The Texas Beer Company may have closed its iconic watering hole at the corner of Second and Main streets Jan. 1, but last Saturday’s inaugural event at their new taproom at 1331 W. Second St. showed its community- crafting presence is as strong as ever.
Hundreds of people brought their family, friends, kids and even dogs to soak up the springtime sun, sip on craft beer, hear live music from Texas musician Brooke Graham, play cornhole and enjoy savory vittles from Hola Aloha and Davis Grocery & Barbecue at Texas Beer Company
( From left) Greg Stacy chats with Basilio Perry in the new indoor taproom, which used to store grain for the production facility.
Photo by Nicole Lessin Brewery & Biergarten’s Grand Opening Party March 4 at their production brewery.
“We are excited to have people back,” said Co-founder Megan Klein. “We missed having a tap room open to the public.”
Visitors checked out the new indoor taproom formerly used to store grain with comfortable seating, shuffle board, and a variety of TBC’s popular beers on tap, including Hop Rodeo Hazy IPA, as well as Local Blonde and K9 lagers.
Party goers also had an opportunity to hear TBC’s story and take a production-facility tour, which Klein said will be offered every Saturday at 3 p.m.
“These brewery tours are a good chance to learn about the process,” Klein said. “It is the cool thing about being here versus downtown.”
For the past few months, the new taproom has been quietly open on Saturdays as they “worked out the kinks” but will now be open every Friday from 4-8 p.m., Saturday from noon-8 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 6 p.m., Klein said.
“We are working on food, but for the short term, we encourage people to go to Randy’s (Ice House) next door,” Klein said. “We are working on a barbecue truck, but permitting has not gone through yet.”
In addition, TBC will continue to host events, including a crawfish boil April 15, and an anniversary party May 13, Klein
added. Longtime fan Ava Tune, who volunteers assembling variety packs for distribution in exchange for free beer, came out to the celebration with her friend and cousin, sporting earrings she crafts from TBC beer cans using pinking shears.
“I love beer,” Tune said. “They make good beer.”
But Tune said Texas Beer Company’s efforts in the community, including providing water to stranded residents during Winter Storm Uri and sponsoring K9s For Warriors, which provides service dogs for injured veterans in part through some of the proceeds from K9 Lager, also motivates her to come out and show her support.
“These are good people,” Tune said. “They are very active in the community.”
