Houston Beer

[kylejack]

So anyway, 10 is good. Not as good as 9, but good.

[TJones]

There are lots of venues to have a fine Craft Beer here in the Houston Metro Area. Some Old buildings have been repurposed into fine drinking establishments or eateries and have found new life. Lots of new exciting people moving here everyday. What are some of your favorite wateringholes that you have found with weird or exciting architecture to behold and be in awe of as you imbibe your local or national favorites ? Feel free to list names and addresses of these places and WHY they are so awesome to you. Don't forget to tell us what your poison is as well....be it a craft cocktail they make or a specialty drink only they make or your favorite wine, but most importantly.....DON'T FORGET THE CRAFT BEER !!!

 

P.S If you say PBR, or Bud....you will lose a testicle or breasticle, depending on gender !

 

I would start us off, but I don't wish to seem biased or that I am advertising for any one establishment. Just Sayin' !

Edited November 13, 2015 by TJones

[Howard Huge]

Did I just see a ghost? Where in God's name have you been?? One of the few pre-crash Haifers on here, good to see you again buddy

[TJones]

Thank you my friend. Just been a crazy 5 years or so. 2 kids...1 divorce.... 2 new homes...1 new career...4 different cities lived in...6 different cities worked in, because of my new career... and 3000 craft beers later. I am back to my hometown of H-Town. Well, Cypress, but close enough. It's good to be back.

Edited November 13, 2015 by TJones

[BigFootsSocks]

Let's hear your list because I might be shamed for my knowledge of Houston's craft beers.

[LarryDierker]

Worst forward ever. Play some D dude.

 

Seriously though, seems like every bar and restaurant in town has at least a few craft options nowadays. Karbach Hopadilo is everywhere it seems.

 

For variety and number of craft beers available, I don't think anything compares to the classic Flying Saucer. but it's probably far from being the most interesting place to drink.

 

I've never drank a beer I didn't like. but my favorite go-tos are really heavy imperial stouts and really bitter IPA's.

 

My latest favorite is Saint Arnold's Boiler Room Berliner Weisse. It's a sour wheat that is very sour. The waitress warned that it wasn't good and that nobody liked it, so I had to try it. None of my group liked it, but I loved it and sometimes get a strong craving for it even though it's only 3.7%.

 

My favorite non local brewers are Green Flash, Founders,and Stone.

 

Houston beers that i prefer are 8th Wonder's Hopston and Buffalo Bayou Brewing Co.'s More Cowbell.

 

 

[Montrose1100]

Hearsay has the most delicious raspberry cocktail. I think they took it off their menu, but it comes in champagne flute and knocks you off your feet. Perfect for the first couple drinks of the night to really get you going.

 

This may not be considered "Craft" cocktails, but Peli Peli has an outstanding Martini, Capital Grill has some too. Oh GOD I can't even REMEMBER!!!!!! I've been 3 months sober and 3 more to go, I'm starting to lose my mind!

 

I don't drink beer often, and haven't been to the BRC (Big Red Cock), in a while... but they had a few light amber's. One was from Belgium (can't remember), but it wasn't a famous brand, that reminded me almost of bubble gum. I don't care what anyone says I will drink Coors light if they don't have anything dainty on the menu for me.

[august948]

Hearsay has the most delicious raspberry cocktail. I think they took it off their menu, but it comes in champagne flute and knocks you off your feet. Perfect for the first couple drinks of the night to really get you going.

 

This may not be considered "Craft" cocktails, but Peli Peli has an outstanding Martini, Capital Grill has some too. Oh GOD I can't even REMEMBER!!!!!! I've been 3 months sober and 3 more to go, I'm starting to lose my mind!

 

I don't drink beer often, and haven't been to the BRC (Big Red Cock), in a while... but they had a few light amber's. One was from Belgium (can't remember), but it wasn't a famous brand, that reminded me almost of bubble gum. I don't care what anyone says I will drink Coors light if they don't have anything dainty on the menu for me.

 

Isn't a cocktail that knocks you off your feet better left for last?

 

If all they have is Coors light, I'll have ice water.

 

[skwatra]

I'm a big fan of Mongoose vs Cobra, they always have good Porters and Stouts and rotate through so quickly there is always something new. Clown Shoes has some really good varieties I always like to try.

 

Keep an eye out for B52s, relatively new brewery in Conroe. I saw it at iPic Theater which was surprising.

 

MoonTower Inn is a good watering hole, no architecture except for a shack on picnic tables!

 

Okra is an older building downtown that is worth checking out.

[samagon]

Karbach has a nice new building, they put a lot of care into the look and feel of the taproom/dinner area. I don't generally like Karbach offerings, but some of their seasonal stuff is on point.

 

8th wonder, it's right down the street from me, so I want to like them so badly, but I just haven't really found a beer they make that doesn't taste just a little off. I haven't been to their new addition in the back, but from what I've seen it looks like they've out hipstered moon tower.

 

Nobi House, while not technically in Houston is a place to go for some beer, and they have some decent food too. Nothing terribly notable about the space though.

 

Closer to home, Mongoose v. Cobra has a really great list of interesting beer, and an interesting location with a great design.

 

And of course, if you just want to chill in the backyard, stop by D&Q. You can marvel at the awesomeness of your own homes architecture as you sip your favorite beer.

[terra002]

Spindletap seems very douchey. Go to the website and read the descriptions of their beers. Its embarrassing. 

[alsal29]

One of our current favorites is Bovine and Barley downtown. They have a great wall of lights and almost all their beer is regional craft beer. They have pint night on Tuesday I believe and you can keep the glass for 4 dollars. 

 

The new brewpub at Karbach is also quite nice.

[placoors]

Working on my 3rd Saucer downtown so I go there quite a bit after work. 

I like 8th Wonder since it's in the neighborhood and fun to go to before Coogs games. 

When in Sugar Land I have been enjoying Ginger Mule lately for their craft cocktails. 

When at work in Austin I like the Draught House and Moontower Saloon.

 

I prefer IPA's and like to try anything local on tap when traveling for work.

 

My favorite IPA is Stash by Independence Brewing Co.

[samagon]

If you're under 21, you can read, and take notes, prepare for your eventual beer drinking, but for now, please just look at the menu.

 

So with that out of the way, the UH vs UT Houston campus thread (whatever it's called) got me inspired to start a beer thread.

 

Anything beer, come on in. Take your wine and other spirits to another thread, but let's talk breweries (local, or otherwise), beer (local or otherwise), stupid Texas legislation regarding beer (distributorships), home brewing, Houston ice houses, beer-centric Houston bars.

 

For me, I'm willing to try any beer once, I'm done with IPAs, I was done with them before they even became popular. I've never liked an IPA. I will try one, but I know my flavor preference, and if I do drink the IPA, it's only going to be one, and it's going to be the first beer I have for the day. Otherwise, it just won't work.

 

 

My favorite beer list:

 

Perennial favorites that are easy to get:

Shiner Premium

Franziskaner Hefe-Weisse Dunkel

Guinness

Coors (banquet only)

Saint Arnold Lawnmower

Dales Pale Ale

 

Favorites that I might have to search for, but are worth the search:

Left Hand Brewing Company Milk Stout Nitro

Magic Hat Brewing Company Circus Boy

Breckenridge Brewery Vanilla Porter

Brasserie d'Achouffe La Chouffe

 

I'm confident, if you're a beer fan, you've tried all the ones in the perennial favorite list, maybe you like them, maybe you don't, but do yourself a favor, and ignore that I do like Coors (banquet) and try the above beers, it'll be worth it.

 

Don't forget D&Q is more your friend for beer than Specs

[IronTiger]

Hmm...

Saint Arnold Lawnmower - Had it once and liked it, would try again.

Saint Arnold Summer Pilsner - Always a favorite, but seasonal.

No Label Brewing Co. Hefeweizen - Off-putting smell. Bad batch or bad beer? Dunno, but not willing to try again.

Blue Moon - Yuck.

NRBC Dammit Jim - Too hoppy for my tastes.

Porters (in general) - Generally don't like.

IPAs (in general) - Hit and miss...sometimes great sometimes just too bitter.

Heineken - Actually do like.

Those are the ones I can at least remember right now.

[asubrt]

I think someone made a similar topic recently but I can't find it. I'm a major beer enthusiast (alcoholic?)... my taste is pretty eclectic but my favorite styles are probably Hefeweizen (LOVE both the No Label El Hefe and the Franziskaner Hefe-Weissbier mentioned above), Barleywine, and pretty much anything bourbon barrel aged. I do like to try as many different beers as possible... if you're into beer and trying different brews, definitely check out the Untappd app... you can track/check in your beers and rate them and it's a good way of keeping track of what you liked. Although I've reached an alarming amount of check-ins and I'm starting to worry about cirrhosis. But totally worth it.

 

I've compiled a list of breweries in the Houston metro area, as I've been trying to visit them all. Might as well share it here (** = no tap room or tour to visit, bold are the ones that I've been to):

 

8th Wonder

11 Below

Brash

Buffalo Bayou

Karbach

Saint Arnold

SpindleTap

Town In City

Whole Foods

Fetching Lab (Alvin)**

Huff (Bellville)

B52 (Conroe)

Copperhead (Conroe)

Southern Star (Conroe)

Galactic Coast (Dickinson)**

Galveston Bay (Dickinson)

Texas Beer Refinery (Dickinson)**

Galveston Island (Galveston)

No Label (Katy)

Lone Pint (Magnolia)

Cycler's (Montgomery)**

Back Pew (Porter)**

Texian (Richmond)**

 

There are lots more in the works as well. Let me know if there are any open ones that I missed.

[samagon]

as someone who likes beer, I am compelled to inform you, you need to drive to Austin to go to Jester King, it's not local, but it's worth the ride. They are continuously ranked very high. I have a friend that is on some beer swapping groups and he makes a run to JK just about monthly, because their beer offers him a lot of currency in trade.

 

my untappd id is the same as my user name here, so feel free to look me up and add me. I forget half the time to checkin my beers though.

 

oh, and iirc that other thread was more for the locations, not just for the beer, if the mods see fit to combine them, then so be it, but it seemed there's enough between the two.

Edited January 20, 2016 by samagon

[skwatra]

Karbach rep at Specs told me that BBH #4 should be out in a few weeks, and will have a chocolate component. I'm wondering if they are releasing these too often now? Guess they are limiting the batches, selling out quick, and getting good press (in beer circles) so probably a good plan for now...

[asubrt]

Karbach rep at Specs told me that BBH #4 should be out in a few weeks, and will have a chocolate component. I'm wondering if they are releasing these too often now? Guess they are limiting the batches, selling out quick, and getting good press (in beer circles) so probably a good plan for now...

 

Yeah I heard the same: was at Karbach this weekend and the waitress said Chocolate BBH on February 8. Asked about Vanilla BBH because I didn't get to try that one, and she said she wasn't sure but she thinks they'll probably rerelease it sometime in the future but no official plans currently.

[arndthwrld82]

I have beer in my profile pic. That is all.

[Hastings]

I'm on my 2nd Corona......am I allowed to post? I'm loving everyone's suggestions. I like a good sports establishment on Sundays, and especially one with local brews. Any suggestions on that?

[Reefmonkey]

This got me thinking about when the whole craft beer movement really started to gain traction in Houston in the early 90s, before there was a Karbach or No Label or Southern Star, and St. Arnold's was just getting started and nobody had heard of it yet - back when Texas craft beer was Shiner.

 

This was back when brewpubs were a novel thing, breweries that were eating and drinking establishments first and the onsite brewing was for onsite consumption only. There are a few I remember that are no more:

 

There was Two Rows (the Houston expansion location of a Dallas concept) upstairs in Rice Village. I'm not sure when they first opened here in Houston, I think it was sometime in the mid 90s when I was away for college, they were here when I moved back in 1998, and I think they survived to about 2008?

 

There was an independent brewpub nearby, I think it was called either the Rice Brewery or the Rice Village Brewery. I don't think it lasted all that long.

 

Then down in Galveston, on the Strand, I remember there being the Strand Brewery, or Strand Street Brewery. Its location was taken over by the Fuddruckers.

 

Any other 1990s Houston-area brewpubs?

[gnu]

It was just called The Village Brewery and it was on Dunstan in the old post office.

Across the street was The Vault which was more of a brewpub.

 

On Richmond there was Rock Bottom (chain) and the Houston Brewery.

Also, Bradley's in Clear Lake

 

There was also one on the North Freeway somewhere near Richey on the west side of the freeway.  Name slips me right now.

 

There was also a small brewpub on Highway 6.  The name also slips me.

 

May have been a few others but those are the ones I remember.

[Reefmonkey]

I had forgotten about the Vault, that takes me back. What is in that spot now?

[Reefmonkey]

Here's an article from 1998 announcing the closure of the Village Brewery, also gives a "time capsule" view of the Houston brewpub scene just as it was sputtering out in the late 90s

 

https://www.bizjournals.com/houston/stories/1998/09/14/story5.html

 

" Now the city can count only six brew- pubs on tap, after a short-lived trend during the first half of the 1990s in which Houstonians clamored for custom ales. After the Village Brewery closes, Bank Draft Brewing Co., Two Rows Restaurant & Brew Pub, Huey's, Houston Brewery, Bradley's Restaurant & Brewery in Clear Lake and Bay Brewery Steaks & Seafood in Seabrook remain. Galveston has the Strand Brewery. "

 

"When the Texas Legislature lifted a 1994 ban that prohibited brewpubs, entrepreneurs were foaming to erect buildings. Most of the brewpubs in existence now were built within the first two years after the ban was lifted. "

 

"So, the distinctly 1990s brewpub phenomenon is slowly being replaced by retro clubs, which happens to be the future in entertainment. "

 

 

1 hour ago, gnu said:

There was also one on the North Freeway somewhere near Richey on the west side of the freeway.  Name slips me right now.

Apparently that one was Huey's. From the article: 

 

" Greg Schepens, brewmaster for Huey's on the North Freeway. Schepens, who was a brewmaster at Rock Bottom during its tenure here "

Edited October 15, 2018 by Reefmonkey

[mkultra25]

Not about brewpubs per se, but an interesting read covering the early history of the modern beer movement in Houston.

 

http://www.mikericcetti.com/americas-first-modern-beer-bar.html

[Reefmonkey]

5 minutes ago, mkultra25 said:

Not about brewpubs per se, but an interesting read covering the early history of the modern beer movement in Houston.

 

http://www.mikericcetti.com/americas-first-modern-beer-bar.html

 

I like the " and numerous aggressively-hopped and alcoholic domestic ales that recently styled beer aficionados are quick to champion " comment. Touches on an issue I have with a lot of craft beer (and craft beer drinkers) these days, who seem to think everything is supposed to have IPA-level hop. It's like when they were seniors in college they had their first beer that wasn't Natural Light, and was an IPA, and they decide that's what "good" beer is supposed to taste like. my hypothesis is the extra hop covers a lot of brewing defects, which is why so many craft brewers start out with this style. I also think that we long ago reached "Peak Craft Beer", and we have a lot of craft breweries resorting to gimmicks to sell beer - pithy names (both for the brewery and their different beers), wierd experimental hybrids of styles, uses of odd ingredients, and oh yes, hop hop, and more hop. I think it's part that a lot of hop can cover up a failed experiment and they can still sell it, but also it's appealing to a macho thing, like flavoring food with habanero and ghost peppers so they're actually painful to eat, but you always get some bro who claims he loves them and "it's not that hot" even as he's turning purple and drenched in sweat in a 70 degree room. Same kind of bro loves to talk about how much he loves mouth-puckeringly overhopped beer, "so much better than that watery macrobrew you guys drink."

[kbates2]

For me, Karbach is the worst over-hopped offender.  Going to their brewery will leave your hair and clothes smelling like hops for the rest of the day.  Now that they are also not a real independent craft brewery, it has only made the offense seem greater.

[gnu]

2 hours ago, Reefmonkey said:

...Bank Draft Brewing Co..... Huey's...... Bay Brewery Steaks & Seafood in Seabrook ....
 

 

 Huey's! That was it.  And the Vault was of course was the Bank Draft and they had a vault.  duh!

Forgot about the Bay Brewery.  They had a great back deck that overlooked the Bay.

 

There was also another brewery in Galveston maybe the Galveston Brewery?  It was south of the Stand on a sw corner. 

[Reefmonkey]

I think Karbach has their share of milder beers, I'm a fan of their Weissversa. Now their Hopdilla, a few sips of that were enough to tell me that was not the beer for me. Still not as hoppy as St. Arnold's Elissa, though, but I'm not going to condemn a whole brewery for having one beer in its lineup.

 

What does bug me though (and I am probably going to ruffle a few feathers here), is that there are just too many craft breweries out there (both nationwide and Houston-based), and each craft brewery produces too many different varieties. I think we've reached Peak Craft Brew. Several years ago, just here in Houston, we passed a threshold after which any new brewery is just white noise. It seems like the business model for new breweries is to try to get big enough that they get bought out by a big national brand, the way Karbach did with AB InBev. That's soulless. Houston now has 52 craft breweries. 52. We're a big city, but we're not that big that we need that many. The situation is exacerbated by the fact that every craft brewery has a whole slew of varieties, so that the varieties themselves become white noise. They're doing very little to differentiate themselves from each other, so they're stepping all over each other's toes. Practically everyone makes a pale ale, a pils, some kind of wheat beer, oh, yeah, and now most of them have to do a Kolsche (and I've had real Kolsche in Cologne, sorry US breweries, none of you match the likes of Fruh), etc. Every craft brewery tries to be everything to every beer drinker. Jack of all trades is master of none. It would have been better if the breweries had each carved out a niche, stay focused on one style of brewing do one thing very well, have maybe 4 varieties that are available all year, max, plus one seasonal at a time. St. Arnold offers 12 year round beers, THREE of which are IPAs, and two amberish English style ales that aren't that different from each other. And that's not including the 7 seasonals they put out, or the limited releases (Divine reserves,  Icon, Bishop's Barrel). And I've noticed, as they grow, their quality is starting to slip.