{"id":294077,"date":"2025-06-15T03:11:28","date_gmt":"2025-06-15T03:11:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/peraltafinancing.com\/uncategorized\/craft-beer-austin-austin-beer-news-six-things-you-need-to-know-2\/"},"modified":"2025-06-15T03:11:28","modified_gmt":"2025-06-15T03:11:28","slug":"craft-beer-austin-austin-beer-news-six-things-you-need-to-know-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/?p=294077","title":{"rendered":"Craft Beer Austin | Austin Beer News | Six Things You Need to Know"},"content":{"rendered":"


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In This Edition: Breweries are opening, expanding, and making some crazy decisions.
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Published 06\/09\/2025
Edited 06\/12\/2025: Handsome Dan\u2019s actually did release their beer last week!\u00a0 Whoops.\u00a0 Updated below.<\/em><\/p>\n

The Debuts: Witcher Brewing Company, Black Chapel Brewing, and Highway 71 Brewing Opening Soon<\/h3>\n

If you\u2019ve read our 9 New Breweries in Central Texas<\/strong><\/a> earlier this year (and if you haven\u2019t, go read it!), here\u2019s a small update.\u00a0 Handsome Dan\u2019s<\/strong><\/a>, after selling sandwiches for a few months, has finally released their first two beers and is now officially a brewery.\u00a0 Of the four breweries on the \u201cnot yet open\u201d list, two are now open \u2013 Marion opened about a week after the article posted, and Cottonwood Creek<\/strong><\/a> opened last month.\u00a0 Bronson & Ryder is coming along.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s our update for the future \u2013 Witcher Brewing Company<\/strong><\/a> will be opening very soon, possibly as soon as this weekend.\u00a0 We hope this is true as it\u2019s perfectly timed for Fredericksburg Beer Festival<\/strong><\/a>, which I know all of you will be attending.<\/p>\n

Following the above article, we\u2019ve learned about two more breweries that are well on their way.\u00a0 Highway 71 Brewing<\/a><\/strong>, just down the road from Frontyard Brewing, is scheduled to open next month with food and pickleball.\u00a0 Black Chapel Brewing Co.<\/strong><\/a> makes it easier to give you the news, as they\u2019ve shared an opening date of June 28th.\u00a0 I\u2019ll admit that we\u2019re not really excited to drive out past Johnson City twice this month, but you better believe we\u2019re gonna do it.\u00a0 See you there!<\/p>\n

(Pssst\u2026 might be another one<\/strong><\/a> coming next year.)<\/p>\n

The Return: Beerburg Brewing is Back\u2026 Kind Of<\/h3>\n

Can you believe it\u2019s been a year and a half since Beerburg Brewing<\/a><\/strong> closed?\u00a0 Prior owner Trevor Nearburg and his family have packed up and moved to Oregon, but in doing so he\u2019s handed the Dripping Springs business over to his twin brother, Ross, and former owners Gino and Zach.\u00a0 The team reopened the spot as an event venue in September 2024, but quickly found that they missed the old public brewery days, and started holding open house seasonally.\u00a0 Well, that\u2019s already expanded to twice a month, and who knows how long until it\u2019s open weekly or even more frequently again.\u00a0 Their instagram<\/strong><\/a> has made it clear that this is the direction they\u2019re heading, especially with the release of a bourbon barrel aged imperial stout and expanded food menu this past weekend.\u00a0 They\u2019d still love to host your event if you\u2019ve got one coming up, but feel free to keep an eye out for their next open house and revisit a place you thought was done for.<\/p>\n

The Expansions: Red Horn Brewing Co. and Southern Roots Brewing Co. Both Open Third Location<\/h3>\n

In the above 9 New Breweries article, we mentioned that Red Horn was expanding to Georgetown \u2013 and as of last week, this new spot on the square is open<\/a><\/strong>.\u00a0 If you\u2019re excited to make the drive up north, I\u2019m going to encourage you to continue even further north after stopping in Georgetown, because it turns out that Waco based Southern Roots Brewing Co.<\/strong><\/a> has opened a new location in Killeen<\/strong><\/a>.\u00a0 Now, yes, at that point you might as well just go to Waco instead, but don\u2019t forget about one of our favorite hidden gems in Phantom Warrior<\/strong><\/a>, the new Nelson Brew Works<\/a><\/strong>, and the multiple options in Temple.\u00a0 Though, there\u2019s also five breweries in Waco and another brand new one in McGregor<\/strong><\/a>.\u00a0 Wow this beer drinking thing really is a lot of hard work, huh.<\/p>\n

The Spread: Meanwhile Brewing, Live Oak Brewing, and Starbase Brewing Expand Distribution Footprint<\/h3>\n

Meanwhile Brewing has expanded their distribution to San Antonio, as announced via press release.\u00a0 They\u2019ve hired industry veteran Vanessa Garza as San Antonio Sales Representative, who has already worked to bring their beer to 23 bars and restaurants in the City, including Flying Saucer, The Hoppy Monk, and Pullman Market. (CultureMap<\/strong><\/a>, Axios<\/a><\/strong>)<\/p>\n

Live Oak Brewing has announced that they are ending self distribution and have signed on with several distributors: Capital Reyes in Austin, Faust and Houston Distributing Companies in Houston, Jack Hilliard in Temple\/Bryan, and Silver Eagle Beverages in San Antonio (a slightly ironic twist as Vanessa Garza, mentioned above, was formally a brand manager there).\u00a0 Guidance was provided by Lone Star Beverage Brands.\u00a0 (PR Newswire<\/strong><\/a>)<\/p>\n

Finally, Starbase Brewing has signed with Carroll Distributing to rocket their beers over to Florida, their first out of state agreement.\u00a0 Currently they are available at Publix stores and various bars and restaurants only in Brevard County, home of NASA\u2019s Kennedy Space Center, in keeping with their space theming.\u00a0 (Starbase Brewery<\/strong><\/a>)<\/p>\n

The Diversification: Crowded Barrel Whiskey Co. Adds Beer Program<\/h3>\n

I haven\u2019t been to a lot of distilleries, but Crowded Barrel<\/strong><\/a> was one of the few that I\u2019ve heard was a must visit, about 2 years ago.\u00a0 It\u2019s located on site at the Wizard Academy.<\/p>\n

Wait, what?<\/p>\n

So, the Wizard Academy<\/strong><\/a> is a Hill Country business school, featuring a tall, thin, irregular building that honestly resembles a chunk of Hogwarts.\u00a0 You can see it from beyond the fence if you take a walk behind the distillery through the garden path.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

Back to the distillery itself, they\u2019ve actually had their own expansion from a small taproom that seated about ten, to a much larger one on the same property (dubbed Fang and Feather<\/strong><\/a>).\u00a0 Crowded Barrel is crowdsourced<\/strong><\/a>, with their supporters also getting the fun name and website of Whiskey Tribe<\/strong><\/a>, and they vote on every decision the distillery makes.\u00a0 I\u2019m not sure if \u201cwe should make beer!\u201d was voted on, but we thank whoever made this decision because they\u2019ve got two brews on tap now.\u00a0 So yeah, if you read all of this and you\u2019re still not curious about becoming a Whiskey Tribe Knight and visiting Fang and Feather to try Crowded Barrel\u2019s offerings outside the Wizard Academy in the Texas Hill Country, then you might not have a beating heart.<\/p>\n

The Buzz: Bee Immortal Mead, Valkyrie\u2019s Kiss Mead, and Packsaddle Nectars Bring Amazing New Mead to Texas<\/h3>\n

We all have different tastes when it comes to potent potables.\u00a0 Some of us like cider<\/strong><\/a>, some like wine<\/strong><\/a>, or liquor<\/strong><\/a>, maybe beer<\/strong><\/a>.\u00a0 Here\u2019s a piece on mead.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re new to mead, it\u2019s honey wine.\u00a0 People like to go all Viking when talking about it, but in the modern day it\u2019s generally just a sweeter dessert beverage (though some can be dry too).\u00a0 It\u2019s pretty easy to list all the meaderies in Central Texas: Dancing Bee<\/strong><\/a>, Rohan<\/strong><\/a>, Texas Mead Works<\/strong><\/a>, Saint Michael\u2019s<\/strong><\/a>, Meridian Hive<\/strong><\/a>, and Thorin\u2019s<\/strong><\/a>.\u00a0 None of those six listed have a taproom that is dedicated solely to mead \u2013 four of them are also wineries, and the last two have no taproom at all.<\/p>\n

Well I\u2019ve got some good news, mead fans.\u00a0 There are now three brand new meaderies around and all three of them have dedicated mead taprooms, albeit with limited hours due to mead\u2019s unfortunate (and temporary?) lack of popularity.\u00a0 You can help.\u00a0 The most prominent one is Bee Immortal Mead<\/strong><\/a> which is right off of i35 in Round Rock, launched by meadmaker Harper Luedecke and managed by his wife Sheila.\u00a0 Of all the far away things written about in this article today, this one is the most convenient, just stop on by any Sunday during their public hours of 1pm to 5pm for some really delicious hibiscus, triple berry, and orange blossom flavored meads.\u00a0 They just released an oak aged version of the triple berry so I\u2019ve gotta get back there.<\/p>\n

Second, Valkyrie\u2019s Kiss Mead<\/strong><\/a> opened just west of New Braunfels\u2026 yes, we\u2019re back to driving again.\u00a0 Founded by veteran Isaac Pruna with mentorship from Elgin Meadery\u2019s Micah Erwin, this one is so limited that you must make a reservation on their website to visit.\u00a0 Spots are available 6pm \u2013 8pm on Thursday & Friday, or 1pm \u2013 6pm on Sunday.\u00a0 They\u2019ve actually been open for a year, having their anniversary party<\/strong><\/a> just this past weekend, so go check them out if you\u2019re in the area.\u00a0 They\u2019ve got cherry, blueberry, lemon, and apple cinnamon meads!<\/p>\n

Finally, we have Packsaddle Nectars<\/strong><\/a>.\u00a0 The brand was launched by Fain\u2019s Honey<\/strong><\/a>, who have been serving sweet bee juice to the community since 1962 at their farmhouse in Buchanan Dam, just a few minutes away from the new Buchanan Brewing Company<\/strong><\/a>.\u00a0 Mid-2024, they decided it was time to move into the beverage biz and bought retail space in downtown Marble Falls, where they\u2019ve been selling all of their products including the new mead brand, as well as a distilled honey beverage known as Somel.\u00a0 The location is open with fairly standard hours as it\u2019s also a honey shop \u2013 but they are almost finished building the bar.\u00a0\u00a0<\/em>And pretty soon, instead of just stopping in for a quick tasting, the Marble Falls community will be hanging out here all night.<\/p>\n

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Bonus 7th Thing<\/h2>\n

The Diversification (But More Extreme): Zilker Brewing Launches Cocktail Program, Oasis Texas Brewing Launches Tiki Bar, and Oddwood Brewing Launches\u2026 an Arcade<\/h3>\n

Phew, that was a lot of news.\u00a0 So here\u2019s some quick hits:<\/p>\n