Pegasus City Brewery Readies to Open In the Design District

In 2011, Chris Weiss and Will and Adrian Cotten were home-brewers in The Cedars looking to create and perfect easy-to-drink beers for friends and family. In 2014, the three founded Pegasus City Brewery to bring their home recipes to the masses. After quitting their day jobs last year, the owners of Pegasus City Brewery are almost ready to open their Design District brewery and taproom to the public. With what they are calling five “porch-approved” beers, Pegasus City looks to make a mark in a crowded local market.

Located in the Design District in the former Vantage Shoe Warehouse, Pegasus City chose the spot after their initial plan to open in The Cedars fell through. That may be for the best, however, since the new brewery joins a neighborhood chock-full of the city's best: Peticolas, Noble Rey, Community and Texas Ale Project are all headquartered nearby.

Pegasus City has an eye-catching logo and an Art Deco aesthetic that nods to the Magnolia Building. The brewery features a small but economical taproom with fewer than 10 stools. Passing through the brewery, beer-drinkers will find a porch with a few patio tables and chairs.

Pegasus City hasn't set a firm opening date, but they have been hosting "Tiny Tap" tastings, open only to ticket-holders, which offer a three-beer flight of each brew in production, along with two pints of the customer's choosing. Eventually, Pegasus City plans to supplement their five flagship beers with seasonal offerings, but at the moment, three beers are on tap.

Sixth Floor, a porter with a great balance of coffee and chocolate flavors, will win over many drinkers. Cannonball, a heady beer at 7.2 percent ABV, has a strong aftertaste that is almost medicinal in flavor. Highpoint, a lighter "porch ale," tastes similar to a golden or blond ale. Highpoint is their best offering and is sure to become a crowd favorite.

Pegasus City's taproom may seem to be a bare-bones operation, but look for their brews to show up in bars and restaurants soon. At the moment, Checkered Past Winery in Southside on Lamar is the only place selling Pegasus City beer, offering the Sixth Floor porter on nitro.

As Pegasus starts spreading its wings across town, be on the lookout for the Highpoint, or stop by the brewery and meet the co-founders, all of whom will be working the bar and sampling their porch beers.

Pegasus City Brewery, 2222 Vantage St.