False Idol Brewing Is a Testament to Grit and Great Beer

When the pandemic hit in 2020, many businesses were forced to close their doors. But after years of planning, False Idol Brewing's founder, Dominique Van Ausdall, and his team were determined to ride out the storm, and they opened the brewery's doors that spring.

False Idol’s name came from a beer-naming contest in 2016 at 903 Brewers in Sherman. A couple of years later the idea took root and Van Ausdall put together a business plan overnight. Despite having a leased space at the end of 2018, the brewery endured contractor delays that delayed the opening. Then, the world shut down.

“Until you get to the point of opening the doors, time just kind of slows down and crawls,” Van Ausdall says. “Once we were able to finally open our doors to the public, COVID was running rampant, and we had to adapt quickly if we wanted to make it.”
That they opened during the pandemic and not only survived but have carved out their own place in the North Texas beer scene is something Van Ausdall is most proud of.

“It was nerve-wracking, but both us and Vector Brewing down in Lake Highlands had been planning on opening for the better part of a year. While it wasn’t ideal, the pandemic really shaped how we operate now,” he said. “We learned how to run so thin with our staff that we almost don’t know what to do with our hands now that things have kind of normalized.”

The beer selection at False Idol is balanced. It’s easy to specialize in one style, but it’s hard to find a place that has something for everyone. Van Ausdall says he wants to be known for an all-around selection but picks stouts as the standout offering. Other tap choices include the ever-present Northeastern IPA that nearly every successful brewery now offers, a handful of lagers for the traditionalists and a couple of sours and ciders. There are also some non-alcoholic options like Terp 2-0, a botanical sparkling water.

We started with Crispy by Nature, a true-to-its-name Czech-style pilsner perfect for the summer heat that has been ravaging North Texas.

Next up was the New England IPA, Three Sword Style, which has an orange haze that you expect from that style; it delivered on flavor without being too hoppy.

Finally, we finished with one of the brewery's newest stouts, Helm of Awe. Before it got into our hands, this stout was barrel-aged between 14 and 17 months in Woodford and Heaven Hill bourbon barrels. Aging a beer for that long takes patience, but after trying a pour ourselves, we believe Van Ausdall and his team may be on the way to taking the title for best Texas stout.

Though False Idol had to play the long game when it came to opening the brewery and taproom, the perseverance paid off. False Idol is a great addition to the North Texas beer scene that was worth the wait.

False Idol Brewing, 7924 Maplewood Ave., North Richland Hills. Sunday – Thursday, 11 a.m. – 10 p.m.; Friday – Saturday, 11 a.m. – 11 p.m.