Austin Trip Inquiry

Wow,
I just wanna say thanks for everyone’s input in this thread. I’m headed to Austin on this Friday thru Monday. Huge help for places to look for. Thanks a bunch
If anyone wants to grab a pint or 5 on Friday around 3 hit me up
I see a lot of places are closed on Monday, my flight doesn’t leave until 6ish. Where’s a nice bar/brewery to go drink while waiting for my place?

Also, is Uber in Austin? Earlier in the thread it was mentioned that Uber wasn’t around and I would need some other rideshare?

 

Uber and Lyft are back, so that is not a concern.

Are you asking for place to go on Mondays? If so, Live Oak is open on Monday and they are across the street from the airport. Lazarus, Hops and Grain are also open if you are heading east from downtown heading towards the airport (Lazarus opens early, H&G tends to open around 10 or noon now,can't remember).

If on Friday, I don't know where you are staying, but there should be a lot open at noon or so.

 

I just want to second the Live Oak rec. Really great place with great beers...and pretty much right across 71 from the airport. Worth a stop on your way.

 

Awesome! Will definitely hit Live Oak and Lazarus on Monday.
I’m about 10 mins away from Pinthouse Pizza on S Lamar, heading there now.
I’ll reiterate, if anyone wants a pint, first one’s on me today

 

Depending on how traffic is down in that area, I may need one by the time I drive by there.

But, I got too far to drive to start drinking.

 

What time are you hitting Lazarus and Live Oak. I’m off Monday and that would be an excuse not to clean the garage!

 

In Austin right now.

Hit up Austin Beer Garden Brewing and Austin Beerworks yesterday. Enjoyed both, preferred ABGB definitely. Neither wowed me with one visit, but would happily revisit both.

Today, at Jester King. Had some of their bottled stuff from my time in Colorado and, honestly, never was much of a fan. That said, after this trip I am. Beer has been really good and love the actual brewery. When breweries talk about making a "destination" brewery, they should be taking a chapter out of Jester King's book.

 

Agreed. The only other brewery that Ive been to that has this same destination feel is Hill Farmstead. Both top notch.

 

So heading back home.

Got to hit up Live Oak before heading to the airport. Really liked them. Based on one experience with each spot, my rankings for the breweries I visited are:

Jester king
Live Oak
Austin Beer Garden
Austin Beerworks

All were enjoyable. If I lived here, I'd probably drink the most of Live Oak's beers.

 

Got around to updating this:

Overall, a good resource for all of the Texas brewery hours and a map that is mostly up to date is here.
Here is a weekly updated guide to beer events happening in Austin

Quick PSA to those visiting - in Texas, there is a distinction between brewery and brewpub that is often meaningless as to what the brewery looks like. Brewpubs allow for them to brew beer, sales to go, to drink on site, and to sell other people's beer. Breweries can sell beer to drink on site but never to go. For a shortened version of why places have a brewery license is often due to barrel limits, distribution constraints, and zoning. Brewpub license holders can be straight forward breweries (like Jester King) or more of the traditional brewpub like Pinthouse Pizza. Some have food, others don't. Some are just taprooms like you would expect a normal brewery to be. So, that is why some places can sell to go, and others cannot.

Austin, Texas
Must Hits

• Pinthouse Pizza - Known for their IPAs and barrel aged goodness. Two locations (north and south).
  
  
• Jester King - Farmhouse and sours. Probably the most widely known Austin brewery.
  
  
• Austin Beerworks - Wide range of craft beer with a heavily rotating tap list
  
  
• Hops and Grain - Another Austin staple with a good rotation of taps.
  
  
• Live Oak - German focused, one of the oldest (if not the oldest) craft brewery in Austin.
  
  
• St. Elmo - Good newer brewpub with a great foodtruck out back
  
  
• Oddwood - The ex-side project of Adelbert's brewer is now it's own place. Great saisons and have been nailing IPAs/Pale Ales
  
  
• Southern Heights - Just great all around beers with a heavy IPA focus.
  
  
• ABGB - You like lagers? Well, this is the place. It's won two best brewpub of the year awards at GABF for a reason.
  

Now, there is no perfect list here, but those would be a great start if you have limited time in Austin. All of them (minus Jester King) are open 7 days a week and make a wide range of beer.

Austin has over 60 breweries currently making beer in the greater Austin area. Wherever you are, you likely are not that far from a brewery. It may be easier to break down breweries by areas of town. They often are in clusters due to zoning laws, so, if you are at one, you may be around many more.

East Side - This is generally any place east of downtown that is relatively close to downtown still.

Zilker Brewing - going east out of downtown on 6th Street, this is the first place you'll hit. Their Coffee Milk Stout is probably one of their best core beers.

Lazarus Brewing - Basically a block further down 6th, they opened in December of 2016. This brewpub has a great interior, great tacos, and good coffee. Their beers are nothing to laugh at either.

Hops & Grain - Another mile or so down 6th, you run into H&G. It is listed above as what their focus is. Definitely more of a industrial taproom feel.

Blue Owl - South a couple of blocks, Blue Owl's sole focus is kettled sours.

Friends & Allies - Open in a complex with Austin Eastciders. They have a large outdoor patio, usually have a food truck and a growing taplist.

Oddwood Ales - Good taproom that has some pizza on site, along with their saisons and IPAs

Southern Heights - A little further east but worth the drive for their heavily rotating taplist (a lot focused on IPAs)

The Brewer's Table - High end restaurant that is brewing. Nicer place for a dinner.

Airport Area - This is sorta East Side, but further east. If you are leaving the airport, the first two are breweries right outside of it (like 2 minutes from the exit). NLand is the opposite direction about 10 minutes from the airport.

Live Oak - German focused, great outdoor beer garden, and beautiful building.

Hi Sign - Recently opened, so I cannot say much about them. They do want to get quite a few IPAs on tap, so there is that.

NLand Brewing - This is located in NLand surf park. Brewer has come from (closed) Lovejoys and Independence.

North Side - If you are staying downtown, there is a commuter train that can drop you off right near these breweries. Otherwise, uber/lyft equivalents. This area is actually really good to hit up 5 or so at once as they are all walking distance to each other.

Austin Beerworks - Again, listed above. Get Sputnik if it is around.

Adelbert's - Probably a 15-20 minute walk from Austin Beerworks (longest walk of this section), they are focused on Belgian influenced beers.

Celis - 5 minute walk from Adelbert's, the rebirth of the Austin classic. Go with the Wit.

Oskar Blues - 5 minute walk from Celis, it's Oskar Blues. Not much needed here.

4th Tap - 3 minute walk from OB, they do a lot of traditional American styles with slight twists on them. Nice taproom and A/C for those here in summer.

Circle - 7-10 minute walk from 4th Tap, they mainly have lower ABV beers. It also has a train stop right near them to start this tour if you want to do it backwards.

NXNW - Not walkable anymore, but a restaurant that has really started putting out better beers lately. The restaurant is a little more upscale, but there is a bar to sit in.

Black Star Co-op - Basically on a train stop one down from the rest of them (just off the platform), this member owned coop has great food and beer.

Pinthouse Pizza (North) - again, not walkable to the others, but you can catch an rideshare back to downtown from Austin Beerworks and stop by this place.

Draught House - More beer bar than brewery, they do have a great tap list and a couple of their own beers. 10-15 minute walk from Pinthouse.

The Brewtorium - Newer brewery and restaurant. Large space near the rail tracks and a worthwhile stop if you are in the area.

Downtown

Hold Out Brewing - Not quite open, leaving this as a placeholder in case I don't update

South (in the city still)

The ABGB - brewpub, pizza, and a large outdoor area. They won the brewpub of the year from the GABF in 2016.

Pinthouse Pizza (South) - further down the road, this one generally has more beer on tap of their own than the north location.

St. Elmo - New brewpub with a great foodtruck outside. Beers are nothing to laugh at either.

Skull Mechanix - Right near St. Elmo - focused on just good basic everyday beer. And they are nailing them.

Independence - Another older brewery, but they have expanded their pilot system lately and extended their hours.

512 - An Austin classic with their Pecan Porter.

Orf - Open on random Saturdays. Check their facebook.

Uncle Billy's - Just on the other side of the lake from downtown, this is one of the older brewpubs in Austin. They focus on BBQ and beer, they distribute some, but they have a good patio to have drinks on if you are going to Zilker Park.

Austin to Dripping Springs

Jester King - it can be 20 minutes to 45 minutes south of town depending on traffic. But it is worth it for their sour program. It is also on a large piece of land to relax on.

Last Stand - located 1 mile down the road from JK, I think this is one of the more underrated places in Austin for beer.

Treaty Oaks - distillery turned brewery as well, they only have limited beers at the time of this. But, like JK, have a beautiful space.

Suds Monkey - Smaller brewery in an industrial park. They had around 10 beers on tap the one time I went, could be worth a stop for a flight.

Twisted X - Located in Dripping Springs, they apparently have been starting to rotate taps more as well. Another great venue.

Acopon Brewing - English beer focused brewery in downtown Dripping Springs

Hitmaker Brewing - Not open yet at the time of writing but likely will be by the time I edit this.

Other areas South

Family Business - Really nice destination brewery with a solid lineup of beers. Brewer is from 512 originally, but is now working at this large operation. It has some actor money behind it, you may notice it from people who go out there hoping to see him.

Vista Brewing - Farm to table type restaurant and brewery. Some serious thought has been put into this place including an on site farm, great scenery, good food, and excellent initial beer offerings. Worth going to.

Two Wheel Brewing - If you find yourself in Buda, well, there is a brewery now.

Northern Suburbs

Whitestone - Brewpub in a strip mall but solid setup and usually some food trucks

Red Horn Coffeehouse and Brewery - Coffeeshop and brewery. What more can I say?

Bluebonnet - Small operation again

Rentsch - Way north in Georgetown, focused mostly on German beers

Flix Brewhouse - Movie theater and brewery

Flying Man - Open on weekends, Pflugerville's only operating brewery currently

San Gabriel Brewing - Yeah, they are open

Bull Creek Brewing - Not far from San Gabriel

West

Oasis Brewing - The best brewery views in Texas bar none. Located high above Lake Travis, you can get some spectacular sunsets with some great (mostly) session beers. Not to be confused with Oasis Restaurant in the same complex. You can skip the restaurant and eat at the brewery for cheaper and better food.

Strangeland - Small brewery that focuses on more old world styles

Infamous - Expanding taplist in their smaller taproom. Some outdoor seating

Frontyard Brewing - No taproom hours at the time of writing this

Bottle Shops

Whichcraft - Best in town. Two locations, one just south of downtown, one sorta north (but this one has 40 taps as well).

East 1st Grocery - east of downtown, a gas station bottle shop. Solid selection.

Sunrise Minimart - another gas station bottle shop but you have to go to the Anderson Ln location.

Any Whole Foods - downtown location is best if you are staying downtown

Beer Bars

Craft Pride - 60ish taps of Texas only beer on Rainey St.

Bangers - Over 100 taps right up the road from Craft Pride

Wright Bros Brew and Brew - just east of downtwon, this coffee shop and beer bar always has a great taplist

Draught House - listed above

Pinthouse Pizza - also, listed above. They both have a bunch of other taps other than their own

Hopfields - Campus area French inspired food with a good taplist

Waller Creek Public House - best place on "dirty" 6th for beer. Otherwise, get far away from "dirty" 6th. (Dirty 6th being between I-35 and Congress on 6th St. It is the college party street). If you go east of I35, it becomes more divey and there are some solid taps over there.

WhichCraft Mueller - Mentioned above as a bottle shop, but they also have a solid tap list.

FAQ
-How can I get to Jester King if I do not have a car?

Well, you can take a ride share, but there is no guarantee that you will be able to get one back. You could also take a taxi out there, but it will be even more expensive and again, no guarantee to get on back. There is also a beer bus that goes around to a set list of breweries, but that costs money and you are on a schedule. Your best bet may just be to rent a car for the day or find someone to drive you.

-Can I find Jester King bottles around town?

Yes, in short, you can. And also no, you cannot find them all. If you are looking for the more sought after fruited sours, those are JK only. If you want more of the standard bottles, then look at the main bottleshops listed above, they'll likely have some of the newer releases. They do everything in batches, so there is not a single bottle that is always on the shelf.

-I am only in town during the week, can I go to JK still?

No. You can, and they may have someone out there who may sell you a non-limited beer, but it is definitely frowned upon and not recommended. They definitely will not have taps open and you likely will be in their way.

-Can I take bottles out to JK and open them?

No. It is on their website. Just don't do it. They likely won't say anything to you, but it is frowned upon.

-Best brewery patios in town?

If you want nature, then JK, Last Stand, Hi Sign, Live Oak, Vista and Family Business. If you want urban patios, Lazarus and Oddwood have that.

-Which brewery is best with kids?

See the nature patio ones and take off Last Stand (less running around space). Those all have a lot of spaces to run and have fun. Other than that, pretty much every brewery is kid friendly during the day. There may be some that may not be great at night, (like maybe Lazarus just due to crowds).

 

great list.

Would add The Beer Plant and Easy Tiger and restaurants with strong tap lists.

Also 512 is only open on Saturdays. Big of the BA Pecan Porter.

 

I got my things against Easy Tiger and that they mostly just have regional craft beer that you can get anywhere...to me...that is not a great place for out of towners. If I am visiting, I would prefer a place like Banger's, Craft Pride, or Waller's over Easy Tiger.

Beer Plant, I have been there once, really no idea how their beer program is. I am open to adding that if people agree with that sentiment.

 

Agreed! I only send friends to Easy Tiger for the dang tasty sandwiches and atmosphere. $30 for a bomber of Colonel Toby = straight up highway robbery.