Beer

Your Guide to American Craft Beer Week in Dallas (Updated)

It's American Craft Beer Week. For many of you, this means it's business as usual. For some of you, it's an excuse to imbibe in some craft beers all week long. The Brewers Association, a national non-profit group, created this "Mother of all Beer Weeks" to advance the beer culture and give beer geek ... More >>

One Year Out: An Interview with Jack MacDonald of Jack Mac's Swill and Grill

Jack Mac's Swill and Grill opened on Preston Road in North Dallas last year, right on the heels of the explosion in the local craft beer movement. Jack and Amy MacDonald's restaurant has a strong local focus that supports not only Texas breweries, but wineries and distilleries as well. The drinks ar ... More >>

Shock Top Sent Me $100 Worth of Swag and Two Awful Beers. That Sums Them Up Perfectly.

Yesterday I received a box full of suburban "camping" gear and a couple of sample beers from Shock Top, a package that stands as the perfect symbol of Anheuser-Busch InBev's utter contempt for and cluelessness about the culture of craft beer. Packed inside a shock-resistant SwissGear Synergy laptop ... More >>

State Senate Passes Craft Brewing Bills That Would Allow Expanded Sales

Earlier this week, the Texas Senate approved a family of bills dear to the heart of Texas craft brewers. The legislation lets brewpubs sell a limited amount of beer through distributors, while craft breweries will get to sell their products to consumers on-site. See also: - Public Hearing Set for C ... More >>

Craft Brewers Say People Really Like Craft Brews. Especially Canadian People.

Beer-drinkers across the globe are growing ever more thirsty for American craft brews, and more craft breweries are opening as a result, according to two not-remotely-unbiased reports from a craft-brew trade group. On Monday, the Brewers Association, which represents small and independent crafter b ... More >>

Craft Beer Bills On Their Way to Senate Floor, The Good and The Bad

Craft brewers had one week to reach a compromise with the Wholesale Beer Distributors of Texas (WBDT) regarding five pieces of legislation recently introduced through Senate Committee on Business and Commerce. Senate bills 515, 516, 517 and 518 were a set of bills carefully crafted after a year of w ... More >>

Dallas Senator John Carona Files Bill that Would Close a Tap for Craft Brewers

Recently we wrote about four bills Republican state Senator Kevin Eltife of Tyler introduced that would open new revenue opportunities for craft breweries around the state. As the law stands now, Texas requires a clear separation between those who make, distribute and retail beer in Texas. None of t ... More >>

A Texas Lawmaker Filed Four Bills Yesterday to Make Life Easier on the State's Craft Brewers

State senator Kevin Eltife, a Republican from Tyler, filed four bills yesterday that could breath new life into the craft beer industry in Texas. The legislation "will modernize laws that unfairly advantage out-of-state beer producers over Texas' small businesses of the beer industry -- craft brewer ... More >>

Budweiser Releases New "Black Crown"

Because we try to be equal opportunity beer people ... Budweiser has just announced a new beer called Black Crown. The story line goes that a year ago Budweiser sent memos out (presumably) to its 12 brewmasters to "envision their own unique version of one of the world's most iconic beers." Called " ... More >>

Holiday Gift Idea: A Craft Beer Mixed Six

On Wednesday the Beer Institute announced that the number of permitted breweries in the U.S. has reached an all-time high of 2,751, up from 2,309 in 2011. Not that we needed a stat to validate this craft beer resurgence, but it's reassuring nonetheless. "Resurgence", you say? Yes, our forefathers we ... More >>

The Best Foodie and Beerie Events of the Week (December 12-17)

Wednesday, December 12 The new bar and craft beer retailer, Craft and Growler (3601 Parry Ave.) is hosting a little gathering for Friends of Fair Park today. Dallas Mayor Mike Rawling's deputy chief of staff, Shawn Williams, will take 20 minutes worth of Q&A regarding the #GrowSouth Initiative at 6 ... More >>

A Chat with the Matt Leff of The Dallas Winter Warmer Beer Festival

Tapping into the burgeoning local craft beer scene, The Dallas Winter Warmer is a one-day craft beer festival on December 15 featuring some local and national craft brewers. See also: - The Dallas Craft Beer Guide - Rise of the DFW Brew Today I spoke with the architect of this event, Matt Leff of ... More >>

The Common Table Will Soon Stop Serving Horrible Beer

The Common Table enjoys a good reputation among local beer lovers for the ever-changing array of brews it offers. But in the next few days, that reputation stands to get even better for the beers it won't be pouring. "Starting next week, we will no longer be offering mass produced beer," owner Co ... More >>

The Rise of the DFW Brew

Free from the hangover of the '90s craft beer bust, Dallas' small brewers cheer another round of growth.

North Texas Beers: A Guide

Following North Texas' big win at the Great American Beer Fest, this week's cover story by Lauren Drewes Daniels profiles the rise of the DFW craft brew. To see what kind of growth we're talking about, Lauren's broken down each of the local brewers. Check it out below. Rahr & Sons Brewing Co. rahr ... More >>

Texas Brewers Win Big at Great American Beer Festival, including Peticolas and Rahr

Saturday was the conclusion of the 31st annual Great American Beer Festival in Denver, Colorado. This Super Bowl of beer competitions sold all 49,000 tickets in just 45 minutes when they went on sell back in July. This past Thursday through Saturday, 580 breweries poured over 4,300 different beers ... More >>

The Best Food Events for the Week (October 3 - October 9)

This weekend is the 4th annual Rib Rub and Run (say that three times fast) in downtown Rockwall. In addition to a 5K and 10K race, there's a rib cook-off and a People's Choice Award for chicken wings. Perhaps even more enticing - AVA, Bin 303 and Fatted Calf are all part of the food and beer garden, ... More >>

Roll Out the Barrel

City Inches Forward With Beer-Friendly Zoning Rules

Wouldn't it be nice if you had a magic wand you could wave and -- voila -- a keg or three of small-batch craft beer from a local microbrewery. The city of Dallas is working on its own version of the trick which, this being the city, happens in slow motion as it requires approval from several layers ... More >>

The North Texas Beer Festival Heads to Las Colinas, Gets Shunned by Deep Ellum Brewery

The North Texas Beer Festival is coming to that far- off convention center in Las Colinas. More than 200 beers will be available for tasting, organizers say, and 50 brewers will be featured at the event, including large-market brewers Samuel Adams, New Belgium and Magic Hat, and smaller breweries li ... More >>

New Brewing Company, Four Corners, Looks to Make it Easier to Open a Brewery

Yesterday Robert Wilonsky over at the Dallas Morning News (that feels like putting a shoe on the wrong foot) reported on a fast-tracked code issue aimed at easing restrictions on Dallas microbreweries. As it stands now, these small independent brewers are relegated to "heavy industrial" zones and in ... More >>

The Big Texas Beer Fest is Coming to Fair Park, and Sounds Like it Just Might Work

​Remember when a husband-and-wife team planned a beer festival in Fair Park and everyone was all excited about it but then it got canceled and everyone, aside from a few told-ya-so-sayers, was bummed? Well, once again, a husband-and-wife team is organizing a beer festival in Fair Park. And, wi ... More >>

My Favorite Beers of 2011

Here's what passes for my year-end list, 10 of the beers that really impressed me this year, listed in no particular order other than roughly reverse-chronological. It's late because I tend to do my heaviest drinking during the holidays. I wanted to be sure to include anything I tried up till midnig ... More >>

2011: The Year in North Texas Beer

​Has there been a better year for beer drinkers in North Texas, and particularly Dallas, than 2011? Not one that I can think of, for reasons enumerated in the awards below. My year's wrap-up isn't over. Coming soon are my favorite beers of the year and a run-down of the good and the bad in win ... More >>

Checking in on Dallas Beer Week

​Midway through the first official Dallas Beer Week, you could say things aren't quite going according to plan. But considering how loosely organized and sporadically publicized the week has been, that's not especially surprising, even if the cancelation of Saturday's Dallas Beer Festival is a big ... More >>

A Day by Day Guide to Dallas Beer Week

​Considering that I don't get paid by the word here on City of Ate, there is simply too much going on during Dallas Beer Week to list every event taking place this Saturday through the November 19 Dallas Beer Festival in Fair Park (which warrants its own post, coming soon). And that's not even tak ... More >>

Dallas Beer Week Vs. Meddlesome Moth: Drama in the Craft Beer World

​After the first Houston Beer Week last year, Houstonians Cathy Clark and Jay Rascoe (aka Guns and Tacos) decided Dallas needed its own week to celebrate craft beer as well, as we first told you back in February. Since then, the events planned for Dallas Beer Week, November 12 through19, have draw ... More >>

Oktoberbest 2011: Announcing the Winner of the Final Pour

Alexander Flores​We've finally beaten the Germans at their own game. That's the only rational conclusion one can draw from the results of Oktoberbest 2011, in which the lone Teutonic entry got its ass handed to it. Paul Hightower and Brian Brown, Craft Beer Examiners for Dallas and Plano, respec ... More >>

Recession-Proof Drinking: Taste Testing Three Off-Brand Beers

​Never in the dozen-plus years that I've been of legal drinking age have I seen beer as cheap as the $2.99 six-pack of Big Flats 1901 I espied at Walgreen's the other day. Not even the Schlitz, Natty Light or Beast we drank in college was that cheap. There was no way it could be good, but for 50 ... More >>

Oktoberbest 2011 Round One: Samuel Adams Speared By Harpoon, Paulaner Pounds Ayinger And More

We can only hope Hoppy The Clown brings as much drunken hilarity and pathos to The Common Table tomorrow as Shakes The Clown did to our VCR years ago.​The first round of Oktoberbest 2011 is halfway over, with a couple of surprising upsets and a couple of shocking, bit-spitting failures by favored ... More >>

The Luck of the Germans

Brewtopia, Beer Dinners, Oktoberfest and More Ways to Build Up Your Winter Beer Gut

Spaten will be among the beers available at Addison's Oktoberfest.​What with Central Market's Brewtopia beginning today, Addison's Oktoberfest starting tomorrow and several beer dinners planned for the rest of the month, there are enough brew events in the next couple weeks that your liver should ... More >>

Tigers Might Tap the Keg

The Full List Of Beers You Can Pour Out In Memory of Timbo

Here's to you, Timbo. RIP.​Timbo, the Dallas Zoo's oldest gorilla, died yesterday in surgery at the age of 49, and we're still bummed by the news. Even though we didn't know her personally, we still plan to mourn her the same way we've marked the deaths of friends, family members and celebrities a ... More >>

Texas Craft-Beer Consumer Advocacy Group Kicks Off Dallas Campaign Next Saturday

​After the bills supporting small breweries in Texas each died a slow, torturous death while being chipped away by compromise in the most recent legislative session, we drowned our sorrows, saddened to see our cynicism about the corporatocracy ruling our state proven correct once again, and tried ... More >>

Drinking Excuse of the Day: It's International IPA Day. Plus, More Beer Events.

​If you haven't checked your 2011 Calendar of Made-Up Food Holidays, today is International IPA Day. (It's also National Catfish Month, National Peach Month, National Water Quality Month and National Picnic Month, so consider that when deciding on food pairings with your IPAs.) We're on the fenc ... More >>

Belgian Independence Day Provides Yet Another Culture To Toast -- And A New Duvel Offering

You don't have to know who this guy is to enjoy Belgian Independence Day.​Like St. Patrick's Day, Cinco De Mayo and Bastille Day before it, Belgian Independence Day is gaining in popularity with revelers (beer drinkers, in this case) as an excuse a perfectly legitimate reason to toss back a few pi ... More >>

Why Texas' Craft Beer Bills Are Doomed, And Why They Would've Been Baby Steps Anyway

Daniel KramerMaybe it's a good thing HB 602 is doomed. Think how much longer the line for this Saint Arnold tour would be if guests could take beer home.​If you're a passionate beer drinker or state-legislation fetishist, you've probably read by now  that two of the House bills favoring Texas ... More >>

Discount North Texas Beer Festival Tickets, Craft Beer Week Updates and More from the Dallas Beer Scene

​American Craft Beer Week is fast approaching, so you'd better save your beer money. You can start by taking $10 off the advance price and $20 off the door price by buying your North Texas Beer Festival tickets today, as the event's Facebook page is offering admission to the Saturday festivities a ... More >>

Texas Beer Fest Announces Lineup, Moth to Release '07 Dogfish Head Brews, American Craft Beer Week And More

​May is shaping up to be an eventful month, beerwise. First off, don't forget about the Belgian Tea Party at The Common Table Saturday, May 14, or about the two previously mentioned festivals, the Spring Beer Festival noon to 10 p.m. Saturday at Flying Saucer on the Lake and the North Texas Beer F ... More >>

Peticolas Brewing Company Chooses Site, Requests Rezoning

From Peticolas Brewing Company's Facebook page​Michael Peticolas' microbrewery is a step closer to opening, as he applied March 14 for a zoning change to request the creation of "a new subdistrict that will allow for the manufacture of alcohol," according to the wording on his zoning change applic ... More >>

Houston Beer Lovers Plan Dallas Extravaganza

​The organizers of Dallas' first-ever Beer Week say the city's lack of microbreweries has proven to be a selling point in luring leading craft brewers here for the November event. "Because there aren't a lot of local breweries here, other breweries stand a chance," Cathy Clark explains. "Brew ... More >>

Peticolas Brewing Company Sets Sights On Dallas Location

​Deep Ellum Brewing Company looks to be on pace to be the city's first non-brewpub microbrewery, but it may not be the only one for long. Attorney and homebrewer Michael Peticolas was looking into investing in a new brewery in another city. Yet the more he investigated, the more he wondered why Da ... More >>

Beers Of The Year

Don't criticize it.​Overall, it's been another great year for beer, at least from my perspective here in North Texas. If I didn't suspect reader list burnout, I could probably do another top 10 piece on the best developments of the past year, and even another on things I'm most looking forward to ... More >>

Deep Ellum Revival Soon To Include City's First Microbrewery

​The passing of two wet/dry propositions yesterday isn't the only good news for local beer lovers. Deep Ellum Brewing Company, Dallas' first microbrewery, is on course to open by April or May of next year. In fact, owner John Reardon just had his final conference call with suppliers earlier this m ... More >>

To Drink Beer is Divine: St. Arnold Releases
Its English Barley Wine

​This is officially old news in Houston, but Dallas drinkers have been surprisingly quiet on the topic of St. Arnold Brewing Company's Divine Release No. 10. The Houston brewery annually releases an English barley wine, tweaking the recipe each year. It arrived at major groceries and select p ... More >>

For Experimental Beer Flavors, We're Callin' In Twisted Pine Brewery

All photos by Jesse Hughey​Though you may not have known it, as the brewery's products are carried by fewer than 20 retailers and pubs in the area, Boulder, Colorado's Twisted Pine Brewery has made its way into North Texas. In Dallas, you can find Twisted Pine brews at Pogo's, Trinity Hall or the ... More >>

Celebrating Belgian Independence At The Ginger Man, Ranking Urthel Hop-It And Le Merle Saison

Jesse HugheyUrthel Hop-It Belgian IPA​Just as the hot summer months inevitably result in a spike in crime stats, something about the July heat must make people get the urge to collectively rise up against their oppressors. Not only is our own country's independence celebrated in July, but the Fren ... More >>

Field Report on Alaskan Brewing Company, Plus A Saint Arnold Cask Tapping Tonight

All photos by Jesse HugheyAlaskan Barley Wine Ale​Remember last week, when I wrote about how porters and barleywines weren't especially appealing this time of year because of the heat? Well, they suddenly become rather inviting when it's rainy and cloudy with a cool breeze and temps are in the 50s ... More >>

Come On, Get Happy! We've Found 50 Local Bars That Will Help You Do Just That.