Lucky for me, Galveston Bay Brewing announced on Facebook that Tuesday April 4th would be the first day of operation for their new location in Clear Lake Shores. Truthfully, I haven’t visited this brewery in years – and a lot of that had to with the beer selection. Many of my close friends were visiting often, but being a primarily hazy IPA drinker, I just couldn’t find anything I really enjoyed on the regular. Ghostship Gose was the standard pick in those days but I had troubles getting it routinely. When they closed the doors to their original location near 646 a few months back, I knew that something big had to be brewing and figured it was time to give them another try with the launch of the new taproom and restaurant. New brewery, new beers right? The stars were aligned and I had no more excuses – it was a perfect opportunity for a day drinking excursion near the water.

I packed up my fanny pack, tossed my large water bottle in the back seat of my car and headed down south on 45. I had plans to meet up with Josh, OG brewer from Saloon Door Brewery for a beer drop off that morning so after a quick text message, he was in route to meet me there. The drive from Pearland took about 35 minutes which was not bad at all. I arrived a few minutes before 11am, quickly threw my car in park and strolled up to the entrance of this brand new beer space. What a sight! The big bold letters on the face of the building immediately let me know this wasn’t the same brewery as before and they meant business. The dedicated golf cart parking out front told me they are also serious about the party. I can dig it.

The taproom was bright, clean and spacious with ample seating types. The focus point upon entering was the long bar top with a stunning view into the brewery. It was an easy and obvious choice for me since I was there to drink beer. Up close and personal. Complete with stainless steel views of the brewery in action, any position at the bar is an ideal spot for someone drinking alone. The bar sits about 15 people with comfortable chairs with padded back rests, thank goodness – I am beyond grateful for this often overlooked detail. During my visit, the bar staff was friendly, attentive and let me sample any beers I wanted before ordering. The number of hard seltzers flavors on the menu is sickening but being so close to the water, I suppose it makes good business sense.

It was time for a beer. I was able to place my order directly from my phone with a simple QR menu system. Pretty cool. The beer nerd in me wanted to order a few flights of beers to try em all, but I know how much it’s a pain in the ass to pour so I opted for half pours instead. I saw that Ghostship Gose was on tap, but being a green apple version – I decided to skip it and go with something less weird. I decided to order the Purple Pils, a czech style pilsner. Much to my surprise, it was actually purple and looked like grape kool-aide in my glass. The flavor was on point: easy to drink, clean balanced malt profile and once I got pass the goofy color, quite enjoyable. I am not one for the gimmicks but this beer was turning heads – giving people whiplash asking ‘what the hell is that!? At this point, the taproom was starting to fill up with thirsty guests and the intoxicating smell of food was making its way out of the kitchen. There was no short of staff this day either, service was stellar.

Along with my Pils, I ordered the beer pretzel with a side of queso and mustard. Josh was nice enough to let me nibbled off his appetizer of chips and queso while we chatted. Both delicious starters to what was turning out to be a great day off from work.

A quick glance at the food menu included all the coastal classics you don’t often see at big city breweries: fried shrimp, snapper, po-boys, oysters and boiled shrimp. Also featured were the more common American style options like burgers, wings, tacos and salads. But wait – $34 for a fish and chips dish? Is that a typo!? The beertender was quick to respond – nope! That’s right – GBB is serving up the biggest fish and chips you have ever seen. Call it a whale and chips because you can definitely share this with 2-3 friends. Jay Peek, previously at Gordon Street Tavern in Alvin, is running the kitchen here and you can tell, he isn’t playing around. Well done Jay! I know exactly what I am getting next time I visit.

Lets keep the party going, shall we?

Next up on the beer list was a whiskey barrel aged version of Bull Shark Scottish Ale. This scottish ale was awarded a bronze medal in 2021 at GABF and since it was my day off and all, I could probably use a bit more booze. Sitting at a cool 6.5% it carried most of the barrel notes in the aroma leaving behind a beer that was malt forward with a touch caramel and light fruity esters.

Already two beers in and I still haven’t drank any IPAs by this point. Thank goodness it was only 1pm so I decided to double down. I ordered a half pour of Tropic Thunder NEIPA and Sunny Day IPA. Between the two, Sunny Day was the clear winner for my tastes so I upgraded my short pour to the standard size for my full enjoyment. Crisp, hoppy and a bit floral, this beer was definitely the one for me. I wanted this time alone with my beer so I relocated to a table outside across the side street to enjoy the water views and chat with the locals. Now I remember why this is my favorite day off activity.

After finishing this beer, I was basically borderline buzzin’. I returned back inside and convinced Skyler Forshage, head brewer for Galveston Bay Brewing, into a quick brewery tour to see the rest of the building. Josh joined me, asked all the usual brew tour questions while I listened with one ear and admired the sights with my point and shoot camera as we navigated this dream brew house. One immediate observation I made was that the entire brew team looked happy to be there as everyone had a smile on their face. I get the sense that this was the beginning of something great for them too. With this new state of the art brewhouse, the future certainly feels bright. It was clear to me that this new location brought more opportunity than I originally understood walking in. Skyler pointed out one of his favorite features of the new spot – the large loading dock with easy access to the bay side view. Looks like a perfect place to throw a line in between batches!

On the way out, I checked out the merch area fully stacked up with tin tackers, t-shirts, and growlers. I can only assume you can purchase merch on your tab but there was a table counter with a chair next to it. Seemed like an unusual setup for a merch station and this space would be better utilized with a standing bar in my opinion. After all, that’s how we were using it.

Just as I was wrapping up my visit, I ran into a few familiar industry faces. Looks as though word was getting out quick about Galveston Bay and just as I was pulling out of the parking lot, more patrons were arriving – just in time to beat the dinner party crowds.

I am glad I had the opportunity to revisit Galveston Bay Brewery and try a few ‘new to me” beers again. All in all, it was a day off well spent. I hope others that may not have liked any of the beers in the past give it another shot. Add in the combination of great food options, this spot would make a killer date spot. I wish them nothing but the best success in this new spot and hope they find their core set of local regulars to keep them in business for many years to come. I am looking forward to my next day off so that I can visit again. If you enjoyed this article, please give it a share on social media and let the team at GBB know we sent you.

Galveston Bay Brewery is located at 902 Marina Bay Drive in Clear Lake Shores. Follow them on Instagram at @galvestonbaybrewing.

The post A Day Off with Beer(s) by the Bay – A visit to Galveston Bay Brewing in Clear Lake Shores first appeared on Houston Beer Guide.

The post A Day Off with Beer(s) by the Bay – A visit to Galveston Bay Brewing in Clear Lake Shores appeared first on Houston Beer Guide.

We asked our writers to send in a few sentences about their favorite beers of the year. We asked them for a favorite local beer and a favorite out-of-town beer. Some of these have been around for years and some aren’t available in Houston. This isn’t meant to be a “best of 2015” article; it’s just us talking about the beers we like. Hopefully if you get to try these you’ll like them as much as we have.

What were your favorite beers of the year? Let us know on Twitter @HoustonBeer or on Facebook at Houston Beer Guide

Cody Lee

Photo: Brash Brewing Co.

Brash EZ-7 – The long anticipated homecoming of Brash Brewing brought with it a slew of new beers, and EZ-7 was my favorite of the bunch. A pale ale with a bite, this beer satisfies both the hop-head in me and my desire to drink for hours on end. I hope to see this in cans in the coming year.

de Garde Petit Desay – If you have an idealized version of a farmhouse ale in your head and you’re spinning your wheels looking for it, look no further. Subtly tart, perfectly effervescent, and wonderfully dry; at 5% ABV, this is my ideal beer to ring in the New Year.

Josh Frink

Photo: Karbach Brewing Co.

Karbach Mother in Lager – I know this wasn’t a new release for 2015, but somehow this was the first year I tried it. If it weren’t a seasonal beer, this dark lager would have a place in my fridge year-round. It is full of roast and biscuit flavors that give way to a light body and crisp German hops. That balance would make it a great year-round offering. Hopefully someone from Karbach is reading this.

Crooked Stave Wild Sage – My wife and I took the dream trip to Denver this year for the Great American Beer Festival. During that week, we tried more beers than we could count (don’t worry, the tasting glasses are only 2 ounces). Wild Sage was my favorite beer of the trip. The mix of brett beer and sage create a wonderful display of floral, earthy, and herbal flavors in a way that makes me feel like I’m discovering something lost in time.

Nathan Miller

My favorite Houston beer remains Fort Bend Texas Lightning. They may have closed back in February but the age on this flavorful IPA just adds to its wonderfulness. Balanced flavors of cardboard, stale grain, and oxidation contribute to a marvelous beverage. AHAHAHA just kidding. See attached picture.

Photo: Other Half Brewing Co.

This year I’ve been fortunate enough to try a lot of beers and picking a favorite from outside Houston is hard even if I limit it to 2015, but I think I’ll go with Mosaic from Brooklyn’s Other Half. It’s no secret mosaic is my favorite hop, and this showcases it *almost* as well as Yellow Rose.

Jose Luis Cubria

Photo: Saint Arnold Brewing Co.

Saint Arnold Bishop’s Barrel 12 – The first truly great barrel-aged beer from Houston. Funky, dry, vinous, tart and fruity. Way more interesting, complex and delicious than its forebears BB2 & BB2B. If this is an eye into the future of BA beers from Saint Arnold, then hold onto your butts.

Real Ale Tenebrae Aeterna – A standout among all the other great beers in RA’s Mysterium Verum series. “BA sour porter” doesn’t do it any sort of justice, although this is the beer that finally convinced me that sour porters/stouts can be greater than the sum of their parts.

Alice Hicks

Greg Manuel

St. Arnold Art Car IPA –  This may be my favorite “traditional” beer they’ve ever released in the permanent lineup. Really. It’s incredibly approachable, even for the “I don’t like IPA” people you may know (and we all have one or two of those hanging around; don’t ask me why we keep them around). It’s citrusy and tropical, finishes clean thanks to the low malt bill, and is not terribly bitter. This one drinks like a session IPA to me. While this dog roamed, as a result of this fantastic IPA, he has found his way home, and Arnold and I are happy to announce that we will be renewing our vows. You can have your Yellow Rose, I’m having an Art Car or three.*
*But I’ll still be having a Yellow Rose as well. And an Uber.

Photo: Parish Brewing Co.

Parish Brewing Co. Ghost in the Machine DIPA –  Welcome to the party, Louisiana! Even if you don’t travel frequently, odds are that you’ll still cruise on over to our neighbor’s place to the east every now and again to satisfy your urge to commit some of the deadly sins, making this non-local-but-still-sort-of-almost-local from Lafayette pretty attainable. Find this crushable DIPA and find it now — people will call me a blasphemer, but I’ll say it and stand by it (and even Twitter fight you): this beer is every bit as good as a certain famous and not-as-attainable not-too-malty hop explosion DIPA from Vermont that you may have heard of (hint: rhymes with Bready Flopper). While it used to be a pretty limited release, things have changed, and word on the streetswamp is that it will be released monthly in 2016. I need more of this beer in my life.

Ryan Mader

Tim Foley

What were your favorite beers of the year? Let us know on Twitter @HoustonBeer or on Facebook at Houston Beer Guide

The post Favorite Beers 2015 first appeared on Houston Beer Guide.

The post Favorite Beers 2015 appeared first on Houston Beer Guide.