I am planning a trip to Austin this year and I am looking for excellent beer experience recommendations. If there is a great beer festival I am interested. If there is a can't miss beer bar or brewery tour I am also interested. I know this is a little vague, but I am looking for a worthy beer experience to plan my trip around.
The best festival in town, IMO, is the Texas Craft Brewers Festival, which is held in October every year (I dont have an exact date on the 2013 event yet, but always October). Pretty much all of the major TX breweries are represented, and almost universally they all bring one-offs and stuff that hasnt been released yet, so you get to try awesome stuff. As for tours, Jester King, Austin Beerworks and Hops & Grain are "must do" for me, but there are lots of other good ones too. Best bars are, IMO, Draught House, Bangers, Craft Pride, Pinthouse Pizza, Black Star Co-op and Whip In. I've been working on a spread-sheet of Austin beer info. The link is HERE. Its not complete, and its a lot of information, but it might be a good place to start.
Banger's and Craft Pride are two new beer bars that are pretty good. Banger's has great food. Pinthouse Pizza is a very good new brewpub. For the goodies but oldies check out Draught House, Gingerman, Uncle Billies, and Wipin. Definitely check out Wipin. A mix of a store, beer bar, brewery, and awesome Indian Fusion food. If you are there on the weekend, and can travel a bit, Jester King does their Saturday tour. A great location in hill country. I am sure the Austin locals will chime in as well...
All of the others are good suggestions but depending on where you are located in Austin, I really enjoy Black Star Co-op (it was close to where I was working when I was in Austin).
Jester King out on the far west edge of town is certainly a must if you are around on a Saturday. Draught House is my favorite bar in town. Black Star is a great place for some beers and grub. One of the great things about Austin is that just about anywhere you go in town you will find at least a couple of local beers available.
The list kmello provided is great. All I can do is to reaffirm my love for Draught House as the best bar around, and agree that JK is a really great tour. EDIT: Oh, and if you're around in October: Draught House will be having their 45th anniversary party (on the 22nd-ish, iirc?), which you wouldn't want to miss.
Ken, for your list: They're opening a new, much bigger Wheatsville Co-op next month on S. Lamar, right behind Pluckers near 71/290. Got a feeling they're gonna have a great selection. EDIT: Just took a look at their web page and the opening date got pushed to July due to permitting issues (in Austin? Imagine that!). Doh.
Thanks for the recommendations and the great spreadsheet. It will probably be around July when I am there so the fall beerfests are out.
Austin in July? You're a brave man. Prepare to sweat. Let me know if you need more info when the time gets closer.
A list that I had made previously. Austin Brewery Tours: Circle - Random and no set schedule 512 - Every other Saturday in general...$10 for pint and pours - RSVP -http://www.eventbrite.com/org/980013407?ref=eorgbtn Independence - First Saturday of each month - $10 for pint and pours - No RSVP Hops and Grains - Every Friday (2-6) and Saturday (12-4) - $10 for pint glass and 5 or 6 half pours - No RSVP Thirsty Planet - Every Saturday (11-2) - $7 for pint and 3 pours - RSVP -http://www.thirstyplanet.net/brewery-tours/# Jester King - Every Saturday (1-4) - $10 for glass and 6 half pours - No RSVP Adelberts - Every Friday (5-9) - $10 for pint and 3 pours - No RSVP Austin Beerworks - Every Friday (5-8) - $10 for pint and 3 pours - RSVP -http://www.eventbrite.com/org/1917556589 Twisted X - Not so often but they do things randomly Rogness - Every Saturday (1-4) - $10 for pint and 6 half pours - RSVP - http://rognesstours.whindo.com Live Oak - twice a month on Sundays(12-3) - $10 for pint and 3 pours (could be mistake, its been awhile) - requires RSVP -http://www.liveoakbrewing.com/tour/ South Austin Brewery - Every Sunday (12 or 1-5) - I am guessing $10...never been there for a pay event, just for free Other Austin Area Breweries: Real Ale - Fridays - 4-7? - No RSVP Perdenales - Fredericksburg Ranger Creek - San Antonio New Braunfels Brewing Company - NB Guadalupe Brewing Company - NB Branchline - San Antonio Austin Area Brewpubs Black Star Draughthouse Flix Whip In Pinthouse Pizza Flying Saucer NXNW Uncle Billy's Barber Shop (Dripping Springs) Wimberley Brewing Company (Wimberley) Middleton (Wimberley) Bastrop Brewhouse (Bastrop) Faust - NB Pecan Street Brewery (Johnson City) Double Horn (Marble Falls) The Granary (San Antonio) Freetail (San Antonio) Blue Star (San Antonio) Fredericksburg Brewing Company (Fredericksburg) Austin Area Beer Bars Gingerman Flying Saucer Bangers Craft Pride (but I think it'll open at the end of Feb) Chicago House Workhorse Hi Hat Hopfields Opal Divines Red's Porch Westside Alehouse (RR) PBK Stems and Steins (Pflugerville) The Dig Pub (Cedar Park) Austin Area Bottle Shops East 1st Grocery (Chicon / Cesar Chavez) Sunrise Mini Mart (Anderson Ln) South Lamar Wine and Spirits (South Lamar) Live Oak Market (Manchaca south of 71) Hyde Park Market Whip-In Wholly Cow Burger Wheatsville Coop Hamricks (Cedar Park) Any Whole Foods Any Central Market Most Specs (Especially Brodie, Arbor Walk, and Airport) Big H-E-Bs (Hancock, Brodie) Twin Liquors (Hancock)
