Celebrate fall with a craft beer
The crinkle of leaves and the cooler weather spark celebrations across eastern Williamson County. What better way to honor the arrival of fall than with a locally made brew?
As eastern Williamson County welcomes new businesses and residents, some are branching out and pursuing their dream of brewing craft beers.
Hutto, especially, is a hotbed for local brewing, as two independently owned brewers opened in the last two years, with a third coming in for a landing soon.
Another just debuted in mid-October in Granger.
Rockabilly Brewing
From a container bar in spring 2023, Rockabilly Brewing in Hutto has evolved into a destination for beer aficionados. Everyone is welcome, from those on a doggy date to families to hard-core brew hounds.
“We want to be a space where artists can come and enjoy live art, where families can bring their kids and still enjoy craft drinks, where locals can go for a relaxed outing instead of a stuffy, corporate environment. We like to think we offer something very unique to the area,” said co-founder Brandi Calhoun.
Perched above Brushy Creek and overlooking Brushy Creek Amphitheater, Rockabilly Brewing offers a selection of draft and canned beer. It serves its own brand and local favorites from Taylor’s Texas Beer Co.
“Our Tangerine King started out as a summer seasonal, but it was so well received that we decided to keep it as one of our core beers,” Calhoun said. “With blends of citrusy brightness and smooth creaminess, accompanied by subtle hints of vanilla, this light ale is perfect for any season.”
According to Calhoun, another mainstay is the 8-Second Amber with notes of caramel and a slightly sweet and nutty flavor.
For the fall beerdrinking season, Rockabilly Brewing will serve its maple bourbon porter and possibly a honey java cream ale.
“Made with real maple syrup, this winter beer is one of our favorites to make. The honey java cream ale is exactly as it sounds. Made with local roasted coffee and local honey, it’s like drinking your morning cup of coffee,” Calhoun said.
For those who want a bite to eat while visiting the brew site, food truck BBQ Fiends is open Thursday, Friday and Saturday serving brisket, pork spareribs, turkey and craft sausage links. Look for specials such as the Brisket Elote Cup.
WHERE AND WHEN: Located at 1133 CR 137, Hutto. Open 3 to 10 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday, 3 to 11 p.m. Friday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday.
Power brewing project in Hutto
When a hobby outgrows your house, it’s time to take it on the road. David Power started homebrewing beer about 10 years ago when he purchased his first basic beer-brewing kit.
After buying a house in Hutto in 2018, he saw an opportunity to turn his passion into a business as the area experienced exponential growth. Like many entrepreneurs, Power started in a different profession — an electrical engineer. Following a hunch and his passion for beer, Power Brewing Project threw on the lights earlier this year.
“I wanted to give it a unique electrical, engineering and tech theme, seeing that this area is a major tech hub,” said Power.
According to the owner, Power Brewing Project’s vibe is laid-back and casual. The taproom offers a more intimate setting where Power can visit with customers and share the Power Brewing Project story.
The go-to beer is the American lager, which Power calls “the gateway beer to craft brewing.” The Power Brewing Project’s hefeweizen offers notes of banana and clove.
“I love all my children. I really like our hefeweizen,” said Power of his beer.
For the fall beerdrinking season, Power Brewing Project serves several options.
“The Festbier is a malt-forward beer brewed with a combination of Pilsen, Vienna and Munich malts. It is lighter-bodied and less heavy than a Marzen beer,” Power said.
For winter flavors, the schwarzbier is a German-style dark lager with notes of coffee and chocolate. The oatmeal stout is another wintertime brew.
“The schwarzbier is a dark color without being super heavy,” Power said. “The oatmeal stout is an American-style stout with flaked oats. For later in November and December, we have an English porter, a darkbrown ale with chocolate and dark caramel flavor and a black IPA, basically a West Coast IPA but with a dark, roasted coffee flavor.”
WHERE AND WHEN:
Located at 3333 CR 119, Suite 130, Hutto. Open 4 to 9 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday, 3 to 11 p.m. Friday, 2 to 11 p.m. Saturday and 2 to 9 p.m. Sunday. The outdoor seating is dog friendly.
Texas Brewing Co.
A constant favorite in eastern Williamson County, the Texas Beer Co. brews up a seasonal beer annually. From H-E-B to its brewery on Second Street in Taylor to bars across the region, TBC sets the stage for a fall-inspired Oktoberfest.
According to Megan Klein, co-founder, the 2024 Oktaylorfest brew featured the traditional Marzen lager rather than the light Golden Festbier.
“It is maltier and more amber in color,” Klein said.
The beer is available Friday through Sunday at the tap room in Taylor from fall through winter.
According to Klein, H-E-B and other retailers carry it in cans from mid-August until it sells out, usually in late October.
“This year, Cork and Barrel and the Salt Lick location in Round Rock will have it on tap, as well as several other bars around Central Texas,” she added.
WHERE AND WHEN: Located at 1331 W. Second St.,Taylor. Taproom hours are 4 to 8 p.m. Friday, noon to 8 p.m. Saturday and 2 to 8 p.m. Sunday. It frequently hosts food trucks and live music.
Just opened — Granger City Brewing Co.
The new kid on the block is the revitalized Granger City Brewing Co., which celebrated a ribbon cutting Oct. 18 in the space that used to house the original Granger City Brewing Co., which closed in July 2021.
The new owners are Natalie and Todd Coporon., the latter a volunteer firefighter.
In March, the couple bought the 1905 property, which includes a wall space to showcase Granger’s history.
WHERE AND WHEN:
Located at 109 W. Davilla St., Granger.
Coming Soon: Cottonwood Creek Brewery
New to the Hutto beer scene, Cottonwood Creek Brewery is in the final stages of construction in the Hansen’s Corner shopping center.
According to coowner Zach Delmonico, the brewery will be family owned and family friendly and offer craft cocktails, mocktails and a food menu in addition to its craft beer.
WHERE AND WHEN:
Located at 610 U.S. 79 South, Hutto. Slated to open in late 2024.
