It was a couple of months ago while scrolling through my Facebook feed that I first saw mention of Beers Looking At You. The name struck me as interesting and so I started looking into it. I discovered that it would be a new spot to get growlers, and better yet it was just around the corner from where I live in Webster. So I clicked on the ‘follow’ button, so I could stay aware of when they would open. Fast forward a few months, Beers Looking At You posted that they were open and I decided to stop by.

The location can be hard to find in a professional park off of Highway 3 filled with chiropractors, doctors, and two shops I am very familiar with: Smoke Ring (a great little cigar shop) and Sweet Spot (a killer used vinyl store). A small temporary sign tied over the previous tenant (a pharmacy) marks where the new Beers Looking At You is located. When I walked in, I was immediately taken aback by the design of the place, which really makes for a comforting spot. When you walk in on the lefthand side is a small bar with some stools and 39 taps. On the right are 3 long tables for sitting and enjoying beers by the pint. Beyond that through an arabesque dome is a sizable bottle area and cooler.

I headed to the bar to check out the selection which displayed on several TV screens using the Digital Pour software system. The system is pretty neat as it lets you know the brewery, name of the beer, style, ABV, cost per pour, growler, color of the beer, and how full the keg is. I really enjoyed having that much information made available. One thing I noticed is that the costs per pour seemed a little high ($6-7 per pint) but in talking to folks there I think that is due to them receiving mostly slim kegs and losing out on the volume discount. For growlers you can chose between 32 and 64 oz. glass or 64 oz. stainless steel growlers, all labeled with their very attractive logo. Pricing for the growlers seems to be equal to about a 10% discount on the 32 oz and 15% on the 64 oz. The packaged beer prices seem competitive as well and in some cases cheaper than what you’ll find at other spots in the area.

While I was there I got the opportunity to talk with the owner Chris, who is passionate about craft beer, as were the folks pouring tasters or full servings. Chris has a background in cigars and got into craft beer as he traveled around the country selling cigars. He’s from the Clear Lake area and wanted to open Beers Looking At You to diversify but also because he thinks it’s something the area needs. He seems focused on creating a welcoming experience with knowledgeable staff. Soon there will be standard flights (in fact the last time I went by they had already started this with an IPA flight and a stout/porter flight). Chris would also like to combine his two passions and do some cigar and beer events as well, which will definitely be something I will look forward to.

At this point there is no food and frankly for the layout there isn’t much space to make anything, but they encourage you to bring food in or even order from local places like Dan’s Pizza.

I have a feeling this place will be special. The owner has a tremendous passion for craft beer and seems to have good business sense. Additionally he isn’t trying to do too much at first, but go slowly and build business over time. I’ve been there three times now and there are always a few customers there  getting growlers, perusing the bottle selection or sitting at a table drinking some tasters or a pint. The owner or one of the folks behind the bar are always available to answer a question or let you sample, encouraging folks to try something out of their typical comfort zone.

The post Beers Looking At You first appeared on Houston Beer Guide.

The post Beers Looking At You appeared first on Houston Beer Guide.

Now that I’ve gotten that off my chest, allow me to remind you that I love goses. I think they are tasty, I think they are refreshing, and I think you could make a pretty good argument that they are a perfect Houston summer beer. So when I walked into Mongoose versus Cobra a couple weeks back and saw the Texas Beer Refinery Cranberry Gose on tap, I had a bit of a moment. On the one hand, I love goses. On the other, the only thing I had ever seen from Texas Beer Refinery was their absurd prepackaged growler distribution system at grocery stores.

One more cool thing: the bombers (like this Mexican IPA) have incredible bottle caps.

But I’ll try pretty much anything, so I ordered a pint, took a sip, and was amazed. Twenty ounces later I wouldn’t shut up about how tasty of a beer it was.

I promptly texted several friends and fellow Houston Beer Guide writers to spread the word of this amazing find, and the conversations that ensued convinced me to seek out as many other Texas Beer Refinery beers as I could find without making the trek down to Dickinson. A quick trip to the HEB on San Felipe followed with me grabbing three other beers from their portfolio, including two bombers (the growler thing is apparently going away, which is good), and only because I already liked the cranberry variety, a growler of their Gulf Coast Gose.

Gulf Coast Gose Fall Edition (2015 Cranberry) – Tart and salty, with a great cranberry flavor, this is really really good. When I got to the end of my imperial pint, I realized I could drink a lot more of this.

Mexican IPA – Very adventurous flavors in this, but I enjoyed it immensely. There’s a limey and leafy flavor that works quite well, in spite of how that sounds. A great balance and I had no trouble finishing the bomber.

Gulf Coast Gose – Sure, there may have been no cranberry, but there were hints of grapefruit with lots of coriander. Very solidly constructed; this would be perfect for hot Houston summers. I will happily crush this one in the future.

Catalyst Imperial IPA – The only one of the four that didn’t blow me away, if only because my craft beer tastes have changed to veer me away from the extremely-hopped style of IPAs. Hop lovers will enjoy this because it is well crafted, bottle dated, and extremely hop-forward.

Having tried these four, I have to say I’m very excited for what Texas Beer Refinery does next. I may even head to Dickinson, when their new taproom opens in March, or the Clear Lake Shores Food Truck Park, where their beer is frequently available (and where I hear the food trucks are incredible). Regardless of where, you need to seek out TBR beers and drink them. You’ll be very glad you did.

The post You Should Be Drinking Texas Beer Refinery first appeared on Houston Beer Guide.

The post You Should Be Drinking Texas Beer Refinery appeared first on Houston Beer Guide.