quantity of zero-proof beers have increased as more consumers demand high-quality products when they’re looking for a break from high octane suds. That’s also created a problem: the sheer quantity of N/A options can leave novices scratching their heads.

To help the N/A curious find the right match, we sampled a handful of Texas-produced or Texas-beloved varieties, which varied greatly in flavor profile — from standard American lagers to robust craft IPAs.

Free & Easy IPA

Karbach Brewing Co. — Houston

Made with a selection of floral and delightfully funky hops — citra, mosaic, herkules, simcoe and jester — this nonalcoholic sipper certainly doesn’t taste like it’s booze-free. Many craft beer fans crave the stinkiest, hoppiest, dankest IPA on offer, and when it comes to low-octane options, this could well be the go-to. Free & Easy may not be as slap-you-in-the-face hoppy as some prefer, but it also doesn’t include a cloying — almost cereal-like — maltiness many N/A beers have. So, chalk it up as a win. Thanks to its varied hop profile, this one offers notes of orange zest, grapefruit and citrus, which mingle nicely amid a light carbonation and a ractive color. No, it’s not hazy, but for the $11-per-six-pack price point, it’s a solid choice.

Texas Select

Texas Select Beverage Co. — Fort Worth

This reliable and long-running N/A lager contains recognizable barley notes — if not much else. For a booze-free beer that refuses to claim a style on its packaging, it offers well balanced, smooth and refreshing flavors that put it neatly in the American lager category. Those looking for a more assertive flavor profile may want to try it with a squeeze of lime to wake up any sleeping notes. Find six-packs at grocery and liquor stores for around $9.

Rick’s Hazy IPA

Rick’s Near Beer — Austin

Rick’s Near Beer launched its lineup of non-alcohol- ic beer, including Rick’s Original Pilsner and Rick’s Hazy IPA, in December 2022. Although it may not be the easiest to find in San Antonio, it may be worth a stop next time you’re in Austin to sample some. The easy-drinking Rick’s Hazy is bursting with citrus and tropical fruit flavors, and it’s brewed with premium malted barley, flaked wheat and loads of Pacific Northwest hops. Even though it’s technically produced in Colorado, the Austin-based mind behind the brew is doing what he can to make quality N/A brews more accessible to Texans, which is worthy of support. Fans can order six-packs of Rick’s Hazy for around $12 online, but keep an eye out for Rick’s Near Beer on closer beer aisles once the company kicks in a statewide expansion sometime later this year.

Dos Equis Lime & Salt ZERO

Grupo Modelo — Mexico

OK, it’s not made in Texas, but Dos Equis is so widely consumed in the Lone Star State, we’d be remiss not to include it. This non-alcoholic version of the company’s popular Lime & Salt canned beverage offers pale yellow color, heavy carbonation and a light body. There’s always a concern that lime flavoring added to a beer will prove overbearing, but this zero-proof option gets the balance right. The flavor reflects that of a beer dressed with a wedge of lime and a salted rim, rather than a beer that endured a dunk in uber-sour fake-lime essence. Even so, this brew still has a certain emptiness of flavor shared with many N/A products. But for those looking for a straightforward take on a dressed Mexican lager, Lime & Salt ZERO may be an option. It’s crushable, light at only 73 calories and won’t leave you with a crippling hangover the next day. A six-pack runs around $10.

The Last Bandoleros’ Last Waltz

Despite being born into a Tejano royal family, Emilio and Diego

Navaira are moving on and ready to rock

BY MIKE MCMAHAN

The Last Bandoleros had a hell of a run. After touring with Sting, collaborating with Shaggy, landing a deal with Warner Music, gigging extensively in Europe and appearing twice on Good Morning America, the critically acclaimed band is on hiatus.

Known for a signature blend of country, rock, Tejano and pop, the Nashville-based group has strong San Antonio ties thanks to brothers Emilio Navaira IV and Diego Navaira, sons of the late Tejano legend Emilio Navaira III. After nearly a decade in The Last Bandoleros, the pair are stepping aside to focus on another musical project, the more rock-focused Ready Revolution.

“I may want to come back in two years, but right now, in my heart, I have no interest in making a Bandos record or going out on the road with the Bandos,” said Diego, 31. “That’s not to say it’s not gonna happen again. But I’m not even thinking about it right now.”

Emilio, 33, agreed. “Right now, I’m doing Ready Rev.”

Even so, the switch will require a complete reboot for the Navaira brothers, whose record deal with Warner won’t carry over. Even though they already have a track record in the music industry, they face the daunting challenge of jumping genres and will need to build interest in Ready Revolution nearly from the ground up.

Born out of 2014 writing session with Emilio on drums, Diego on bass, and Jerry Fuentes and Derek James handling guitar duties, The Last Bandoleros brought together an array of influences, and all four members shared vocal duties.

Though signed to Warner’s Nashville operation and marketed as a country act with a Tex-Mex flair, the members loved the Beatles and what they stood for — tight songwriting and a unique collection of personalities.

The Bandos released three full-length albums, including 2020’s outstanding Live from Texas. Last year’s fraternal twins, Tex Flex and Tex Flex Folkórico, both showcased the band as a trio after James’ departure and shone a light on the members’ deep South Texas roots.

Understandable, considering the Navaira brothers started their careers in their dad’s band — something that provided a formative deep dive into both the Tejano scene and the music biz. Guitarist Fuentes was a studio intern in his youth, present for sessions with Tex-Mex legends Augie Meyers and Doug Sahm.

“On our last two records, the Bandos really embraced the culture,” Emilio said. “I wanted to see if we could make a Tejano record, but in our own way. I think it’s our best work.” Even so, the brothers agree it’s time to get back to their true love: rock ’n’ roll.

Secret plans

The Last Bandoleros’ hiatus has been pending for a while, though kept under wraps, the brothers said.

“That was all a band decision,” Diego explained. “I approached our team a couple of months ago, asking, ‘How should we announce our hiatus?’ The Bandoleros work like a democracy, you know? Out of respect and love, me and Emilio didn’t say anything. I personally wish we would have.”

The group appeared in Los Angeles for a Cinco de Mayo event earlier this month. To the outside world, it was just another gig for the road warriors. But for the members, it was a milestone: their last gig for the foreseeable future. Maybe ever.

“I want to preserve how special the Bandos is, you know?” Emilio said. “When there’s a time to get back and do it, we’ll get back and do it.”

During several lengthy conversations with the Current, the brothers reflected on their time in the group, their late father and the resurrection of Ready Revolution, an outfit they put on the back burner while they focused on The Last Bandoleros. Our discussions took place across multiple locations, from gigs and hangouts to Zoom meetings.

Even though the Navaira brothers are turning over a new musical chapter, their commitment to each other seems as strong as ever.

“My aunt showed me some home movies,” Emilio said. “They had the moment we met. I crawled into the crib with [Diego] and started playing.”

He paused. “I don’t know a life without Diego.”

Rocking reunion

The Ready Revolution reunion show at San Antonio’s 502 Bar on March 25 probably should have been a sign that things were winding down for The Last Bandoleros. The gig played out like band reunions often do, offering a chance to revisit triumphs of the past and for old friends to get reacquainted.

The Northside music venue was packed, se ing a club record for both a endance and bar receipts. The full house was evidence that despite their Nashville base, San Antonio remains the brothers’ second home and a primary market for their music.

Before showtime, Emilio went over basslines backstage, making sure he knew the material of the opening band, Pasenger, with whom he’d agreed to fill in a couple weeks prior.

“I want to make sure I remember everything,” he said, no hint of nerves showing.

During Pasenger’s set, Emilio’s presence highlighted the melodies of its strongest material. Just as in The Last Bandoleros and Ready Rev, his vocals ended up being the band’s secret weapon. He’s heard the “secret weapon” stuff before from his mom — a very mom comment.

By the time Ready Revolution took the stage with opener “Love Disaster,” the place was so packed that a endees on the side of the stage couldn’t squeeze their way to the bar. Diego owned the frontman role, his gaze, his movements, his hand gestures all making the band seem larger than life, as if it could pull off the same commanding show from a coliseum stage.

In contrast to the rootsy Bandos, Ready Rev plays driving alt-rock in the vein of Foo Fighters or Paramore. It’s an arena-sized sound with big guitars and bigger hooks.

With only a brief pause, the band ripped into the anthemic “Good Love Yeah!” capably nailing the song’s harmonies. The chorus evoked the hard-edged but hooky sound of vintage Cheap Trick.

In Ready Rev, both brothers play guitar while Diego holds down lead vocals. Bassist Shane Gamboa, drummer Kevin Diaz de Leon and third guitarist — yes, the three-guitar a ack sounds huge — Ma Zavala round out the band. Zavala, a longtime family friend, also played in Emilio III’s band as a youngster and even lived with the family when he was 19.

Near the end of the blistering set, Diego reminded the crowd of the value of family by dedicating a cover of Hillary Duff’s “Come Clean” to his younger sister, Emely, whose birthday was the next day. The band set the date of the gig so Diego could be in town for the family celebration.

Ready Rev shut things down with the appropriately titled original “We All Got Fucked Up,” the epic rock finale. The crowd whooped it up as the sweat-drenched band took a collective bow.

Looming challenge

Grammy-winning producer Mack Damon, who’s done studio work for Ready Rev, praises the brothers’ musical ability as “supernatural.”

“They can hear something one time, then pick up a guitar, sing it in three-part harmony and play it with each other,” the San Antonio-based producer said. “No one decides who’s going to play what instrument.”

Despite that raw talent — not to mention Ready Rev’s deftly wri en material and ability to move a crowd — the brothers know the challenges ahead as they relaunch the band. They’re looking to capture lightning twice. They’re also doing it in an era where pop and hip-hop have relegated guitar rock to the fringes.

Sure, Ready Rev has catchy songs, but so do plenty of other rock outfits in an already crowded market. And the resurrected act will need to secure a foothold without Warner’s backing.

The Navaira brothers are the first to admit that taking Ready Rev to the Bandos’ level — or, be er yet, surpassing it — will be an uphill ba le.

They’ve surrounded themselves with supportive friends and family, but nothing will take the place of hard work in front of audiences. Diego and Emilio also agree that a major label deal isn’t the obvious path it once was.

“We want to get out there and build a following on the road,” Diego said. “The old-fashioned way.”

Reminder:

Although live events have returned, the COVID-19 pandemic is still with us. Check with venues to make sure scheduled events are still happening, and please follow all health and safety guidelines.