Places in Austin

http://beeradvocate.com/beerfly/city/30

http://beeradvocate.com/beerfly/list?&c_id=US&s_id=TX&city=Austin&sort=name&sort=rating

 

Breweries: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet...huejhCSDZ5TllveFZsX0toTXc&usp=drive_web#gid=0

 

Been to Austin once, headed back next week for the race. We hit a # of bars but only 1 stood out - Gingerman

http://aus.gingermanpub.com/

We'll be back there again.

 

I do not recommend this. It is an OK bar but there are much better ones. Try Craft Pride, Draughthouse or Bangers over this.

 

Bangers is on the list for this trip, and CraftPride looks good as well (but their web site blows!). Not sure about Draughthouse as it's not within walking distance of the hotel

How's the cab service in the city?

 

Cab service is fine. Within walking distance of that area you can also try Chicago House and Easy Tiger. HiHat is probably far enough you'd need to taxi as well. You can take the train to Black Star Co-Op from downtown too.

 

What area will you be in? Austin is a big city, and there are good spots all over.

 

If you have no car, then just do craft pride/bangers/chicago house/Hi Hat. Gingerman is decent as it has some good beers, but it is never a place I recommend to people visiting town as it is not the best.

As far as Craft Pride goes - it is 56 taps of only Texas beer. It is a nice bar with a nice patio and a great pizza food truck out back. The bartenders know their stuff as well. It is right next door (or 3 houses down) from Bangers.

Getting a taxi downtown should not be an issue at all, but, it really is not that far of a walk from 6 street anyways.

If you are in that area, check out Hops and Grain taproom. It is down on east 6th street (maybe worth a short taxi) and it has some great stuff (their hours are on the spreadsheet I posted earlier in this thread). Hi Hat is a 5 min walk from them as well.

 

Thanks for all the advice!

We'll have a car, but if we're hitting bars, know that driving home won't be an option. (though driving drunk is the offical state pastime in WI) We're staying just over the bridge on Congress and will probably keep the walking within a mile or 2.

 

Then Rainey Street (Craft Pride/Bangers) should be a good option.

 

The Austin train is a damn joke. Multiple buses can get you near/adjacent to Black Star more frequently and on weekends. The 1M/1L and maybe 101 get you adjacent.
This isn't directed at you, I just loathe the Austin train. Designed by idiots.

 

Never taken it. Just know it goes there, but might not at all be convenient.

 

If Hi Hat's not too far out of the way, you might consider getting a cab to Live Oak Brewing to start an evening, moving on to Hops & Grain Brewery, and then either finishing up the night at Hi Hat or walking from there to Chicago House.

Obviously it's too late to do this tonight, but if you started on Rainey Street (as you should) this is a good way to approach tomorrow.

 

It's also designed for people who work bank hours... not for service industry types. I have 2 friends that work for UT and live in Leander... it works perfectly for them, lol.

The main reason for this is that it runs on shared tracks w/ the freight/Amtrak trains and can only run for certain hours of the day. They didn't actually build anything but the stations and updated a few crossings.

 

Live Oak isnt really open that much. They have random Saturdays at noon that you have to RSVP for but that is about it....

 

Very interesting to see how those guys do their thing though, if you can. Giant dairy tanks for fermenting and a cold room that Chip built definitely give the place a very DIY feel. Excited to see what they are able to do with the giant new space they're putting together.

I'll echo what everyone else is saying, Rainey St. is a great place to goto especially if you are with someone who isn't particularly a beer nerd. The close proximity of Banger's and CP has caused all of the bars on the street to have decent taps for the most part. Rent yourself a bike and head on down to Hops & Grain on E 6th, and then grab some food from Hi Hat or Gourmands. Salt & Time is another nice east side spot that always has decent beer on and great food.

 

Train is fine if you live north lol

and you can literally take it to the front door of black star coop.

 

Good to know ... Todd and I will be out there starting tomorrow for a few days. No real plans yet but we've been leaning towards Draughthouse & Bangers. Will put Craft Pride on the list if we have time.