Category: Texas

Texas craft beer drinkers can support local craft breweries with gift cards

Post author By Web Editor
Post date March 13, 2020

COVID-19 outbreak to limit taproom sales

With the growing advice to self-isolate to control the COVID-19 virus outbreak, there is a real fear that Texas independent craft breweries and brewpub taproom sales will suffer. Our brewers rely on taproom sales to generate year-round revenue and a drop in visitors for a few weeks can affect business operations.

One way that craft beer drinkers can continue to support their local breweries at this time is to purchase online merchandise and gift cards for future use in the taproom. Buying gift cards online for future use that are sold directly from the brewery ensures that revenue continues to flow to businesses at this difficult time.

Texas Craft Beer Gift Cards

The Hopalytics team compiled a list of some of the Texas independent craft breweries and brewpubs who offer gift-card sales online:

Jump to your region: Austin Dallas/Fort Worth El Paso Hill Country Houston Midland San Antonio Shiner

See full list below

Houston-area

Eureka Heights Brewing Company

Saint Arnold Brewing Company

Spindletap Brewery

Urban South Brewery

Katy-area

Battlehops Brewing

Porter-area

Back Pew Brewing

Austin-area

The ABGB

Adelbert’s Brewery

Black Star Co-Op

Bluebonnet Beer Company

Central Machine Works

Red Horn Brewing Company

The Brewtorium

Whitestone Brewery

Vista Brewing

Zilker Brewing Company

Austin Brewery Tours – buy gift cards

Banger’s Austin Sausage House & Beer Garden – buy gift cards

Dripping Springs-area – see all beer-to go options

12 Fox Beer Co

Acopon Brewing

Family Business Beer Co

Suds Monkey Brewing Company

Treaty Oak Distilling & Brewing Co

Hill Country

Dallas/Fort Worth-area

Dallas-area

Bankhead Brewing Company

Community Beer Company

Legal Draft Beer Co

Peticolas Brewing Company

Steam Theory Brewing Company

Fort Worth-area

Cowtown Brewing Company

Funky Picnic Brewery & Café

HopFusion Ale Works – call to purchase over phone (682)-841-1721 or email info@hopfusionaleworks.com

Martin House Brewing Company

Panther Island Brewing – call to purchase over phone (817)-882-8121

McKinney-area

TUPPS Brewery

Midland

Tall City Brewing

San Antonio-area

Freetail Brewing

Longtab Brewing

Ranger Creek Brewing & Distilling

Southerleigh Fine Food & Brewery

New Braunfels-area

New Braunfels Brewing

Looking to tour San Antonio and Hill Country breweries? Buy a gift card for future use on the Craft Cruiser

Shiner-area

Spoetzl Brewery

El- Paso Area

Deadbeach Brewery

If your independent craft brewery or brewpub offers direct gift card sales online and is not in the list, please reach out to be added: info@hopalytics.com

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New Brewery Profile: Roughhouse Brewing in San Marcos

Post author By Web Editor
Post date February 24, 2020

Best New Texas Brewery: Roughhouse Brewing in San Marcos

Roughhouse Brewing in San Marcos recently celebrated its 1-year anniversary, and was deservedly listed as one of the top new breweries in Texas in the Texas Craft Beer Report.

Left to right: Alex Pasternak, San Marcos Mayor Jane Hughson, Andy Pasternak, Davy Pasternak

The Roughhouse Brewing Team

“Roughhouse is very much a family business” says owner Alex Pasternak. It was founded by Alex and her husband Davy as a project to create a Texas-centric and family-centric space. Situated on Davy’s parents’ land a few miles from San Marcos, the brewery celebrates the couples’ love of craft beer and the local community. The couple are joined by Davy’s brother Andy and have quickly established a space that consumers love to visit.

“The name Roughhouse represents the familial and playful memories of growing up in Texas, coupled with an image in the logo that more literally depicts the rustic and welcoming qualities of our brewery and beer.”

Roughhouse named one of the best new breweries in Texas

San Marcos Mayor Jane Hughson presented the “Best New Brewery” award to Roughhouse Brewing’s owners. “This award means a lot to our small team” explains Pasternak. “with only three full-time owner/employees (and the help of five part-time staff members), we cover a lot of ground each week. We do it because we believe in our product and in the general objective of providing good, honest customer service and relationships to our patrons and our industry peers”.

Roughhouse Brewing’s success is the latest in a growing San Marcos beer scene that includes Roughhouse’s neighbors Middleton Brewing, AquaBrew (identified in the Texas Craft Beer Report as a great place to eat) and top ranked brewery Hops & Grain who have expanded from their Austin location.

Roughhouse Brewing, image credit: www.Instagram.com/txbrewing

Roughhouse launch cave-aged beer program

Despite only selling beer in San Marcos for a little over 12 months, Roughhouse are already heavily innovating within the Texas craft beer community utilizing their unique property.

Pasternak explains “In February 2020 we started a cave-aged beer program at Roughhouse! Using a natural, underground cave on the property, we excavated for nearly a year to prepare the space to house what will start as a small cellar with eight barrels. To kickoff the new series of funkier, wild beer, we collaborated with Jester King Brewery to create a spontaneously fermented ale using Texas ingredients and aged hops. It will be at least a year before we taste the results of this first beer, but we’re excited to see what the future holds!”

Read about the top 10 best new breweries in Texas as voted by respondents to the 2019 Texas Craft Beer Survey.

Roughhouse is also working to ensure the food they serve on site at their brewery is as ingrained in their Texas roots as their beer.

“We are transitioning our on-site kitchen to fully promote and source from local or Texas farms, with a lineup of scratch-made sandwiches, soups, salads and snacks.”

“We’re excited to marry our vision for our beer (and wine) program, which is heavily focused on local providers, to the food side of operations! We are overdue to showcase Texas food makers, and we’re excited to bring that to our community.”

Breweries Texas

New Brewery Profile: Tall City Brewing Company in Midland

Post author By Web Editor
Post date January 26, 2020

Tall City Brewing Company in Midland was named one of the top 10 Best New Breweries in Texas in the Texas Craft Beer Report.

San Antonio’s JD Duran, a.k.a @TxBeerDude, made the trip to Midland to visit Midland Brewing Co first hand, and he was more than happy to report on his experience:

JD Duran

JD Duran (@txbeerdude) gives his take on Midland’s Tall City Brewing Co.

@tXBEERDUDE

Tall City Brewing Co.

I recently had the opportunity and pleasure to visit Midland’s newest craft beer brewery; Tall City Brewing Company.

Arriving in Midland on a Friday afternoon, we were met with a beautiful and massive venue, along with a very crowded parking lot. As the parking lot suggested, and despite Tall City only having been open a few months, it was a full house and not a seat to be found as we walked in the door.

I ordered a flight of four beers:

Bird Lady American Pale Ale
Haboob Hefeweizen
Hop Up Camper American IPA
Iron Orchard Stout.

Every beer was delicious, but my personal favorite was the Haboob Hefeweizen. I found this beer to be very easy drinking, it had a great flavor with notes of bananas and cloves.

Tall City’s large taproom offers both indoor and outdoor covered seating areas. We opted to hang outside under the patio heaters since it was a little chilly. It was really a great vibe; with live music, food trucks and very family-friendly.

The folks behind Tall City

I was fortunate to meet four of the five owners of Tall City Brewing Company: Jeff Thomas, Erich Schmidt, Nicholas Schmidt and Jarrod Sparks. I was truly impressed that they were either slinging beer behind the bar or bussing tables during their peak busy periods.

Once things settled down a bit, I had the opportunity to sit down for a chat with Jeff and Jarrod.

I wanted to know how the idea of Tall City Brewing was conceived. Jeff remembers a visit to Jester King in Austin with his sister back in 2016. After having 2 beers, the idea of opening a brewery back in Midland popped into his head. He then texted his two buddies Erich and Nicholas Schmidt about the idea. Their response: “We’re in!”.

Left to right: Nicholas Schmidt, Jeff Thomas, JD Duran, Erich Schmidt and Jarrod Sparks

The name Tall City pays homage to the city of Midland as it is known as the “tall city” of west Texas. In October 2016 the LLC for Tall City Brewing was acquired, a site was identified on West Golf Course Road and ground broke in late 2018. Tall City’s grand opening was November 15^th, 2019.

When I asked about some of the goals for Tall City Brewing, Jarrod was clear that their goal for the next year is to become the top regional brewery in West Texas. With distribution in the works, the team will to continue to brew traditional beers while staying true to the craft. As Jeff stated, “we want our beer to taste like beer!”

Jarrod was gracious enough to give me a tour of the brewhouse, which is an amazing facility with state-of-the-art brewing equipment and most importantly – room to expand. The 5 hour drive from San Antonio was well worth it. I’m really looking forward to what the future holds for the folks of Tall City Brewing Company in Midland and beyond. From what I can see, it’s gonna be pretty bright!

About JD

JD Duran is a craft beer drinker who lives in San Antonio. He is passionate about both the San Antonio and wider Texas craft beer communities. You can find him on Instagram: TXBeerDude or at your local craft brewery!