Visiting Houston? H-town Breweries Ranked

Discussion in 'Southwest' started by Bryan12345, Aug 31, 2016.

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  1. Bryan12345

    Bryan12345 Initiate (0) Mar 17, 2016 Texas

    Nothing more than a subjective categorizing from a single individual. All visited within the last year.

    Must visit:

    Saint Arnolds
    Karbach

    Try hard to visit:
    8th Wonder
    Saloon Door (League City)
    Southern Star (Conroe)
    Lone Pint (Magnolia)
    Brash
    Galveston Bay (Dickinson)

    Worth a visit:
    B-52 (Conroe)
    No Label (Katy)
    Texas Beer Refinery (Dickinson)
    Spindletap
    Buffalo Bayou

    Drop by if you're close:
    Copperhead (Conroe)
    Town in City
    Galveston Island (Galveston)
    11 Below (Cypress)

    Your thoughts?
    Did I miss any?
    Was this a waste of time? :slight_smile:
     
  2. TTUJohn

    TTUJohn Initiate (0) Nov 13, 2012 Texas

    I think it's more useful for Houston to group by area, then quality. For example, I liked Saloon Door when I went, but I was already nearby so I am not sure I would say "Try Hard to Visit" as a blanket statement for a place so far from downtown

    Otherwise, the only things I would argue with is Galveston Island being so low and Galveston Bay being so high.
     
  3. Can_has_beer

    Can_has_beer Initiate (0) May 14, 2013 Texas

    Can we have an Avoid category?:stuck_out_tongue:
     
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  4. ilikebeer03

    ilikebeer03 Pooh-Bah (2,616) Oct 17, 2012 Texas
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    Brash is must visit if you like IPA or stout. I'm really impressed with b-52 and would definitely put them in your try hard to visit.
     
  5. fbt

    fbt Initiate (0) Jun 16, 2015 California

    I like Huff, because its on my way home. Only open Friday evenings and it's way out in Bellville.
     
  6. donspublic

    donspublic Grand Pooh-Bah (3,552) Aug 4, 2014 Texas
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    Start that one, my interest is piqued.
     
  7. Bryan12345

    Bryan12345 Initiate (0) Mar 17, 2016 Texas

    I don't see why not. Who would you put as "avoid?"

    Off the top of my head I wouldn't say any Houston breweries are a waste of time. I've been to some pretty terrible Dallas/FW ones though :slight_smile:
     
  8. PhatAtUT

    PhatAtUT Savant (1,160) Jul 31, 2009 Texas

    left off:
    eureka heights
    city acre
    bakfish
    under the radar
    baa baa brewhouse.
    fetching lab
    back pew
     
  9. Bryan12345

    Bryan12345 Initiate (0) Mar 17, 2016 Texas

    Both are valid points IMO :slight_smile:

    Brash's Cortado is close to perfect. And yeah, B-52 is definitely a good time.
     
  10. Bryan12345

    Bryan12345 Initiate (0) Mar 17, 2016 Texas

    Yep. Also left off Texian. If the brewery doesn't offer some kind of tastings or a taproom, it's tough to rate them as a brewery experience (Texian is coming around to more standard Saturday hours, so I hope to get out there in the next couple weeks). The exception there would be Bakfish, which I straight-up forgot to include. I would put Bakfish in the same basket as B-52: borderline between "Worth a visit" and "Try hard to visit."

    Also, new breweries are popping up monthly, so my list will quickly become outdated.

    Thanks for your list. It puts a couple places on my radar screen that I wasn't aware of :slight_smile:
    Which ones on your list would you suggest I target first?
     
  11. Bryan12345

    Bryan12345 Initiate (0) Mar 17, 2016 Texas

    Huh. I was really impressed by Galveston Bay and really unimpressed by Galveston Island. But hey, your opinion is as valid as mine :slight_smile:
     
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  12. donspublic

    donspublic Grand Pooh-Bah (3,552) Aug 4, 2014 Texas
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    I think we can all agree to disagree that our taste and environmental likes are not the same. So I think it would behove us to rate these breweries in places and include text to state what we liked and disliked. For example some people want to hit a brewery that has great beer and could care less about the atmosphere and food that is going on around them, stating that in a review could go a long way in helping someone decide what they want to do. Something that you may not like at a brewery might not bother me. I guess my point is more to list what is located around an area and let an individual choose what they want to go to based on place reviews.
     
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  13. Can_has_beer

    Can_has_beer Initiate (0) May 14, 2013 Texas

    Which brings me to say that I was joking with the Avoid category. This site would become a shitshow if we all fling our opinions around.....
     
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  14. greenspointexas

    greenspointexas Pooh-Bah (2,075) Jan 16, 2011 Texas
    Pooh-Bah

    The only musts are Lone Pint, B-52, SA, Karbach, and Brash... For the beers alone

    For logisitcal reasons, some of those might not be viable.


    But for beer alone, those are the only breweries within 100 miles that have beers worth trying. Under the Radar might also be worth trying, as their initial lineup was pretty good
     
  15. donspublic

    donspublic Grand Pooh-Bah (3,552) Aug 4, 2014 Texas
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    Yeah conversation for another day. I guess I look at other regions and see what they say as the must hit breweries and I didn't always agree with them. So main thing is when we visit a place we should give a review, doesn't have to be detailed, but enough to give someone the general gist of what is going on. I hit up 4 breweries in Dallas and found that the 2 top ranked ones just didn't do it for me, the other 2 that were flying "Under the Radar" turned out to be places that I will go back to. But honestly I am lazy, not going to rate a place while I am there with family and friends, just need to be more diligent and go back and do so
     
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  16. Bryan12345

    Bryan12345 Initiate (0) Mar 17, 2016 Texas

    I liked Huff too. The word "quaint" comes to mind. If I recall, they had a decent orange-blossom brew...
     
  17. Beernerds

    Beernerds Crusader (411) Dec 7, 2011 Texas

    Eureka has taproom hours now, on Fridays and Saturdays.

    And, there's no s in Arnold.
     
  18. Monkeypuker

    Monkeypuker Initiate (0) Sep 4, 2013 Texas

    I would move copperhead to try hard to visit; move 8th wonder to worth a visit and put spindle tap in the avoid list.
     
  19. Bryan12345

    Bryan12345 Initiate (0) Mar 17, 2016 Texas

    Avoid Spindletap? Aw, c'mon. Nice facility, and Honey Hole is a good bitter IMO.

    I can see Copperhead as an up-and-comer. A couple buddies and I did a field trip to Conroe and did Copperhead, B-52, and Southern Star. (Proved to be just a bit TOO ambitious). Striker and Medusa are both really good.
     
  20. Bryan12345

    Bryan12345 Initiate (0) Mar 17, 2016 Texas

    Update:

    Worth a visit:
    Eureka Heights

    Drop by if you're close:
    City Acre
    Under the Radar
     
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