Texas.
The thought of hearing the very name of the Lone Star State conjures up images of folks in cowboy hats, driving pickup trucks and wielding shotguns to kill those God-awful rattlesnakes and copperheads. Things are just bigger there too. Because of that, the other saying comes to mind, “Don’t mess with Texas.”
I thought this way of Texas for the longest time. Then, a few years back, I attended a friend’s wedding in Dallas. I got to see another side of it: friendly people, great things to do with nature, affordable living and more. I’d fail miserably with this post if I didn’t mention the “wine shots” done at the wedding. Imagine full glasses of wine, but you down it like a shot. There’s your wine shot, folks.
With time, I got to experience other great Texas cities such as:
- San Antonio – The Riverwalk and The Alamo are great…not sure there’s much else to do there.
- Austin – Great craft beer town. Dell is there. College town. Can’t miss SXSW, the annual music, film & interactive conference held there.
- Houston – America’s 4th largest city. It’s so spread out. No zoning laws mean, theoretically, you could have a house next to a high-rise next to a funeral home. That’s kind of odd, but still a great city with plenty to do.
And it’s in Houston where folks could find The Beer Guy a few weeks ago. I had some free time and so I went onto Beermapping (future blog to follow on this – if you love beer, you should access this site) and looked at the Houston beer map of where I would be staying. Surprisingly, I only found 5 (yes, 5) craft breweries in town: Saint Arnold (Texas’ oldest craft brewery), Southern Star (I’ve had their Bombshell Blonde before), Buffalo Bayou and No Label Brewing (in nearby Katy).
Then, there came a brewery I hadn’t heard of that was close to the Galleria area of Houston, where I would be staying: Karbach Brewing Company. I took a look at their website and came to the following conclusions:
- These guys like beer.
- These guys like to have fun.
- I needed to meet them.
And sure enough, they welcomed The Beer Guy with a personal tour of the brewery as well as tastings of the selection of beers available. David Graham, who handles all social media and promotions for the brewery, was my contact.
I arrived at Karbach Brewing at 6 PM, located in an industrial park about 10 minutes north of the Galleria section of Houston. Over the next two hours, I was simply blown away by the sheer magnitude of this new brewery, which was completed in August 2011. There are quite a few fermentation tanks, with even more on order. All told, the employee count numbers 19 people making Karbach such a success. The beer is in 250 bars and 150 grocery/liquor stores…only in Houston! Why is this so astonishing? Because the beer is that good. Here’s their story…
Before opening up Karbach Brewing Co., owners Chuck Robertson and Ken Goodman (you need to hear this guy’s Bobby Knight impression – it’s spot on) sold the beer distributorship they founded in 1983. Because of antiquated liquor laws in Texas, specifically as they pertain to beer, there was no way, under state law, for them to open a brewery while operating the distributorship. Then what did they do? Oh, they just hired one of the best and most highly-regarded brewmasters in the country, Eric Warner. Eric spent time as brewmaster and chief executive at Flying Dog Brewery until 2008. For The Beer Guy, this Karbach Brewing story was just getting more and more impressive.
Just as Warner built a name for himself at Flying Dog, brewing beers such as Snake Dog IPA, Double Dog double pale ale, Gonzo Imperial Porter and Dogtoberfest Märzen under his watch, the same is now also being accomplished at Karbach with such beers as:
Weisse Versa Wheat (15 IBU/5.2% ABV)
Sympathy for the Lager (45 IBU / 4.9% ABV)
Hopadillo IPA (70 IBU / 6.3% ABV)
Rodeo Clown Double IPA (85 IBU / 9.5% ABV)
BarnBurner Saison (Seasonal)
Beers are available on tap and served in cans. According to Graham, distributing beer in cans serves three purposes:
- More Convenience (fits a more active lifestyle)
- Better for the environment (half the weight, more fuel efficiency for distributors)
- Cans protect beer from sunlight and provide a better seal from oxygen (= longer shelf life)
Fortunately, for The Beer Guy, he got to try all of them on tap…many of them with some of the Karbach workers who recently ended their shift. Unfortunately, for Life of Dad non-Houstonian readers, the beer is just in Houston…for now. With the growth plans and quality product Karbach has, keep an eye out on these folks. There will be more from these guys in the years to come.
All told, I had a fantastic time at Houston’s newest craft brewery. Some of those old stereotypes of Texas hold true with Karbach. First of all, don’t mess with Texas (beer…especially if it’s Karbach). And second, some things are bigger and better there, like the taste and satisfaction one gets from drinking a can of Karbach’s finest brews. And the main lesson learned and espoused at Karbach: There’s no reason to be pretentious. Let’s enjoy our beers together. After all, it’s a social drink to be shared with friends.
Karbach Brewing Co. friends, thank you for allowing me into your home and sharing your beer with me. I can definitely tell that the same thoughtfulness and sincerity you showed meare also identifiable in Karbach Brewing Co. beers. The collection of beers sampled during my evening tour with you all was simply outstanding. I can’t wait to hear more from you guys and continue to watch you grow, making great beers along the way. Cheers!
Want your own tour? Check this virtual tour out yourself, courtesy of Karbach. Or just go to Houston. Public tours are available Fridays and Saturdays.
About The Beer Guy – A dad, husband, friend and drinker of beer. I review & blog about it all on LifeOfDad.com, the premiere social networking website for Dads. The Beer Guy enjoys IPA’s and Pilsner’s, but will really try any kind of beer. You may disagree on some of his opinions. Let The Beer Guy know. Reviews are published on Thursdays. Blogging is done on Tuesdays. Read more here to learn about The Beer Guy, who he is and his beer rating methodology.
The Beer Guy, and Life of Dad, promote responsible drinking. Never drink and drive.