Taylor 76574 Magazine – Spring 2018 by Matt Hellman

_________ Taylor _________

76574 SPRING s 2018

CRAFT BEER Taylor & WilCo join the craft beer renaissance

TWICE TOLD TALES Once upon a time, Taylor could have been considered the Devil's Playground.

BY THE NUMBERS Did you know that more than 15,000 teams and 36,000 players played at Taylor's Regional Park last year?

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jo ireland cpa, pllc 104 west 4th street, taylor 512.352.6329

Taylor 76574

_________Taylor _________

76574 Facebook@Taylor76574 EDITOR & PUBLISHER Richard Stone BUSINESS MANAGER Carolyn Hill SALES Scott Rucker Ann Miller PRODUCTION EDITOR Gretchen Dyson ASS’T PRODUCTION EDITOR Matt Hellman DEPARTMENT EDITOR Jason Hennington ADVERTISING DESIGN Patti Slavych Minerva Kutch Orlando Rojo-Buendia OUR THANKS TO Matt Hellman, Cynthia Karkoska, Ken Cooke, Lee Nichols Tim Crow Candice Martin of the Culinary Arts Department at Taylor High School The Taylor Conservation & Heritage Society

A CRAFT BEER RENAISSANCE Porter? Stout? IPA? Join us as we try to learn something about this new craft beer craze sweeping the state.

~ PAGE 25

D E PA R T M E N T S WINTER & SPRING CALENDAR �� PAGE 6 From regular weekly and monthly events to spring festivals, here’s a handy spring planning guide.

10 QUESTIONS�� PAGE 10 John Matthews, the 2013 Citizen of the Year, helps Taylor ISD help local families. But, that whole thing about damaged fruit. Really?

BY THE NUMBERS �� PAGE 12 Last year, 36,000 players took the field at one of Taylor's ballfields. Check out Taylor's public parks, By the Numbers.

TWICE TOLD TALES �� PAGE 15 ON THE COVER We're here for the beer! — Photo by Matt Helllman

Published by

PRESS TAYLOR

your community. your newspaper.

P.O. Box 1040 • Taylor, TX 76574 For advertising information, call

Trouble with a capital 'T'. Taylor has a checkered past. Our author takes us on a trip down memory lane.

CULINARY ADVENTURES �� PAGE 20 Taylor High School’s Culinary Arts and commercial photography students deliver a guide to a classic meal for four.

THE DABBLING DUCK �� PAGE 34 Teatotaling on Talbot wonders about Taylor's affection for beer. The Dabbling Duck has the answer.

— Photos by Matt Hellman 512-352-8538 Spring 2018 5 Spring 2018 5

If you would like to see your non-profit community event or regular meeting listed in this calendar, please send it to Taylor76574 Calendar, P.O. Box 1040, Taylor, TX 76574 or email to news@taylorpress.net.

Second Saturday

Join us on the second Saturday of the month for events in our parks and all over town. Specials and bargains in our downtown shops and cool drinks at our “rest stops.”

Third Monday

The Greater Taylor Chamber of Commerce hosts a luncheon at Sirloin Stockade the third Monday of each month. The topics vary but usually focus on Taylor issues. Open members and non-members.

Third Thursday

The Third Thursday of every month, our downtown shops stay open until 8 p.m. 120 Art Gallery opens a new exhibit and music fills Texas Beer Company, Taylor Station and other venues around the area.

G21 Car Show

G21 Car Show is on the fourth Sunday of every month beginning at about 9 a.m. It is held on 2nd Street between Main and Porter streets. Several different charities benefit from it throughout the year.

Pints, Politics and Culture

The Taylor Press hosts a live interview with a local newsmaker 7 p.m. on the last Tuesday of the month at the Texas Beer Co., corner of Main and Second, downtown. The interview is streamed live on the Press’ Facebook page (@GoTaylorTx) and then curated on its website (TaylorPress.net). This public affairs program is a great way to keep up with local issues.

Taylor Area Farmer’s Market

May through October — Local area farmers sell fresh produce at corner of 5th and Main Street 3-6 p.m. every Monday and Friday.

Your government

Taylor City Council – The Taylor City Council meets the second and fourth Thursdays of the month, 6 p.m. at City Hall, 400 Porter St. Agendas are posted to the city’s website Tuesday prior. Meetings are streamed live from the city’s website. You may sign up for notifications about this and other Taylor boards and commissions on the homepage of the city’s website, ci.taylor.tx.us. Taylor School Board – Taylor school trustees meet 7 p.m. the third Monday of the month, in the board room at the central administration office, 3101 N. Main Street. Agendas are posted to the school’s website the Friday prior to the meeting.

Weekly Civic Club Meetings

Taylor Lions Club – Every Friday at Noon at Sirloin Stockade Taylor Rotary Club – Every Thursday at noon at Sirloin Stockade Taylor Kiwanis Club – Every Wednesday noon at Sirloin Stockade

Free help with taxes! Through April 16

Taylor City Hall, 400 Porter Street, Taylor, TX 76574 United Way of Williamson County will have IRS-certified tax preparers on site to provide FREE tax help for households earning $54,000 or less annually. No appointment needed. Se Habla Español. For more information, go to WilcoFreeTaxPrep.org or call (512) 255-6799 or 2-1-1. Mondays: 4:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. Wednesdays: 4:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. Saturdays: 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.

Through April 11 Taylor Public Library, 801 Vance Street, Taylor, TX 76574 AARP will have IRS-certified tax preparers on site to provide FREE tax help for Senior Citizens and the general public. No appointment needed. Se Habla Español. Wednesdays: 12:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. Interested in local and college sports? Check out “Around the Water Cooler,” a lively and opinionated show produced by the Taylor Press. New shows every Wednesday at about 2:15 p.m. Streamed live on Facebook @GoTaylorTx.

Taylor 76574

Spring Health Fair

Come join us 6-8 p.m. at the Taylor ISD Events Center, 3101 N. Main, for face painting, balloon animals, door prizes, free healthy snacks, fresh popcorn, and other fun surprises.

Election Day

Primary Elections will be held all over the county. Races for party nomination for a variety of election officials from local justice of the peace all the way up to Governor of Texas will be decided. For election information, go to wilco.org/ Departments/Elections. You can find candidate information in the Taylor Press or at the Taylor Press website.

Taylor Independent School District Spring Break! Taylor Public Library

During Spring break, the library will host movies, crafts all week and a truck petting zoo.

Easter Egg Hunt

At Heritage Square, 10 a.m. Children will be divided into two age groups, ages 1 through and ages 4 through 6. One parent or adult must accompany each child. Contact Deby Lannen at 512-352-3463 or deby.lannen@taylortx.gov for more information.

Voter Registration Deadline

Deadline to register to vote for the Taylor City Council and School Board elections. Seats for both bodies will be up for voter approval. Election Day is May 5.

Taylor Home and Garden Expo

Taylor Band Boosters are hosting the annual Garden Expo. Indoor and outdoor booths are available. The Expo features a hamburger lunch, live music, plants, crafts, home decor and unique items. 9 a.m.-4 p.m.

Spring 2018 7

Blackland Prairie Days

Live talent, food, arts & crafts, children’s activities in downtown Taylor beginning at 10 a.m. Contact Deby Lannen at 512-352-3463 or deby.lannen@taylortx.gov for more information.

Local Elections

Seats on the Taylor ISD School Board and the Taylor city Council are up for voter consideration. Vote at city hall and the Taylor ISD administration building. Watch the Taylor Press print edition and website for candidate profiles and election information.

Granger Lakefest

Held Mother’s Day weekend in May the park across from Granger City Hall, 214 E. Davilla Street, Granger Lakefest includes a kolache sale, parade, arts and crafts, a barbecue cookoff, children’s activities, an auction, a car/truck/tractor/ motorcycle show and horseshoe tournament. Enjoy a variety of food and drink, live music during the day and a dance in the evening. Call Granger City Hall at (512) 859-2755.

Lion’s Club Crawfish Boil

The Taylor Lion’s Club hosts its annual Crawfish Boil in Murphy Park in May. The event is all you can eat crawfish, chicken, sausage, corn, potatoes, and red beans and rice. BYOB. There is live music and family entertainment.

Legacy Early College High School Graduation

The Legacy class of 2018 will hold graduation ceremonies 7 p.m. at the Main Street Events Center, 3101 N. Main St.

Taylor ISD Graduation

Taylor will graduate the class of 2018 7 p.m. at Shoreline Church, 15201 Burnet Rd, Austin.

Fiesta Amistad

Fiesta Amistad has grown into Central Texas’ largest Hispanic two-day event. Held on Memorial Day weekend at the Old Settlers Association, 3300 Palm Valley Blvd. on Hwy 79, east of Round Rock, the festival sponsored by Round Rock’s El Amistad Club features live music, plenty of food and family entertainment. Find out more at www.elamistadclub.com

Swimming!

Taylor City Pools open May 27! — Murphy Park Aquatic Center and Robinson Pool, open for the summer.

Taylor 76574

Taylor Stomp’n’Holler BBQ+Music Festival sponsored by Covert Chevrolet This is Taylor’s signature tourism event that features a big-time car show, great live music including an A-List headliner and barbecue from about a dozen of Texas’ legendary Pit Masters. One of those Pit Masters is right here in Taylor. Noon to 11 p.m. at Murphy Park. They already have a killer lineup of music and Texas Monthly Top 10 Pit Masters. The lineup reveal will be March 5 and early bird tickets will go on sale then. Lots of love to Covert Chevy, Shiner Beer, Valero and Citizens National Bank. On Facebook @stompnhollerfest or online at stompnhollerfest.com

Taylor International BBQ Cook Off

Barbecue Bob returns to the shade of Murphy Park as area barbecue cookers compete in one of the state’s most prestigious cook offs. Get over to the park Friday evening for a family-priced show by Kenny Ortz under the pavilion then hurry back Saturday to see which of the cookers win for showmanship, beef, chicken and pork. Watch @ TaylorBBQcookoff on Facebook for details.

973

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SPRING CALENDAR:

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March 15, April 19 Third Thursday Downtown Late Nites & May 17 (shopping and live music)

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for shopping, dining, relaxing

Community Easter Egg Hunt

March 31 10AM, Murphy Park

Blackland Prairie Day (family festival)

May 5 10AM-4PM, Downtown Taylor

For full information about all upcoming events in Taylor, Texas, visit TaylorMadeTexas.com or call Main Street Taylor at 512.352.3463

Spring 2018 9

10 QUESTIONS

WITH JOHN MATTHEWS

ohn Matthews is the coordinator of Taylor ISD's Family Support Services (FSS), and has directly and indirectly helped many local families and individuals. However, he is quick to point out he does not do it all alone. He is also involved with READ to the TOP, midnight basketball, MUNCH (Mentors at Lunch), much more and he is volunteers with different programs in the community. In 2013, Matthews was the 71st honoree of the Citizen of the Year Award. He was described as “another fine example of the Rotary motto of Service Above Self.”

1. What is your super power? My organizational skills could use some work and I am not going to outsmart anyone . . . but I am persistent and I’m good with that. 2. Tell us something most people don’t know about you? I am very shy and a homebody. I enjoy

my time at home . . . my wife (Angela Allen) enjoys my time away from home! 3. What is the dumbest thing you’ve ever done? Way too many things to evaluate and quantify here, this list goes on and on and gets bigger everyday.

4. Why do you do what you do? Because I enjoy it, I want to make a difference; everyday is good . . . some days are just better than others. 5. What makes you good at your job? Because I enjoy it and I want to make a difference.

Taylor 76574

6. Who or what is your biggest inspiration? I believe that you need people in your life that expect you to improve everyday. My father is my biggest inspiration. He never missed a day of work and never complained. My mentors are John Benziger and Carol Bachmayer. 7. What’s the most useless talent you have? I am actually loaded with useless talent; however, I guess I would say juggling. I have spent hours juggling socks, vegetables, assorted fruits and tennis balls. No payday and lots of missing socks, ruined vegetables and bruised fruit. Twisting animal balloons comes a close second. 8. What song is your guilty pleasure? I like music so let's go with three songs and two performers, Imagine by John Lennon, Wishes by Jon Butcher, and Suite Madame Blue by Styx. I enjoy listening to Peter Green, a great guitar

player with a great touch on the guitar. Bruce Springsteen is the boss. He writes songs about freedom and how the American Dream fuels the American Way. 9. What is your claim to fame? In 2013, I was actually the Citizen of the Year in Taylor. I was honored. I know many of the recipients and can’t

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hold a torch to them; truly a great honor. 10. Most memorable birthday? Many many years ago, before I was married, I bought myself a 1967 Camaro. A beauty. She generally gets me at least 1/3 of the way to my destination before a major mechanical failure. Good Days!

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1,500+ GAMES PLAYED AT TAYLOR REGIONAL PARK

NO IDEA HOW MUCH TOILET PAPER IS USED IN A YEAR OR WHAT THE AVERAGE POPULATION IS OF DUCKS (WE ASKED).

250

PARK ACRES

20 WATER

ACRES OF

240

36,000+ PLAYERS

FIELD CHALK BAGS USED

23 ATHLETIC FIELDS

MAINTAINED BY 5 CREW MEMBERS

600+ HOURS PREPPING BALL FIELDS FOR GAMES & EVENTS

Taylor 76574

11 500 MILES OF HOURS CLEANING

TRAILS

BATHROOMS AND PARK PAVILIONS

2.5 MILES OF

CREEK

100,000+

VISITORS @ TAYLOR REGIONAL PARK

Spring 2018 13

What you should know before ling an extension The good news is that you can request an extension for your income tax return and le your 2017 taxes as late as October 15, 2018. The IRS knows that sometimes it’s impossible to gather the information you need to le by April 18, 2018 (the due date for 2017 returns), so the 6-month extension is AUTOMATIC as long as the taxpayer makes an effort to estimate (and pay) the full amount of tax that will be due. But the extension only grants an extension of time to FILE, not an extension of time to PAY, and so many people experience an unpleasant surprise when they get a penalty notice from IRS. “But I led an extension,” they say, “so why do I have a penalty?” Some taxpayers have been ling extensions and paying in October for years and don’t even know that they are paying penalties because the preparer calculates and includes the penalties in the balance due.

An extension of time to PAY is NEVER granted. When a taxpayer les an extension request they must be sure that 100% of the tax due for 2017 is paid in by April 18, 2018. This means that the balance due for the year must accompany the extension request. If the IRS determines that you made no attempt to estimate your balance due with the extension, they could disallow the extension. How am I supposed to know what the balance due is if I haven’t prepared the return? Determining the balance due can be difcult

when the records to complete the return aren’t yet available, yet the law requires that you estimate the amount and pay it along with the extension. Your accountant can help with the estimate and will likely estimate high to ensure that no penalties are generated. Even if you cannot pay the balance due at the time of the extension, you are able to avoid one of the two penalties, the Failure to File penalty, and it is the most punitive of the two.

What are the penalties? The rst, the FAILURE TO FILE penalty, is avoided by ling a timely extension request with a good faith estimate of the balance due. Without an extension, a return led after the due date will be penalized 4.5% of the underpaid tax for each month or part of a month that your return was late. The FAILURE TO PAY penalty is one-half of one percent of the underpaid tax for each month, or part of a month that the payment is late. There is a cap of 25% for the combined Failure to File and Failure to Pay penalties. In addition to these two penalties, there is also interest charged from the original due date of the return EVEN IF YOU HAVE AN EXTENSION. There is no cap for the amount of interest that can add up on underpaid taxes. Notice that the penalties and interest are based on the underpaid tax: this means that a return led late that is due a refund can technically be charged a penalty, but 5% of ZERO due is a zero penalty, so there are no consequences for a refund

return ling after the due date even without an extension. Is there a reason a person with a refund might CHOOSE to file an extension even though he is able to file on time? Yes, there is a common reason when this might happen: when a taxpayer is planning a contribution to his or her SEP-IRA, which is a type of IRA for self-employed individuals. SEP-IRA contributions for tax year 2017 are due by the due date of the return, INCLUDING EXTENSIONS. By ling an extension, even on a refund return, a taxpayer can contribute to his or her SEP-IRA as late as October 15, 2018 and take the deduction on their 2017 return. Note that this rule DOES NOT apply to traditional IRAs: for these the contribution deadline is the due date of the return WITHOUT extensions, or April 18, 2018 for 2017 returns. If you have any questions about extensions, or any other tax issues, please feel free to contact us at our ofces in Downtown Hutto or Taylor. We are here to help! Jo Ireland CPA, CFP®, MBA JO IRELAND CPA, PLLC jo@wilcocpa.net

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Taylor 76574

Twice told tales of Taylor … with thanks to the Taylor Conservation and Heritage Society and apologies to Nathaniel Hawthorne

TROUBLE WITH A CAPITAL ‘T’ BY WYNDY ELLIS

TAYLOR CONSERVATION & HERITAGE SOCIETY

efore Taylorsville was even a place, there was a tension, an ongoing tug of war over a way of life. Prairie settlements, or stations, attracted a different breed of men and women. They were independent adventurers to whom the Indians and the elements were a challenge to be met and conquered. They lived hard and played hard. They were the hardscrabble base, on which a more genteel, family oriented Taylor society was to be constructed. The debate began early. Texas was the first state in the nation to enact local options for sale and consumption of alcohol in 1843, and two years later Texas banned saloons altogether. The stage was set for the back and forth struggle between the “wets” and the “drys,” the “us” and “them.” This still exists today.

Families came to Taylor, and churches and schools appeared almost immediately. The area central to town and to residential areas, roughly from Tenth Street to West Sixth near Davis, fairly bristled with church spires. Sixth Street was originally named Church Street, and some of the places of worship that paraded down that street are still evident and active. They were lined up in a defensive position, as though to protect the families and ward off whatever evil might arrive by train. If you needed an excuse to drink, the early 1900s certainly provided one. The first half of the century brought to Taylor a devastating fire, torrential rains and floods, The War to End All Wars, the Great Depression and, as a grand finale, World War II. In the middle of all this, Prohibition was enacted in 1919, and lasted until its repeal in 1933.

“Libertine men and scarlet women and ragtime, shameless music, that’ll grab your sons, your daughters, in the arms of a jungle animal instinct. Mass hysteria ... the devil’s playground!” Harold Hill, The Music Man Spring 2018 15

There were bars, and then icehousThere was music, world class R&B. The Roaring Twenties roared for a reason, though in Taylor it was more es. There was booze, and “floozies” During segregation there was a netfor hire. Though newspapers didn’t work of black music venues through of a growl. With the repeal of Prohibition, the acknowledge the existence of bars in the South known as the Chitlin’ Cirrequirement to enact local option and Taylor then, even in advertising, we cuit. This was the only way black licensing laws were largely ignored. know they existed and thronged the musicians could find places to stay, restaurants and audiences. Taylor’s Texas liquor laws were in flux, and area near the tracks. south side made seemed miscel“The Circuit.” laneous. MeanAccording to while, Texas fields well-known Auswere full of corn, and corn had tin musician other uses than Blues Boy Hubfattening cattle bard, who played and hogs. Central the scene, the Texas reportedly man most responenjoyed a lively sible for putting bootleg business. Austin, let alone The trains, on Taylor, on that inwhich the town formal map of the was founded, Chitlin’ Circuit brought the world was Tony Von, to our door. Near the only black DJ the station, the in Central Texas, town was like a heard every Satgiant bee hive, urday on KTAEwith buzzing and AM from Taylor. bumping workers, Today it’s diftroops and travelficult to explain ers. The sinners the significance In Taylor, Texas, in 1900, the favored gathering spot and watering hole was J.H. Mares Saloon. Today, that spot is occupied by and the sancti- Taylor Café. of that statement. Courtesy Photo Stations had huge monious came; the guys and dolls listening areas, Papers also avoided printing news and young people camped by the rastill celebrating the end of the Big War, and reformers, like the Anti Saloon of life ”across the tracks” (the country dio in the living room every Saturday. club being the exception). But rail- Audiences were built from the ground League. The area near the massive stations, roaders and soldiers and travelers on up. Records were sold. Rock stars yards and roundhouse, with more both sides of the tracks are roughly were born. than 300 railroad employees, was the same, and the ‘40s put “needs” to“Color TV on the Radio,” and “The alive and jiving. The Murphy Hotel, at gether with ”wants.” Master Blaster,” Tony Von pulled The result south of the tracks was strings, worked trades and exerted inFirst and Porter, was replaced by the Blazimar Hotel, with the only restau- jazz, rhythm and blues, and The Line, fluence because he was the ONE who rant that served after 9 p.m., and a long a freewheeling part of town. decided what and who to play on the bar, a ballroom and the very busy bus radio for the broad central Texas marstation that brought even more travelket. He could provide venues and proers. The railroads housed their layover mote albums and artists where white employees at the Blazimar, and train promoters would not and could not. Main Street south of the tracks travelers were welcomed. Of course, Tony Von was first influential in the the troop trains in both wars assured a took on a life of its own, with small east Austin music scene in “the cuts,” steady flow of men traveling to Camp businesses, shops and beginnings slang for rockin’ East 11th Street, Swift or Ft. Hood, or if they were very of community gathering spots, bars where a vibrant economy was develand clubs. There were venues with ice oping. He opened The Showbar, later lucky, traveling home. It was a bustling, roiling, often rol- buckets and plastic cups and BYOB The Playhouse, and he owned a thrivsetups, the staple of the alcoholic bev- ing record store there. licking scene. Razamataz! erage confusion. The Victory Grill opened in 1945,

THE LINE

Taylor 76574

First Taylor draftees for WWII, Elroy Spreen, Bennie Fajtik (first hat), Raymond Brinkmeyer and Stanley Pavilk, departed Taylor on the train for Ft. Sam Houston in San Antonio (Nov. 19, 1940) Photo courtesy the Taylor Public Library

followed by other notable clubs. From there, B.B. King, Junior Porter, Bobby ‘Blue’ Bland, Ruth Brown, Big Mama Thornton, Ike and Tina Turner, and James Brown are said to have played The Line in Taylor, thanks to Von. East Walnut Street (now Martin Luther King) was The Line in Taylor, from South Main St. until the street pretty well played out. Tony Von had a record store on the Line with the High Life Club next door and Von’s Chicken Shack just down the way. He had Club 21 also, and there were little bars and beer joints on both sides of the street. The Line is reported to have been as popular as 6th Street in Austin is now, packed with African American G.I.s from Ft. Hood and World War II. In the 1950s, when many G.I.s returned from a war where no bullet was a respecter of white or black, white college guys on the G.I. Bill were bold enough to explore rock and roll in its own roots home, integrating what were once black venues. The Line flourished in Taylor. Tony

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Von enjoyed his influence and his audience for 34 rock and roll years. Von was at the Soul-ful Club, across the street from his record store, when he was killed with one blast from a shotgun. He was 54. The year was 1979. A few more than 10 years later, The Line was closed down.

“THE DEVIL’S PLAYGROUND” In the early ‘90s, a former Williamson county District Attorney led a campaign to “Turn Around Taylor” and clean up The Line. He rallied support from

churches and temperance groups and parents worried about bad influences from across the tracks. “We shut four bars down and put 24 drug dealers behind bars,” he bragged. He literally bulldozed properties he judged to be crack houses, using nuisance laws to get rid of the properties. He left vacant lots, looking like bad teeth

Taylor 76574

had been pulled leaving painful gaps. At the same time, this eliminated many black owned businesses that had been popular community gathering places, like Walnut Grove, a popular small bar and barbeque place particularly supportive of the young people. Most have not returned. “With a capital “T” and that rhymes with “P” and that stands for” Possibilities “They’re just building another Line, like the one we got rid of across the tracks.” one alarmed citizen mourned. Sure enough, Second Street is now home to a new, flourishing entertainment scene, with Black Sparrow Music Parlor, Texas Beer Company which (horrors!) has its own brew, a wine bar next door and Taylor Station down the street. Good beer, good food and good music, all within walking distance. Sounds like a party! None of this has made it across the bridge yet. But it is said that a rising tide floats all boats. One can hope.

Two versions of the same hotel. The Murphy Hotel (First and Porter streets) as it appeared in 1914 then, later, a post card of how it appeared in 1935 as the Blazilmar Hotel. Photos courtesy the Taylor Public Library

Timmy & Nancy Talley, Owners

(512) 365-1979

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Spring 2018 21

A MEAL FOR FOUR! This is a meal for four that is sure to please. This is a hot chicken cordon bleu with savory ham and Swiss cheese rolled in. The pasta salad is a great contrast to the hot chicken and you can put anything you like in it, so feel free to change it up from this recipe. We served ours with steamed and buttered broccoli and a Hawaiian roll. However, you could serve it with just about any vegetable. Enjoy!

Devant Brooks charms his customers while serving Cordon Bleu Chicken. “Culinary has taught me how to handle myself better”, said Brooks.

Photos of food are by student photographer, Isaiah Torres. Photos of students are by the photography teacher, Magdalena Zavala. The culinary teacher is Candice Martin.

CHICKEN CORDON BLEU Ingredients • 4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves • 1/4 teaspoon salt • 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper • 6 slices Swiss cheese • 4 slices cooked ham • 1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs Directions Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Coat a 7x11 inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Pound chicken breasts to 1/4 inch thickness. Sprinkle each piece of chicken on both sides with salt and pepper. Place 1 cheese slice and 1 ham slice on top of each breast. Roll up each breast, and secure with a toothpick. Place in baking dish, and sprinkle chicken evenly with bread crumbs. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until chicken is no longer pink. Remove from oven, and place 1/2 cheese slice on top of each breast. Return to oven for 3 to 5 minutes, or until cheese has melted. Remove toothpicks, and serve immediately.

Taylor 76574

PASTA SALAD Ingredients • 1 pound tri-colored spiral pasta • 6 tablespoons salad seasoning mix • 1 (16 ounce) bottle Italian-style salad dressing • 2 cups cherry tomatoes, diced • 1 green bell pepper, chopped • 1 red bell pepper, diced • 1/2 yellow bell pepper, chopped • 1 (2.25 ounce) can black olives, chopped

Juniors Alyssia Ramirez and Maria Ruiz serve plates at Top Flight Thursday.

Directions In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook pasta until al dente, rinse under cold water and drain. Whisk together the salad spice mix and Italian dressing. In a salad bowl, combine the pasta, cherry tomatoes, bell peppers and olives. Pour dressing over salad; toss and refrigerate overnight. This feature is contributed by student chefs in the Taylor High School Culinary Arts Program. Culinary Arts is a partnership with Texas State Technical College that provides students the opportunity to earn college credits and certifications that will prepare them for successful careers after high school. In addition to contributing to the food feature of this magazine, culinary students also showcase their talents in the licensed restaurant, Top Flight, located in Taylor High School.

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Spring 2018 23

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Taylor 76574

r e e r o l

d n a

y a t

B go

d n a

By RICHARD STONE Editor & Publisher

Photography by Matt Hellman

"He is a wise man who invented beer." -Plato

Spring 2018 25

Taylor is a hotbed of the W

aylor and beer go hand in hand. I suppose it has to do with our Czech/farming heritage but there is no question that many people in Taylor and East WilCo like the occasional beer. I do too. I used to believe I was a bit of a sophisticate when it came to beer, since I drank Shiner Bock before it was cool. I also drank Lone Star longnecks back then, before hipsters “discovered” them. Later, I switched to Dos Equis. Once the craft beer renaissance came to Texas, my beer drinking habits were no longer cool. The taste of those beers lacked the crispness I anticipated. They could be unexpectedly bitter or sour, off-putting. I tried. I did. But I decided those beers weren’t for me. Then, Taylor got its own craft beer place and, suddenly, my ignorance took on an economic imperative. Plus, the bartender at that new taproom developed a tick that showed up whenever I asked for “the closest thing you’ve got to a Dos Equis.” That, and the rising local interest in craft beer, is the impetus for this article, so I plotted a tour

of Williamson County brew pubs. I reached out to a couple of friends: Ken Cooke, the former publisher of the Rockdale Reporter who now publishes the paper in Fredericksburg, and Lee Nichols, the former beer editor at the Austin Chronicle and the San Antonio Current (yes, there is such a thing as a “beer editor”). Our mission: visit as many of the breweries in Williamson County as time and inebriation would allow. We intended to sample only the beers that particular place brewed. At each stop, we would buy a sampler of four or five beers, share that sampler and make a report. We met at the Texas Beer Company’s taproom. Dylan, our driver for the day, loaded us, along with Matt the Photographer, into a big, shiny black Tahoe for the trip to our first stop in Granger. The Tahoe was courtesy of Cynthia Karkoska of Cynthia’s Manhattan Limousine, who learned of our impending pub crawl and decided that three grown men loose on the highways and back roads of

Taylor 76574

WilCo craft beer renaissance Williamson County on a pub crawl was a bad idea. I agreed. We could have been mistaken for slumming but wellheeled tourists or, maybe even covert government operatives. The Tahoe and driver lent that kind of undercover air to our mission. On the road to Granger, I explained my lack of beer knowledge. “That’s your training-wheels beer,” Lee chuckled when I told him I preferred a Mexican lager to most any craft beer. “Everyone has a training-wheels beer.” Granger City Brewing Company is a 30-barrel pub with a handful of beers on tap. It’s sort of a dive but perfect for Granger. Think Ed’s Place rather than the Texas Beer Co. The ale was unsurprising but good. I liked the Winterfest — just a wee bit stronger than the golden ale — but I was terrified of the porter. I grimaced at my first taste. Lee took a sip and said it was interesting. “Most porters have a strong chocolate flavor.

This doesn’t. It’s very smooth.” I took another tentative taste, then a swallow. No chocolate but it had a deep roasted flavor that, once I opened my mind and taste buds, did have a velvety smoothness that reminded me of a particularly good cabernet. I decided to keep an open mind. Ken went off the rails at our next stop, the Rentch Brewery in Georgetown. The bartender drew samples of five or six beers, among them a Russian Imperial Stout. We sat down to work but Ken sidled back to the bar. “What?” he asked when he returned bearing an 8-ounce glass brimming with a foamy, sinister, deep brown liquid. “I’ve never met an Imperial Stout I didn’t like.” “I’d say, right about now, you’re screwing up,” said Lee with a laugh. “This is a marathon, buddy, and in mile three you suddenly decided to go into a full sprint.” The stout boasted an alcohol content of 12 percent.

Spring 2018 27

Richard Stone, Ken Cooke, and Lee Nichols

“That’s violating rule number one. Don’t go for anything higher than about 6 or 7 percent alcohol when you’re doing a pub crawl,” said Lee. “I’d go to that at the end of the day.” Saving the stout for last, I tried the Hefeweizen. It was … interesting. And a little sweet. “You might be picking up a little banana flavor,” said Lee. “That’s because of the yeast in brewing.” Then, I faced the first IPA (India Pale Ale, but in the American style) on the tour. Nearly everyone I know who purports to appreciate craft beer seems to gravitate to an IPA of some sort. “You like whisky, right?” Lee asked. “I think you could really learn how to like IPA. It’s the same thing. Because of the extra hops, it’s all about learning how to like bitterness.” So, hops in beer equals peat in Scotch. Got it.

I sampled their Double IPA. “It’s a little grassy,” I wrinkled my nose. Not unpleasant. The taste of newly mown hay, maybe? “That’s the double dry hops,” Lee explained. “Normally, the hops are boiled into it. For the double, you have some extra hops — might be different hops — and then run the beer right through it.” Finally, we came to the Russian Imperial Stout. Ken had begun to list a bit from his own half-pint. “Here’s the plunge off the deep end,” Lee announced and he picked up the plastic cup in salute. He knocked back a swallow. “Wow. You’ll either hate it or love it. It’s a strong flavor.” Compared to the porter we had in Granger, it was bitter and very chocolate forward. “This is aged in bourbon barrels,” said Lee. “That’s what

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you’re really tasting. A Russian Imperial Stout has some pretty strong flavors anyway but, when you age it in bourbon barrels, it’s like taking a baseball bat to your mouth.” What a metaphor. I neither hated nor loved it. Still acquiring the taste. We learned an important pub crawl technique at Red Horn Coffee House and Brewing Company in Cedar Park. “Oh, this is the brisket beer. You should try that last,” said Lee examining Red Horn’s offerings. “Start with the three in the middle because the others will have a stronger flavor. Sample those last, just so you don’t wreck your taste buds.” Right. The lighter beers first. The deadly porters and stouts last. The three beers in the middle were an IPA, a golden ale and a farmhouse saison. The two on the ends were a vanilla stout and something called a Brisket Porter. We’d asked for the last because, well, Taylor.

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We sampled and commented on those three — and all three had unexpected flavor profiles. The IPA was sweeter than anyone expected, with a strong grapefruit flavor. The stout tasted of rum and vanilla. The ale was clean and crisp. “So, are we gonna make Richard be the crash test dummy?” asked Mat the Photographer, pointing at the Brisket Porter. “Don’t call your boss a dummy,” joked Ken as he tossed back the last of the IPA. Not without a bit of trepidation, we all sampled the Brisket Porter. “This is probably a rauch beer,” said Lee after a hearty swallow. “It does not actually taste like brisket.” I disagreed. It tasted like someone brewed up a barrel of porter then ran it through a batch of Wayne Mueller’s burnt brisket ends. “Definitely a brisket overtone to it,” Ken allowed. “The malt is smoked,” Lee explained. “That’s what gives this a smoky flavor.”

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Spring 2018 29

Our next stop was the Whitestone Brewery, where we learned another important bit of beer trivia: it’s something of a tradition that certain craft bock beers should have a name that ends in “ator.” As in Bockanator. “Gives it that Schwarzenneger feel,” joked Ken. We also learned that dark beers — stouts, porters and certain bocks — don’t need to be ice-cold. In fact, as they are winter beers, they shouldn’t be too cold at all, nor are they really intended to be consumed in the summer. “I never ever recommend you drink a doffelbock (double bock) in the summer,” Lee opined. “It will make your mouth feel like it’s full of cotton. It is a winter beer.” We tried a few summer beers. The Berlierweiss, a sour beer, tasted like a good dry chardonnay. Almost champagne. “This would be much better in the summer, and if I wasn’t sitting here shivering,” he said. “Why didn’t you tell me to bring a jacket?” “You brought a jacket,” Ken answered. “You left it in the car.” During our stop at Whitestone, we carved a few breweries from our itinerary as the day was getting long. We headed to Idle Vine Brewery in Cedar Park, only to learn it was celebrating its first anniversary. The line into the taproom snaked out of the double freight doors and around the building.

A tent outside sold canned versions of their brew so, while waiting for Dylan the Driver to make the block, we tried their IPA. The others liked it. I’ve yet to acquire the taste. We jumped over to Bluebonnet Beer Company in Round Rock. Frankly, by this point, my ability to distinguish between the brews I’d sampled earlier in the day to those served up by Bluebonnet had paled. They all seemed just fine, though Ken and Lee pronounced them quite good. Finally, back to Taylor and the Texas Beer Company. We sample their IPA, porter, blonde and amber beers. A team from Davis BBQ had set up sandwich-makings on the counter. The brisket sandwiches were a welcome addition to our bellies. Ken said he really dug the amber. I sampled the blonde and, finally, discovered why I haven’t taken to it like I expected — hops. “It’s a hoppy blonde,” said Lee, wiping a scud of foam from his lips. “It’s a bit hoppier than most blondes but I like it.” Then, we sampled the porter. “That has good flavor,” said Ken. “A little bit of chocolate, but not a lot. Very good.” True to his instructions, Lee closed out the tour with a glass of the King Grackle Stout. “Ohhhh, that’s good,” he sighed. “This may be the best beer of the day.”

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Styles of Beer American Blonde Ale — More or less a creation from the craft-brewery movement. Pale straw to deep gold for color, usually an all malt brew. Most have a subdued fruitiness, a light to medium bitterness. A balanced beer, light bodied and sometimes lager like. Berliner Weisse — Berliner Weisse is a top-fermented, bottle conditioned wheat beer with a pale golden straw-colored appearance. Refreshing, tart, sour and acidic with almost no hop bitterness. Hefeweizen — A south German style of wheat beer (weissbier), often dry and tart edge. Little hop bitterness, and a moderate level of alcohol. American Pale Ale (APA) — Of British origin, generally, expect a good balance of malt and hops. Fruity esters and diacetyl can vary from none to moderate, and bitterness can range from lightly floral to pungent. American versions tend to be cleaner and hoppier, while British tend to be more malty, buttery, aromatic and balanced. American IPA — More flavorful than English IPA, color can range from very pale golden to reddish amber. Hops are typically a citric character, bitterness is high as well. Moderate to medium bodied, malt backbone. American Amber/Red Ale — Primarily a catch all for any beer ranging from amber (duh) to deep red hues, focus on the malts, but hop character can range from low to high. Expect a balanced beer, light fruitiness. Saison/Farmhouse Ale — A sturdy farmhouse ale that was traditionally brewed in the winter, very fruity in the aroma and flavor, earthy yeast tones, medium bitterness. Weizenbock — a pronounced estery alcohol character, and bolder and more complex malt characters of dark fruits. Doppelbock — Bocks are relatively strong German lagers. Doppelbocks — as the name might suggest — are typically even stronger and contain enough malty goodness that they’ve been considered a meal in a glass for centuries. American Porter — Inspired from English Porter. Smoked malts plus a touch of coffee or chocolate to complement the burnt flavor associated with this style. Wide bitterness range, mostly balanced. Stout — dark brown to pitch black in color, a dry character, but the roasted character must be there. American Stout — Varies from other stouts by adding hops, coffee or chocolate to complement the roasted flavors associated with this style. Some are even barrel aged in Bourbon or whiskey barrels. Russian Imperial Stout — The king of stouts, boasting high alcohol by volumes and plenty of malt character.

Spring 2018 31

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The current number of bars, particcontinued ularly downtown, probably rates on from page 34 the low end from a historical perspective—and I haven’t even touched on “The Line” and the imprint it had on Taylor night life for decades. Bars rubbed some folks the wrong way 100 years ago just as they do today. But, from its earliest days, Taylor has been a town unafraid of a good time. And beer has been a part of that, for better or worse. With the current revitalization

of downtown and its transformation into more of an entertainment district, that legacy looks to continue. I for one will be raising a bottle and toasting to the hope that those who do enjoy that scene and choose to partake will do so safely and responsibly for their own sake and that of the community. Disclaimer: Dabbling ducks is the group of ducks within the Anatinae subfamily to which mallards belong. The ducks that populate Taylor’s parks are, by and large, mallards.

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Spring 2018 33

The Dabbling Duck

W hat's wi th a l l t he b ar s ?

I can’t help but notice the number of drinking establishments we have around this town. We’ve got three bars (with a fourth on the way) within a couple of blocks of one another just down at Second and Main. What is it about Taylor and its affection for beer? Signed, Teetotaling on Talbot

As Taylor’s origin story is that of a railroad town, you could say that beer-drinking (or alcohol consumption in general) is baked into our DNA. Our friends down at the Taylor Conservation and Heritage Society, during their annual October ghost walks through downtown, will tell you that an early station master spoke of 1880s-era Taylor as a “regular hellhole of saloons and gambling houses.” By 1912 there were easily a dozen saloons in the six block area between Talbot and Porter, from the railroad tracks up to Fourth Street. Around that time, there were twice the number of saloons and bars in Taylor as there were church houses. These local drinking establishments sported names such as the Bank Saloon, the Big Six Saloon, and the Bismarck Saloon… and that’s just the ones starting

with the letter B. It tells you something that the very existence of our local newspaper, the Taylor Press, is owed to the zealous defense of every adult’s right to consume alcohol. Back in 1913, a group of concerned citizens banded together to start the publication, principally to advocate the anti-Prohibition cause. In those days, a battle was being waged across Williamson County as it was across the nation. People were divided on the question on the question of Prohibition. In fact, depending on which side of Frame Switch you lived said a lot about your opinion on beer drinking. Georgetown, Round Rock, and Hutto were communities that strongly favored Prohibition. Taylor, Granger, Bartlett, and Coupland… well, they tended to let the good times roll (and voted accordingly). Taylor and Georgetown offered a good study in contrasts. The county seat was buttoned-up, prim and proper, a “city of churches,” and decidedly anti-alcohol. Taylor was its wilder and far more raucous cousin. It was a place where folks liked to cut loose and indulge in good barbecue and good beer. Or any beer, actually.

continued on page 33

Taylor 76574

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Spring 2018

Are you ready for the next big thing? New jobs are coming to Taylor and existing companies are expanding! We have to be ready! Cabinet makers, machine operators, plumbers, welders â&#x20AC;&#x201D; these are the jobs of Taylorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s future and the future is now! There are more than 200 good jobs available right here in Taylor, right now!

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LO G O STA N DA R D S TAYLOR INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT 3101 N. Main St., Taylor, TX 76574 www.taylorisd.org Phone: (512) 365-1391 Fax: (512) 365-3800 TAY LO R T E X A S

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