Thirsty? You’re in the right city. The Austin area has fast become known as much for its variety of breweries and distilleries as for its live music community music festivals like ACL and the University of Texas. With more than 25 local breweries and distilleries the area is a veritable paradise for wine beer spirits and food lovers. Here’s a listing of the area’s offerings so grab a glass and enjoy!
Local Austin Beers and Breweries
(512) Brewing Company
407 Radam Lane Austin 512-707-2337 www.512brewing.comFounded in 2008 by Keving Brand this Austin favorite offers its (512)Wit (512)IPA (512)Pale and (512)Pecan Porter year-round. The (512)ALT is a spring seasonal altbier but you might find this one in early summer too.
Adelbert’s Brewery
2314 Rutland Drive #100 Austin 512-568-1462 www.adelbertsbeer.comFounded in 2012 Adelbert’s namesake is brewer Scott Hovey’s deceased older brother – known for his zest for life. The result is Austin’s first all-Belgian-style bottle and keg-conditioned brewery – and each beer is named after a story Adelbert loved to tell. Year-round offerings include Rambler Ale Scratchin’ Hippo Tripel B And Dancin’ Monks. Beers coming soon include Naked Nun Philosophizer and Black Rhino.
Austin Beerworks
3009 Industrial Terrace Austin 512-821-2494 www.austinbeerworks.comFounded in 2011 by four friends Austin Beerworks has come a long way in a short time – the brewery’s Peacemaker Extra Pale won a silver medal at the Great American Beer Festival. Other offerings include the Fire Eagle American IPA and the Pearl-Snap German Pils plus a selection of seasonal brews.
Black Star Co-op and Brewery
7020 Easy Wind Drive Austin 512-452-2337 www.blackstarcoop.comOne of Austin’s most unique breweries Black Star Co-op – founded in 2006 and then opened in 2010 by Steven Yarak – is a community effort of member-owners dedicated to good beer and the principles of co-op ownership. Member-owners helped raise more than $450000 to open Black Star which now offers house-crafted beers plus local and not-local beers on tap and from-scratch locally sourced pub food. Year-round beers include the Rational Irrational and Infinite series.
Circle Brewing Co.
2340 West Braker Lane Austin 512-814-7599 www.circlebrewing.comFounded in 2012 by longtime friends Ben Sable and Jud Mulherin Circle Brewing offers the popular Blur Texas Hefe Envy Amber Ale and Nightlight Dry Irish Stout year-round plus the Wryteous seasonal – a rye-wheat-IPA hybrid.
Guadalupe Brewing Company
1580 Wald River Road Ste 1 New Braunfels 512-878-9214 www.guadalupebrewingcompany.comYear-round brews include the Texas Honey Ale and the Big Bend IPA. Call for availability on where to buy or head to the brewery for a day trip tour and tastings.
Guns & Oil Brewing Co.
www.gunsandoil.comBrewed with grit and a passion for good beer they brew for the bold at heart. New to the Austin market they have experimented with several tastes and recipes to showcase their first offering of Maverick Lager available in several locations around town. Visit the website to find locations and learn more about these brewers and things to come.
Hops & Grain
507 Calles Street #101 Austin 512-537-9756 www.hopsandgrain.comJosh Hare established Hops & Grain in late 2011 offering the ALT-eration Ale Pale Dog Pale Ale and The Greenhouse – a rotating series of small-batch beers – as its year-round brews. A totally green operation hops & Grain uses malted barley from brewing to make natural (and wheat-free) dog biscuits called what else? Brew Biscuits. Woof-woof!
Independence Brewing Company
3913 Todd Lane Austin 512-707-0099 www.independencebrewing.comFounded by Rob and Amy Cartwright in 2004 year-round beers include the Bootlegger Brown Ale Independence Pale Ale Stash IPA and the Convict Hill Oatmeal Stout. Independence also packages the OU Suks bottles for the annual UT vs OU game. Now that is team spirit!
Jester King Craft Brewery
13005 Fitzhugh Road Austin 512-537-5100 www.jesterkingbrewery.comFounded in 2010 and certified by the USDA’s National Organic Program Jester King is the first (and only) brewery in Texas authorized to label their beers as organic. Year-round beers include Black Metal (farmhouse Imperial Stout) Le Petit Prince (farmhouse table beer) Mad Meg (provisional farmhouse ale) and Wytchmaker (farmhouse rye IPA).
Live Oak Brewing Co.
3301 East 5th Street Austin 512-385-2299 www.liveoakbrewing.comOne of Austin’s oldest brewery startups Live Oak was established in 1997. Year-round beers include the HefeWeizen Pilz and the Liberation Ale.
Real Ale Brewing
231 Haller Drive Blanco 830-833-2534 www.realalebrewing.comAnother Austin stalwart Real Ale has been around since 1996. Year-round favorites include Devil’s Backbone (named after the twisting turning road in the Hill Country) the easy-drinking Fireman’s #4 Blonde Ale Lost Gold IPA and Rio Blanco Pale Ale.
Rogness Brewing Co.
2400 Patterson Industrial Drive Pflugerville 512-607-ALES (2537) www.rognessbrewing.comOne of Austin’s newest breweries Rogness was established in spring 2012. Recent releases include Beardy Guard (a biere de garde-style ale) Ost (porter) Rook (Scotch ale) Vinton (blonde ale) and Gigantophia (Imperial IPA).
South Austin Brewing Company
415 East St. Elmo Road 512-968-8297 www.southaustinbrewery.comAnother new brewery South Austin Brewing Co. was also founded in 2012. Year-round beers include Belgian Style Golden Ale and Saison D’ Austin with more planned.
Thirsty Planet Brewing Company
11160 Circle Drive Austin 512-579-0679 www.thirstyplanet.netFounded in 2012 Thirsty Planet’s year-round beers include Buckethead IPA the popular Thirsty Goat Amber and the Yellow Armadillo Wheat.
Twisted X Brewing Company
3200 West Whitestone Blvd. #C1 Cedar Park 512- 850-6722 www.texmexbeer.comAnother new Austin brewery (founded in 2011) Twisted X not only has the best URL ever (texmexbeer.com) but also offers year-round beers with decidedly creative names: Cow Creek Premium Tex Mex Dark Lager Fuego Jalapeno-Infused Tex Mex Pilsner Senor Viejo Tex Mex Imperial Black Lager and the Twisted X Premium Tex Mex Lager.
Nearby Texas Beers and Breweries Worth Mentioning…
Rahr & Sons Brewing Company
701 Galveston Avenue Fort Worth 817-810-9266 www.rahrbrewing.comYear-round brews include Rahr’s Blonde Lager Texas Red (amber lager) Ugly Pug (black lager) Stormcloud (German-influenced IPA) and Buffalo Butt (amber lager).
Ranger Creek Brewery & Distillery
www.drinkrangercreek.comRanger Creek in San Antonio gives new meaning to the classic George Thorogood song “One Bourbon One Scotch One Beer.” It’s the only combined brewery and distillery in Texas – producing both craft beer and bourbon.
Saint Arnold Brewing Company
200 Lyons Avenue Houston 713-686-9494 or 800-801-6402 www.saintarnold.comTexas’ oldest craft brewery (founded in 1994) is a statewide favorite. Of Saint Arnold’s 14 brews seven are year-round. They include the Saint Arnold Amber Ale Brown Ale Weedwacker (Bavarian hefeweizen) Fancy Lawnmower (German-style Kolsch) Elissa IPA (traditional IPA) Santo (black Kolsch) Endeavour (double IPA) and – though it’s not a beer with alcohol – the Saint Arnold Root Beer.
Southern Star Brewery
1207 N. FM 3083 E. Conroe 936-441-BREW www.southernstarbrewery.comYear-round brews include the immensely popular Bombshell Blonde the Buried Hatchet Stout and the Pine Belt Pale Ale. The brewery also just introduced its Pro-AM offering – a yearly release that will differ each year.
Spoetzl Brewery (Shiner)
603 East Brewery Street Shiner (between San Antonio & Houston) 361-594-3383 www.shiner.comTexas’ oldest brewery (established in 1909) is probably also one of its best known. Year-round brews include the classic Shiner Bock plus Shiner Blonde and Shiner Light Blonde.
