Dr. Jeckyll's Beer Lab

Bar, Beer-to-go

2420 W Park Row Dr
Pantego, Texas, 76013-3304
United States

(817) 274-7405 | map
drjeckyllsbeerlab.net

Previously a homebrew store.
PLACE STATS
Average:
4.25
Reviews:
12
Ratings:
18
pDev:
15.53%
View: Place Reviews
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Photo of Stev0
Reviewed by Stev0 from Texas

4.5/5  rDev +5.9%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.5
They have a decent selection of beers but this is a beer bar now. They don't carry brewing supplies anymore except for a couple items leftover from the old shop stashed in the back.
Oct 26, 2018
 
Rated: 5 by TeresaSchwartz from Texas

Nov 27, 2017
Photo of jeschaefer
Reviewed by jeschaefer from Texas

4.54/5  rDev +6.8%
vibe: 4.75 | quality: 4.75 | service: 4.75 | selection: 4
I’d like to comment on a few of the less then stellar reviews. Most of them read like they are referring to Mother’s Liquor Cabinet rather than Dr. Jeckyll's Beer Lab. I believe both are owned by the same man. The liquor store (which has recently closed) specialized in beers and has an ample liquor supply.

Dr. Jeckyll's Beer Lab is a whole different place albeit a few doors down from Mother’s. The Beer Lab sells beer and wine making supplies as well as has a terrific wall of taps. I would guess they have 30 taps that are always changing thus giving you a fresh menu each visit.

The staff and clientele are immensely knowledgeable about beer. I’ve been to the Beer Lab numerous time with my wife, sons and friends. We’ve never failed to enjoy ourselves. The bar is not pretentious. Rather it is the neighborhood place you can meet friends for a pint on your way home after a work. My wife and I enjoy playing darts at one of the 4 dart boards.

If you are ever in Arlington, TX, do yourself a favor and visit Dr. Jeckyll's Beer Lab.
Apr 26, 2016
 
Rated: 4.5 by Techichi from Texas

Dec 11, 2014
 
Rated: 5 by Libre from Texas

Nov 13, 2014
 
Rated: 4.5 by JD_Gattis from Texas

May 09, 2014
 
Rated: 4.25 by cam12 from Texas

Dec 04, 2013
 
Rated: 4 by gtermi from Texas

Oct 31, 2013
Photo of EOC
Reviewed by EOC from Mexico

4.01/5  rDev -5.6%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 4 | service: 4.5 | selection: 3.75
I was visiting Arlington for vacation and decided to check this place to purchase ingredients for my first batch.

The place is fine, clean and organized. The person at the shop was very helpful and advised on how to start with homebrewing.

Beside the ingredients I also purchased some basic equipment and books at a considerable price for what I checked online.

Definitively will come back when I have the chance.
Jun 12, 2013
Photo of shakeheap
Reviewed by shakeheap from California

4.15/5  rDev -2.4%
Service is the secret to success here. Staff is knowledgeable and friendly. I've never been in the place where I didn't spend quality time talking beer with folks that work here and oftentimes customers. It's just a friendly place where the home brewer can get all the stuff he needs at a fair price from knowledgeable folks.

Another beautiful thing about the place is they also sell microbrews (as long as the alcohol content isn't too high -- Pantego city ordinances say some microbrews are liquor).
Feb 07, 2011
Photo of Mora2000
Reviewed by Mora2000 from Texas

3.85/5  rDev -9.4%
I am going at this review a little differently since I am not a homebrewer. In addition to having homebrew supplies, this store also sells beer. The selection is not the best in the Metroplex, but there is a wide range of beer and a lot of it is very good quality. Since the beer is not the focus of the store, there is not too much turnover in the stock. This can be bad and good. I would be cautious of buying hoppy beers that don't have bottling dates. However, this place also keeps limited release beers in stock a lot longer than others. There have been several times where beers I thought had been sold out in DFW for several months - for example caged and corked La Folie - were still on the shelves here. The store sells singles as well as six packs. Probably not a place to seek out, but if you are in Arlington, this is not a bad place to stop by.
Jan 02, 2011
Photo of escotico
Reviewed by escotico from Texas

5/5  rDev +17.6%
I just got back from Dr. Jeckyll's and I'm drinking a couple of hard-to-find beers reading these posts. I am really surprised at the last post from the guy that was "disappointed". When I asked how many beers the owner had, he actually showed me a list that contained about 350 beers (of which he said about 100 were seasonal and therefore not available year-round). He has a really cool "build-your-own 6 pack" option; and he encourages you to sample instead of buying a 6-pack of the same unknown beer. I was most impressed at his knowledge of beer styles...he was actually on a radio show on a regular basis discussing just that! As for the complaint about the size of the shop...what a kooky complaint. The place is big enough to house tons of beers AND it is a full-service, well-equipped home brew supply. It is big enough to be very functional...what do you want???

And to call the owner a "beer snob", give me a break. I have never met such a laid-back helpful person. When I go in, class is always in session: he will spend all the time you need helping you find your next favorite beers, and I've never heard him treat anyone the way this guy claims he did. Sounds like he just woke up on the wrong side of the bed (maybe hungover on Budweiser).

Anyway, this place IS the best beer shop I've ever been in; and I am now a convert to quality beer and home brewing them, thanks to Pat (owner). Now I even make wine, mead, sake, or whatever else sounds good today.

Don't listen to the last guy's comments; go see Dr. Jeckyll!!
Jul 18, 2010
Photo of SterlingNass
Reviewed by SterlingNass from Texas

2.45/5  rDev -42.4%
I was disappointed in the size of the store and selection, the website said over 200 hundred beers....Not even close. When a friend and I first came in the person or owner of the place let us know that they don't sell cheap beer and if thats what we want we should leave. He was a very big beer snob and thought I couldn't afford there beer.... I loved that I was able to build my own six pack so I can try all different kinds of beers to see what I will like more. I was aiming for dark beers and they had enough for me to fill a six pack of singles of different beers.

Don't recommend going unless they have a beer you can't find anywhere else, But I will be ordering online before going back to buy a six pack from them.
Jun 19, 2010
Photo of phissionkorps
Reviewed by phissionkorps from Texas

3/5  rDev -29.4%
The owner is very nice and knows his stuff (though has never heard of a lot of the less common styles), however, I can't say the same for his helper that works there when he isn't there. The helper apparently cannot use a simple chart for substituting hops. A few of my freinds went in in December to buy me some stuff for my birthday that I had written down for them. One of the hop varieties I needed was Halltertau. The helper (short bald guy with glasses) told my friends that Hallertau haven't been produced in two years, and gave Goldings as a substitution. This guy also made other incorrect substitutions such as C-hops (cascade I believe) for a coffee stout recipe that I had written down for them, etc.
The in store beer selection is nice and has decent enough prices, though they are comparable or slightly higher than Central Market.
I hate how they do not put prices on anything and don't have a website.
The grain selection in this place is not up to par. They have your basic run of the mill grains, but nothing much else. They seem to always be out of wheat, don't carry flaked maize, have a palty selection of speciality grains (i.e. almost none), and their flaked rice had some sort of arthropod in it last time I was there.
I'm not sure why the review come out to C-. That makes it look like I don't like the place, which is certainly not the case. My main qualm is that I just wish they had a more extensive grain selection.
Mar 27, 2009
Photo of JimiG
Reviewed by JimiG from Texas

5/5  rDev +17.6%
Incredible owner and staff. They truly LOVE beer and the craft of Home brew. I started with them and learned how to make the best Hefe with a little guidance from Pat. Dr Jeckyll's grain is super fresh and they will mill it fresh for you. They also have brew kits and wine kits for the less adventurous. Great selection of hops and yeast (White Labs). If you get home and aren't quite sure, you can call them for help. They also carry over 200 beers in stock. The best shop in DFW.
Check out Dr Jeckyll's new website
www.beerlab.net
Dec 19, 2008
Photo of baseballrock
Reviewed by baseballrock from Texas

4.5/5  rDev +5.9%
Pat runs a good store and is always willing to answer questions and share his knowledge. I've been going there since I started brewing and they always have what i need. I also really like that he sells an asortment of craft beers and i always find myself grabbing a sixpack or something. They are open and weekends and this really helps me since i usually can't make the drive through traffic to get there after work. I always return home vary satisfied with the product i get from Dr. Jeckyll's and the prices are fair. They do need a webstite, this might help inform people of the shop. It was though BA that i learned of Dr. Jeckyll's
May 23, 2008
Photo of SuperSpy
Reviewed by SuperSpy from Georgia

4/5  rDev -5.9%
This was the first homebrew shop I stepped into years ago, and is still my local go to places for equipment and ingredients. Pat is very knowledgeable, but a bit opinionated on what ingredients, techniques, etc. make the best beer, but then again aren't we all?

The store is in a great location and easy to spot from the street. There is a wide selection of ingredients, equipment and not to mention beer and wine that is sold on location.

My only complaint is that homebrew clubs can't hold meetings at the location if they want to bring their own brews. You also can't bring in a beer for the owner to taste and give you tips on how to improve your brewing. This of course is due to the on location beer and wine sales, which in their own way do contribute to the uniqueness of this shop.
Sep 25, 2006
Photo of assurbanipaul
Reviewed by assurbanipaul from Texas

4.3/5  rDev +1.2%
Been around for nine years and I never even knew of its existence until quite recently. Stopped by for a few odds and ends and found it one of the better homebrew shops in Texas.

Full equipment stock for brewing, winemaking, mead making and soda, including raw ingredients and some extract kits. Staff is extremely knowledgeable and has no problems with questions. They even stock and sell craft beer and a selection of wines on premise.

One thing I like is the fact that they have no equipment "kits" in stock. They are more than happy to put together equipment on the fly to your specs, printing out out a pick list you can customize. No need to spend an extra $10 on a VCR tape you don't want just because it's included in a factory-sealed box.

One thing I don't like is that they have no web page or Internet presence (I mean, it is the 21st century, isn't it?). Don't know if they have some philosophical problem with it or just aren't interested, but it sure would be nice to have an online catalogue or online directions.
May 22, 2005
Dr. Jeckyll's Beer Lab in Pantego, TX
Place rating: 4.25 out of 5 with 18 ratings