The Texas Hill country has a reputation. Not only are we known as the bad boys of barbecue, we have set tongues wagging (and knees quaking) in Napa with our blossoming wine country. While other places follow the trends, the Hill Country sets them, emerging as innovators whether it's in music, food, architecture or culture. So it's no surprise that the Hill Country is already in the thick of yet another brew-haha - the craft beer scene.
Visit the beer aisle and you at first might be pleased by the large selection, from both basic canned pilsners to cleverly labeled seasonal ales. You may be surprised to learn, however, that despite an appearance of abundant variety, most beer is actually produced by a tiny handful of major corporations. Anheuser-Busch, for instance, controls over half of all beer sales in America. Thankfully, just as consumers are increasingly concerned about the pitfalls of mass-produced products, concurrently they're becoming aware that the beer they've consumed for too long has little in common with the centuries-old true craft of brewing. It's no surprise, therefore, that with a community known for its dedication to quality and support of local artisans, the Hill Country is already home to a number of thriving and emerging craft breweries.
Real Ale Brewing, in Blanco, TX, has been brewing hand-crafted ales since 1996. What began as three ale-styles brewed in a basement has grown into a state-of-the-art brewery capable of producing 30,000 barrels a year of a variety of ales and lagers. Widely available at both restaurants and stores, Firemans #4 Ale is one of Real Ale's most well-known brews, while their popular Rio Blanco Pale Ale garnered a Gold Medal at the 2010 Great American Beer Festival. Real Ale also brews a number of seasonally-appropriate beers, such as the warming Sisyphus Barleywine for winter, and the summertime-crisp Lost Gold IPA.
Celebrating its grand opening on Jan. 29, Jester King Brewery is the latest of the new breweries on Hill Country Texas land. Hoping to eventually also host tours and events, the paint is barely dry at the recently built brewery, but the beer has already begun flowing. Most recently, they celebrated their first bottling day, filling about 1,600 bottles of their Black Metal Imperial Stout. One of the qualities which sets Jester King apart from other breweries is its dedication to cultivating for their beer a naturally-occurring Hill Country yeast strain, imparting everything that is best about the land -- making this beer literally home-grown.
Opening soon in Johnson City, TX is the eagerly anticipated Pecan Street Brewing. Unlike a brewery, this business will function as a brewpub, making and selling its own brew out of a restored restaurant. Conceived and developed by a father and son team, the pair plan to open their brewpub with a lighter menu of brews such as blondes, pale ales and ambers, expanding to seasonal offerings as the business grows.
One of the affects of a growing craft beer scene is not just emerging independent breweries but an explosion in area home-brewing hobbyists. On top of easy access to the well-known Austin Home Brew Supply store for ingredients and supplies, home brewing is popular enough in the area to support multiple hobby clubs, such as the Hill Country Homebrew Club, the Hill Country Beer Club, and the Zealots, which in addition to providing support and sponsoring events for members, hosts the annual Homebrew Inquisition, a local beer competition for home brewers.
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