Owner Marcus Wunderle and his wife Kinga have turned Baa Baa, the name’s sake of their children’s favorite nursery rhyme, into a well-known destination brewery for locals and travelers alike. First opening in 2016, Baa Baa soon made their presence known in 2017 with the release of ‘Cow Jumped Over the Moon’, the first hazy style IPA to be released in Houston area and have been pushing to perfect that style ever since. 

When asked what led Marcus into pursuing a passion for making IPA’s, he explained, “We used to travel a lot before we opened the brewery, and everywhere we traveled, we would be in search of beer. One of the things we really enjoyed were the hazy IPAs that came out of L.A. and Monkish was the best.” He went on to add, “That was kind of our target. We realized people were flocking to this style of beer. We thought first of all, what is this? How would you go about making this? And, will the people in Houston buy this? It turned out that they would and they were searching for it!” 

Aside from hazy IPA’s, Baa Baa now stands alone as the king of the fruited sour market with the ‘Candy Baa’ series, which has been released as well over thirty different iterations of fruited Berliner Weisse style beers over the years. The ‘Candy Baa’ releases are mostly 5% alcohol by volume or below and are more akin to a fruit slushy from the local convenient store than a beer. These beers have a cult like following all over the country.  Their annual release of the Barrel Aged stout ‘Tiny’ also attracts significant attention from craft beer connoisseurs. 

During my visit to the brewery, I had to settle a long-time personal curiosity.  I have noticed for some time that Beer Zombies (a very popular craft brewery in Las Vegas) stickers and tin tackers are visible at both Baa Baa and at the near by Fulshear area hangout The Growler Spot.  Baa Baa has done several collaborations with Beer Zombies in the past, but I had to know how a small brewery in Brookshire was so acquainted with this national powerhouse. The story I was told by Marcus was nothing short of epic! Unfortunately, I can only provide the very, very short version of it. 

“We just showed up! We crashed his party (BZ 420 Fest actually) which is an annual beer festival held in Las Vegas by Beer Zombies where numerous other national breweries are invited to pour and special collaborations are dropped. We tried to get in and we walked up with some of our beer and happened upon Chris Jacobs, the owner of Beer Zombies, who asked ‘Who are you guys?’ I told him we were Baa Baa Brewing, and after chatting with him and some people from other breweries in attendance, like Other Half Brewing out of Brooklyn NY, he let us is and got us set up. We’ve become buddies from there on out.”  

When asked for his version of the event, Jacobs was more than willing to expand on the story.

“So pretty much I was hosting the brewers pre party meet up at Beer Zombies and the Baa Baa team rolled up and just walked in. They came over, introduced themselves and said they came out for the festival and bought tickets to attend. They wanted to drop some beers off and let us know who they were.  They made such a great first impression that I put them on the list for the next year’s festival right there on the spot.”

This encounter has led to several wildly popular collaboration beer releases between Baa Baa and Beer Zombies over the years. 

Baa Baa Brewhouse looks to continue on its tradition of stellar, high-quality beer, and is grateful for all of the continued support from the beer community in what have become very difficult times for craft beer, not only in Houston but all over. With an expanding craft beer presence in the Brookshire/ Katy/ Fulshear area, I asked Marcus what his outlook for the future was and he explained, “We’ve seen some really positive growth out here. I don’t know about the rest of the industry, but out here we are seeing some good things happen. Our typical Saturday is better than it was six months ago, and better than it was twelve months ago.” 

 Visit Baa Baa Brewhouse at 539 FM 359 Rd S #7, Brookshire 77423. They are open every Saturday from noon to 5:30pm.

Visit Baa Baa online at @baabaabrewhouse on Instagram and by web at www.baabaabrewhouse.com 

All photos by and used with permission of Sophia Von Panda (@sophia_von_panda)IG

Candy Baa photo by and used with permission of Darius Gilmore (@mrgilmorespours) IG

The post Brookshire’s Best Kept Secret: Baa Baa Brewhouse first appeared on Houston Beer Guide.

The post Brookshire’s Best Kept Secret: Baa Baa Brewhouse appeared first on Houston Beer Guide.

The idea for the collaboration initially started up as a conversation earlier this year between Malachi Willis of Eureka Heights and the duo of Harris and Dixon about bringing their “As One” series to Houston.  Said Casey Motes, Co-Founder of Eureka Heights, “Malachi saw some of the collaborations that Shannon and Marvis had done in Austin and reached out to them to see if we could be the first Houston brewery to collaborate with them. Engaging with and building up the Houston community has been one of the core values of Eureka Heights since its inception. The “As One “initiative of making craft beer more welcoming to BIPOC patrons aligned perfectly with what we believe craft beer should be all about, welcoming to everyone. One of the best ways to connect with someone is having (or brewing) a beer together and for this project, we got to do both.  

The As One series debuted in Austin in the Fall of 2022 when Harris and Dixon collaborated with St. Elmo Brewing as a way to support BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and People of Color) community charities, as well as include BIPOC artists to help design the can art for each release.  Portions of the proceeds of the sale of As One with Eureka Heights will benefit the non-profit organization Black Girls Do Engineer, which promotes STEM program education for girls aged 6-21. The can art for this rendition of As One is courtesy of local muralist and visual artist Alex Roman Jr. professionally known as  “Donkeeboy”.  

As for the future of the As One series, Dixon says that the goal is continue to collaborate with breweries in both cities moving forward, with For the Culture Brewing to be the next partner brewery in the Houston area to continue the series. 

All photos by and used with permission of Sophia Von Panda @sophia_von_panda (IG)

Eureka Heights Brewery is located at 941 W. 18^th St. 77008.

Follow on Instagram :

@eurekaheights – Eureka Heights Brewing

@urbanjunglebrew – Urban Jungle Brew

@themiddleman_atx – Marvin Dixon

@blackgirlsdoengineer – Black Girls Do Engineer

@donkeeboy (IG) – Donkeeboy

The post Eureka Heights As One Collaboration with Urban Jungle Brewing and The Middle Man first appeared on Houston Beer Guide.

The post Eureka Heights As One Collaboration with Urban Jungle Brewing and The Middle Man appeared first on Houston Beer Guide.

The first few years were not without their challenges, as the craft beer industry as we know it was just entering its infancy. “It was a rough go early on. Financially it was challenging. If you asked me at year six or seven if we would still be around in twenty years, I would not have confidently told you yes,” Wagner explained, then went on to add, “I always like to say after twelve years we were an overnight success!”

Reservations aside, thirty years later, Brock Wagner has guided Saint Arnold from an unknown upstart into a thriving Houston institution. What started out as a small industrial park brewery has turned into a regional brewing powerhouse that ranked as the Brewer Association’s 41st largest independent craft brewery in the United States in 2023. Saint Arnold has been named Brewery of the Year at the Great American Beer Fest twice (2017, 2023). The brewery has won countless medals at competitions both domestically and across the globe.

Most importantly, the impact that Saint Arnold has had on the Houston area and the craft brewing industry in Texas far outweighs any national ranking or medals. The brewery has been an instrumental philanthropic partner through sponsoring endeavors such as annual bike teams supporting Texas Children’s Hospital through the MS 150, as well as the Feast of Saint Arnold, the Houston Zoo, the Orange Show Center for Visionary Art, BARC Animal Shelter, Galveston Bay Foundation, Kids’ Meals, and many others too numerous to list. Saint Arnold has also been a devoted steward of the Texas Craft Brewers Guild going all the way back to day one.

“As pioneers in Texas’s craft brewing movement, Brock and the team at Saint Arnold have not only set a high bar for brewing quality beer but have also been instrumental in fostering the genuine spirit of community and camaraderie that continues to make the Texas craft brewing industry so special,” said Caroline Wallace, Executive Director of the Texas Craft Brewers Guild. “In fact, numerous craft breweries across Texas can trace their ‘brewing lineage’ back to Saint Arnold. From being one of the Texas Craft Brewers Guild’s founding breweries to playing a pivotal role in our legislative progress for Texas breweries and brewpubs over the years, Saint Arnold has really been a leader in the collective advancement of our industry.”

With thirty years in the ledger and a laundry list of accolades, being able to stop to enjoy the moment of this weekend’s upcoming celebration is nothing to be trifled with. Wagner is taking the moment in stride, almost to the point of underselling the significance. “I’m bad about celebrating milestones because I feel like people might think it’s a finish line where there is no finish line.” When asked how he plans to celebrate the occasion, Wagner added, “We have an amazing team and I have zero responsibilities the day of the party. I am going to take an Uber and start drinking beer. I get to come enjoy the festival like being a home brewer back in college again and the local microbrewery is having a party, and you can just show up and have a great time!”

The Thirtieth Anniversary Party is a weekend-long affair, starting with the official party on Saturday, June 9th. General admission tickets are still available and are required for entry into the event, which begins at 11 AM and features live entertainment from 2 PM until 10 PM. Parking passes are limited, and ride-sharing or other means of transportation are suggested for those attending. On Sunday, Saint Arnold is hosting a sold-out Thirtieth Anniversary Special Rare Cellar Event in the Beer Hall.

The highlight release for the party is the Thirtieth Anniversary Grand Cru, which debuted earlier this week through pre-sale, and is now available in individual bottles at retailers and on tap at select venues across the city. The release is a 16.8% ABV double-barrel Imperial Stout with Commitment as the base, which was then aged between two and four years in a variety of different bourbon and whiskey barrels. The barrels were then blended additionally in a series of Madeira, Tokaji, and Tawny Port barrels before being blended again.

Moving forward, Wagner is not looking at slowing down anytime soon. His goal is to continue to push the brewery and the craft beer industry in Texas further. “I want to see Saint Arnold as the leading craft brewery in Texas. We have a respected institution, which is one of those things you can’t quit. It’s very, very important for us to always be innovating and evolving. Everything we have done to get us to thirty years will not get us to the next thirty years. This is part of the moment where we celebrate where we are today, but we can never assume or take our guests and customers for granted. We have to keep winning our customers every single day.”

Purchase tickets to the anniversary celebration at https://www.saintarnold.com/30th-anniversary-party/

Special thank you to local craft beer photographer, Steve Fraga – photo credit on all images.

The post Saint Arnold: 30 Years of Great Beer and Community Impact first appeared on Houston Beer Guide.

The post Saint Arnold: 30 Years of Great Beer and Community Impact appeared first on Houston Beer Guide.

To celebrate that, Houston Beer Guide has turned the cameras around on a handful of local photographers that are integral to the Houston beer community as digital media content creators for several local area breweries.  Others have found a calling for photographing beer and have turned this into something more than a part time hobby.

Honestly, I don’t need to keep writing about all of these talented photographers. Their work speaks for itself. 

Josh Olalde

Josh is currently the Digital Content Manager at Karbach Brewing and a long-established beer photographer in the Houston area. Olalde got into photography through a love of movies and into craft beer though the influences of several of his co-workers at a factory job.  The two hobbies ended up melding together into a new passion of taking photos of beer, as well as a new career.  Olalde has got his first paying gig with Spindletap Brewing when Brody Chapman reached out to him on Facebook and asked his to take some beer spill photos for the brewery. Since then, Olalde has worked with other breweries such as B52 Brewing, 8^th Wonder, Southern Star, Fortress, Saint Arnold, Saloon Door, Bakfish, Galveston Island Brewing, Ingenious, Eureka Heights, and No Label Brewing.  Said Olalde, “It’s always nice to see your work printed, or out there in the wild. There’s a sense of fulfilment, for sure.” 

https://www.josholalde.com

@josh_olalde (IG)

Adriana Richey

Adriana “Adri” Richey, a native of Monterrey, Mexico, who was hired on at Saint Arnold Brewing in April 2022 as the Digital Content Manager for the brewery.  Richey credits her background in photography as a process that spanned many years. First was discovering the excitement of creating stories from participating in a school play at a very young age.  Many years later a college friend lent her a digital camera, and she found herself hooked on telling stories through photos.

Richey went on to add, “I believe that every beer has its own personality, and I love putting my camera to work to feature it. Whether it’s snapping a pic of someone enjoying a beer or highlighting our latest brew or dish, I’m all about finding fresh ways to tell our story.”

https://www.adririchey.com/

@adri.richey (IG)

Brian Ledden

A veteran of the beer photography industry going back to 2014, where he began shooting beer related photos and video content for Craft Pride in Austin. Though he primarily works in the Austin area, Ledden is no stranger to Houston beer, as he has done plenty of work with breweries like B-52 and Equal Parts Brewing. The majority of his work in the Houston area with beer photography has been done with No Label Brewing. When asked about his relationship with No Label, Ledden explained, “They’ve got a whole bunch of my work up around their patio and on their taproom menu displays.  It’s great to see how their brewery has grown over the years!”

https://brianledden.com/

@thebeerdtographer (IG)

Eric Rodriguez

Unable to see his family during Covid and use his camera to take photos of their events, he turned his attention to beer to pass the time. Rodriguez came across Josh Olalde’s Instagram and found inspiration to also take “nicer” beer photos himself.  “I sell beer for a living and was always given free beer a lot so I thought, why not?” said Rodriguez. Rodriguez and Olalde quickly became great friends, and help and encourage each other in their work.  Rodriguez added, “I’ve gotten to work with some fantastic breweries like Equal Parts, Frost Town, Bad Astronaut, DECA Brewing, North Shepherd Brewery, and my latest work is with Spindletap Brewing. Through this process I’ve connected with other breweries and photographers in various cities and states, and get to showcase all the amazing things our city and breweries have to offer.”

@ericrodriguez1.8 (IG)

Luis Montalvo Jr.

“I have been into photography for as long as I can remember. My dad had this old Nikon camera in his closet that I would love to sneak out and act like I was using. I was fascinated with the feel of it and how it worked. The way light and mirrors would make a printable image, and the way it worked similar to the human eye.” Montalvo mentioned.  Though having worked for some breweries in the Houston area in some capacity, such as Urban South, Craft Culture X, and most recently with Frost Town, Montalvo has never been officially in marketing for the breweries.  He is co-owner of the local beer marketing brand The Pint Exchange, who has been involved in countless collaborations and promotions across the Houston beer scene.  Among his favorite subjects to photograph are brewing/ distilling equipment and the people that work behind the scenes in the industry. Montalvo has also assisted Houston Beer Guide with projects, like the Houston Beer Block Party VIP session for which we are forever grateful. 

@luistpxmedia (IG)

@thepintexchange (IG)

Marcus West

West is a man of many talents, working not only as stalwart at True Anomaly, but also as a DJ and photographer.  West stated taking photos in middle school, but only in the last couple of years has he pursued a heavier interest in it beyond a hobby.  “I just decided to go down the rabbit hole, take a journey and be able to document life as I see it”, said West. Though his recent foray into the beer photography world, his ability to contribute to True Anomaly Brewing visually adds an extra dimension to the brewery. West also is a very highly valued photographic contributor to Houston Beer Guide.

https://www.visualsbywest.com/

@visualsbywest (IG)

Steve Fraga

Steve is no stranger to photography.  He was first spotted hanging around Saint Arnold circa 2001 with his camera in hand while on the brewery tour. Fraga admits this to be the case, saying, “I was always the guy with the camera at the Saturday tours and beer tastings”. Recently retired, Fraga began delving into the realms of beer photography during Covid as well.  Shortly after, Tim McGuire of Hot Tub Beers asked Steve to assist with shooting episodes of his weekly video blog. From here Fraga became known to Houston Beer Guide after documenting fellow contributor Sylvia in the hot tub with Saloon Door Brewing.  He has since become a key contributor to Houston Beer Guide as a contributing photographer for interviews and the annual Houston Beer Block Party. Fraga also is the videographer for the First Pour video series. 

https://stevefragaphotography.zenfolio.com/

@steve_fraga_photography (IG)

The post National Photography Month brings spotlight on area contributors first appeared on Houston Beer Guide.

The post National Photography Month brings spotlight on area contributors appeared first on Houston Beer Guide.

“We are thrilled to launch the Brew City, Texas program, which represents a significant milestone in our ongoing efforts to support and elevate the craft brewing industry in Texas,” said Caroline Wallace, Executive Director of the Texas Craft Brewers Guild. “By collaborating with cities committed to celebrating the unique culture and flavors of Texas craft beer, we aim to drive tourism, stimulate local economies, and further establish Texas as a world class beer destination.“

The Brew City initiative hopes to get these city and municipal governments to join the initiative in one of two ways: “Craft Beer Destinations” and “Emerging Brewscapes”. Craft Beer Destinations are aimed toward cities, like Houston, which are well known nationally as craft beer locations of importance.  The Emerging Brewscapes covers smaller communities looking to boost economic opportunities through attracting their inaugural brewery.  In the end, this gives locations of all sizes and brewery population density an opportunity to improve craft beer related tourism in the state.  

The Galveston area has been designated as an ‘Early Adoptor’ of the new Brew City program as a Craft Beer Destination. According to the press release from the Texas Craft Brewer Guild writes “Nestled just 50 miles from Houston, Galveston, Texas, is a charming Southern retreat with a rich tapestry of art, historic architecture, chic boutiques and ghost legends. Set on a quaint Gulf Coast barrier island, Galveston invites visitors to experience its unique charm. While the 32 miles of beaches make the city an iconic destination, Galveston offers much more beyond the shore. Explore the city’s vibrant culture and history, and savor the flavors of the local craft beer scene with breweries like Galveston Island Brewing Company, Devil and the Deep Brewing and Naked Iguana waiting to be discovered.” 

Sugar Land has also joined in as an Emerging Brewscape, with the Guild commenting, “Located in eastern Fort Bend County, Sugar Land is approximately 20 miles southwest of downtown Houston. Sugar Land Parks & Recreation strives to create and maintain unparalleled recreational opportunities and unique, high-quality parks and public spaces enhancing our community, with exceptional customer service.

The Texas Craft Brewers Guild also notes that the Brew City, Texas effort is part of a five year long strategic plan to prioritize promotion of Texas craft beer as a “world class beer destination.” 

Read more at @txcraftbrewers (IG) & @TxCraftBrewers (X/ Twitter)

https://texascraftbrewersguild.org https://texascraftbrewersguild.org/brew-city-texas-program

The post Texas Craft Brewers Guild Announces New Initiative to Boost Craft Beer Tourism in the State first appeared on Houston Beer Guide.

The post Texas Craft Brewers Guild Announces New Initiative to Boost Craft Beer Tourism in the State appeared first on Houston Beer Guide.

A few months ago, Channing and his wife Laura received news about their daughter Olivia that is every parent’s worst nightmare—a pediatric cancer diagnosis. According to those close to the family, she has a remarkable medical team by her side, but the diagnosis comes with a great deal of hardship, not the least of which being financial strain. Over the next twelve months, Olivia will need to undergo weekly chemo treatments which will require at least one overnight hospital stay every three weeks in addition to another surgery for tumor resection and radiation. Laura and Channing are both planning to continue working throughout this process, but the cost of treatment goes well beyond their resources.

Channing’s daughter’s battle with cancer has brought forth a surge of compassion and action in our local community. Many have already start setting up local fundraisers to help the cause to rally for the Herrin family. A few weeks ago, Sandra Meyer, a regular at the Beagle teamed up with the directors at PMT YAS! Studio, a Friendswood based children theatre and raised over 4k for the family.

Please raise a toast to Olivia’s strength, reminding us all that even in the darkest of times, love and kindness can light the way forward.

This will be a long road for our friends and we are here to support them. Please bookmark this page as we will keep this page updated with other ways you can help as they appear.

Olivia, you are loved! You are in our thoughts and prayers every day.

Want to help out? Here are a few ways you can help out the Herrin family.

1. Direct Monetary Donation – GoFundMe: https://www.gofundme.com/f/channing-laura-and-olivia-beat-cancer

2. Attend Upcoming Charity Events

The next charity event for Olivia is scheduled for this Saturday July 27th at Saloon Door Brewing. The Kemahfest Fundraiser was created to help raise funds for the Herrin family in hopes to send them off for a much needed vacation on a magical Disney cruise.

They are releasing new flavors of their American Light Lager, Kemah Suprema and have a silent auction and raffles planned throughout the event. Food will be available for purchase from Dang Dats Delicious.

See the full event details here:

https://www.facebook.com/events/836691247929518?ref=newsfeed

3. Enjoy Charity Taps at Nobi Public House and The Regal Beagle: Order beers from these rotating taps from breweries around town at both Nobi locations. The beers will vary and 100% of the sales of these beers will go to helping Olivia fight the good fight. Many breweries are launching beers dedicated to the cause, keep an eye out for those!

The post Brewing Hope for Olivia: Support for the Herrin Family first appeared on Houston Beer Guide.

The post Brewing Hope for Olivia: Support for the Herrin Family appeared first on Houston Beer Guide.

Senate Avenue Brewing brought home the gold Bolo in the first ever Legislative Pro-Am hosted by the Craft Brewers Guild. The award had 16 breweries enter in conjunction with the Texas House Representatives from the brewery’s respective districts. Senate Avenue worked with Representative Lacey Hull and her staff on the submission for District 138 to choose a style of beer that was most representative of the people that live in the district. which skews heavily of Latin descent. The idea that was chosen was aptly named House District 138 Mexican Hot Chocolate Stout. Owner Andrew Mitcham credits his staff, especially Kitchen Manager Jessica Cerro, for their contributions for the recipe. Cerro, a native of Acapulco Mexico, contributed by offering her family’s storied recipe for Mexican hot chocolate to be the basis for the stout. 

Mitchem also credits brewer Adam Millard for helping come up with a unique stout recipe to work along with Cerra’s hot chocolate to create the winning submission.

“Adam brewed it, then it went to fermentation. Towards the end of fermentation, we started to add the spices to it like cinnamon, vanilla, cocoa nibs and a little bit of cayenne. We were a little nervous about adding too much cayenne because we didn’t want it to be like our pepper beer, so we added half of what we would normally add for cayenne and it ended up being the perfect amount.”

Andrew Mitcham

Representative Hull commented as well on the award, saying “I was excited to collaborate with Senate Avenue on creating this Mexican Hot Chocolate Stout as our House District 138 entry to the inaugural Pro-Am competition! I am proud to represent HD 138 that encompasses west Houston and Jersey Village, one of the most diverse districts in Houston and the state. Senate Avenue is a great small business partner not only in this (competition) but in our community”. Representative Hull went on to add, “I look forward to continuing to work with them (Senate Avenue) and hopefully defending our title next year!”

Not to be outdone, True Anomaly Brewing has quickly established a dynasty of sorts in the state by winning not just four total Bolos in this year’s competition (three gold and one bronze) but most importantly repeating as Brewery of the Year in the 600+ Barrel Group. This is True Anomaly’s second time being named the 600+ Barrel Brewery of the Year and also their second in a row. Per the Texas Craft Brewers Guild website, the criteria for winning Brewery of the Year are based off of each medal awarded at the Brewers Cup, with one point for a bronze Bolo, two points for a silver, and three points for a gold.  

True Anomaly won four medals at this year’s Brewers Cup, including three gold and one bronze Bolo. The winning beer submissions this year for True Anomaly were a gold Bolo for White Dwarf (American & European Sour), a gold Bolo for Flanders Redux (Wood & Barrel Aged Sour & Brett Beer), a bronze Bolo for Sea of Waves (also Wood & Barrel Aged Sour & Brett Beer), and finally a gold Bolo for Fireflies (Experimental, Hybrid & Specialty Beer). This after True Anomaly won 5 total Bolos in 2023 (three gold and two silver).  Co-Owner of True Anomaly Michael Duckworth attributes the accolades to the work of the entire team, especially considering many of their accolades are in categories for beer styles that are often time intensive to produce and are difficult to master to an award-winning level.  

With a new production facility and tap room under construction currently with hopes to open to the public later this year, the future is bright for True Anomaly. With a bright future and being two-time defending Brewery of the Year in the state comes high expectations. Duckworth added that he felt the brewery was more than up to the task of continuing to produce excellent beer, but also continuing to challenge itself to not accept the successes of the recent past.   

The post True Anomaly and Senate Avenue Bring Additional Notoriety with Awards from 2024 Texas Craft Brewers Cup first appeared on Houston Beer Guide.

The post True Anomaly and Senate Avenue Bring Additional Notoriety with Awards from 2024 Texas Craft Brewers Cup appeared first on Houston Beer Guide.

“What was your most memorable beer this year?”

Scotch Panda from Elder Son Brewing

I will admit personal bias immediately, but my favorite Houston area beer release for 2023 has to be “Scotch Panda”, a late February release from Elder Son Brewing.  Scotch Panda was a 5.1% ABV Scottish Export Ale that oozed a sweet and smooth, yet perfectly malty, flavor with a little hint of chocolate going down. Being able to come in with Robert Frye of Elder Son and brew this beer was an amazing experience (I wish I could capture the smell of the boil tank that day and turn that into endless amounts of candles), but to have a moderate ABV beer with so much flavor come out of it was even better.  I am going to cross my fingers and hope, just maybe, Scotch Panda makes a return one day. 

– Jackie @JackieVonPanda

Chill Brah from Project Halo Brewing

If I’m picking the beer that had the biggest impression on me then I’d have to look no further than Project Halo’s Chill Brah 4.9% ABV, a seasonal black ale with rice. I remember the day I went out to Fulshear to get some more of this beer because it went down so smoothly. For a beer being so black, you’d expect it to be heavier yet it’s deceptively light. Chill Brah was roasty and bold but provided a crushable experience. I remember someone asking what beer I was having in the taproom and I told them “Chill Brah”. After reassuring them that it was in fact the name of the beer, and not me being confrontational, the bar sold nearly 20 pints in a matter of 30 minutes. I was excited to tell everyone about how great of a beer this was and will continue to beat the drum loudly till it makes its return.

Ronnie R. @Mxc_ronnie

Fresh Love Double IPA from Spindletap Brewery

Bob Marley was once quoted saying “You may not be her first, her last, or her only. She loved before, she may love again. But if she loves you now, what else matters?” … And I will definitely love this beer again.

Choosing only one beer for the year was tough but Fresh Love DIPA 8.5% ABV is my final pick for beer of the year in 2023. Spawning from the recipe of One Love, a Simcoe and Nugget focused double IPA, Spindletap Brewery took a spin off the dank tropical vibes and remixed this year’s batch with fresh Simcoe hops. Brewed with Yakima Chief’s frozen fresh hops, this beer was the perfect balance of tropical and grassy notes. Distinct dank quality along with a cornucopia of fruit aromas like sweet pineapple, zesty grapefruit, and candied orange dominate with a very delicious resinous backbone. The perfect IPA for old school IPA drinkers like me and those that want to experience their love of IPAs for the very first time.

Sylvia @HoustonBeerMother

What was your favorite beer of 2023?

Send us an email at cheers@houstonbeerguide.com and let us know!

Have a safe and joyous Happy New Year!

See you in 2024.

The post A Beer To Remember in 2023 first appeared on Houston Beer Guide.

The post A Beer To Remember in 2023 appeared first on Houston Beer Guide.

Tucked in the small neighborhood of Houston’s second ward, just a block from White Oak Music Hall, H-Town Brewing Co graciously appears on the scene as Houston’s newest brewpub and bar. When previously housed brewery Black Page Brewing shut their doors this year, the Ortiz family including father Enrique Ortiz and his daughters Jocelyn and Jacqueline decided to make this beautiful location their own. With a name like H-Town Brewing, you know we had to stop by and check out the scene they are creating. Time to go northbound.

Upon arrival to the lavish new taproom, it was clear that H-town was taking their opening of the new taproom very serious. Clean and spacious, the beautiful floral mural and open bar style seating created a comforting atmosphere upon arrival.  The two-section bar plus outdoor elevated patio gave a nice view of the beer garden below.  Two 16+ tap walls covered the area between the indoor/outdoor guest seating space and the bar staff was friendly, attentive and eager to chat. 

I was introduced to the lovely, Jocelyn Ortiz, one of H-Towns’ daughter owners behind the bar while I ordered up a flight of all the house made beers. Hispanic owned and operated, she explained that her father was originally looking for a restaurant to purchase but decided for this brewhouse instead when they found this gem location spot up for sale.

So, what’s the deal with the beers?  Glad you asked.  During our visit there were only 4 beers on tap. Since then, they have released a fruited sour beer too!

H-Town Brewing Co line up as of December 2nd.

• Whiteoak Wheat (4.5% abv) – Very light, crisp citrus notes and easy drinking.  Lowest abv beer on the board. Haven’t had a wheat in some time but it was enjoyable.
• Juicebox Hazy (5.7% abv) – Hoppy and tropical. I like my IPAs a bit thicker with body but someone nearby who doesn’t typically drink IPAs, thought the citrus notes grabbed his palate and would definitely order again.
• El Toro Mexican Lager (5.7% abv) – My first pick choice, this beer checks all the boxes on a crushable Mexican style lager.  Very delicious. On my next visit, I am making it a miche.
• Space Kowboy Kolsch (5.7% abv) – Clean refreshing character made this beer very enjoyable, subtle hop bite and clean lager-like finish.  Floral hops and biscuit malt created a very balanced beer. 

Also included on the wall was a guest tap of Phaser Fight from Bad Astronaut. They know the importance of supporting local, I like it.

Okay, you got our attention. Who’s brewing all this great beer anyways?

Originally from Arizona, John Ritter is leading the brewhouse with his experience from Backstory Brewery in Sulfur Springs TX. Alongside is assistant brewer, Chris Strong from New Hampshire bringing his knowledge from Houston brewery Running Walker from Richmond, TX & FarmBoy Brew Shop. Chris states they are trying to fill the tap wall with approachable light beers for now but will be shifting to focus to few other traditional styles of beers including a West Coast IPA, Brown ale, red ale, a Doppelbock which are in the fermentation vessels now. Dark beer lovers will get treated to a handsome Porter and Imperial Stout soon too. Hazy IPA lovers would be happy to hear there is another IPA coming down the pipe that is planned to be a bit heavier than on tap Juice box. I can get down with that. “From there, we are just looking to see what the people want to drink!” states Chris Strong.

“We know that not everyone likes craft beer, so we decided to equip ourselves with a full liquor bar for spirit lovers. Cocktails, micheladas, mimosas and beer, something for everyone. Our team really wants to brew what guests want to drink so we hope people come by to try what we have going on.” Jocelyn explained. 

While I would normally discourage visiting a new brewery to allow them time to work things out, we aren’t going to give that advice this time. Come up here and try their beer as soon as you can. Plus, they are just down the street from our friends at Big Owl Craft Brew House on the northside.

In fact, December is full of awesome deals and happenings that you won’t want to miss.  Keep an eye out for the ’12 Days of Christmas’ announcement launching near the 14^th of this month.  As for food, they do not have a kitchen yet but have a food truck onsite. They are working towards a resident food truck that is expected to launch before mid-February.  I am excited what this place will become for inner city Houston beer lovers and the local music lovers drinking nearby.

Kid friendly?  Yes – but the bar encourages you to come early. After 7pm the bar becomes a bit more adult oriented. Litty titty! I could see myself pregaming before attending a show at White Oak Music Hall or just making any excuse I can for a simple afternoon hang out with a friend. Just like today.

H-Town Brewing is located at 210 Glen Park Houston Texas 77009. Find them on Instagram at @HtownBrewingCo or Facebook for the 411 on the taproom monthly schedule.

The post H-Town Brewing Co. speaks to #Houstonbeer fans first appeared on Houston Beer Guide.

The post H-Town Brewing Co. speaks to #Houstonbeer fans appeared first on Houston Beer Guide.

When asked how the project came about Chris replied, “The guys here at Nomadic are really good people and we got to talking one night about maybe doing a collaboration together, and they were both really open to the idea. We sat down over there (a booth off to the side near the bar area) and went over the details of it and came up with this.” Darnell, the well known and respected beertender at both Elder Son Brewing and Under the Radar, and Chris are no strangers to collaborations in the brewing industry in both Houston and Austin. The duo has released several other beers in both areas, including the reoccurring Bruderbier with Elder Son, Pullman with Turkey Forest Brewing, Cold Darn Ale with No Label Brewing and the most recently released Night Grooves with Ghost Note Brewing in Dripping Springs.

Unfortunately for the Houston area crowd, Velour Jumpsuit is a brewery release only at Nomadic, but bottles of the beer can be purchased to go while supplies last. In case you are in the Austin area soon, I highly suggest you stop by Nomadic and check Velour Jumpsuit out.

Nomadic Beerworks is located at 3804 Woodbury Drive Suite A in Austin Texas. Follow them at @nomadicbeerworks and check out Crafty Brothas @craftybrothas on IG.

The post One Offs and Short Batches #4: “Velour Jumpsuit” featuring Nomadic Beerworks & Crafty Brothas first appeared on Houston Beer Guide.

The post One Offs and Short Batches #4: “Velour Jumpsuit” featuring Nomadic Beerworks & Crafty Brothas appeared first on Houston Beer Guide.