Heading to Austin, TX

Work is sending me off to Georgetown, TX which is just north of Austin. Any suggestions for breweries I should check out?

Georgetown is north of Austin. Check out NxNW just off of MoPac and 360.

If you can survive the traffic-locked IH-35 corridor from Georgetown to Austin there a re a few places. We have two of my favorite brewers, across their product line, with Independence Brewing in south Austin www.independencebrewing.com and Live Oak brewing right downtown www.liveoakbrewing.com.

For in-house brewing try north downtown at the Draught House http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/4858/?view=beerfly&sort=latest&start=10. One of my favorite brewpubs was the Bitter End which, after a fire and rent issues, eventually closed down. However, the master brewer moved down to a new barbeque restaurant near the river and is back to brewing killer beers at Uncle Billy's www.unclebillysaustin.com. Try to make the special one-time kegs on the 1st Tuesday of each month.

If you like a place similar to Gordon Biersch, you might want to try NXNW (North by Northwest) in north Austin www.nxnwbrew.com and ther's BJ's diwn in far southwest Austin.

Finally, you didn't asked about beer pubs but let me suggest at least two: The Flying Suacer www.beerknurd.com and Opal Divine's www.opaldivines.com (the atmosphere in the downtown location is great, I hang at the Penn Field south location, but I'd skip the north location). Note also that Opal Divines has proabbly the best single malt selection in Austin as well as vodka.

Slainte

Thanks for the informative reply. I am in Austin for my first full day today. Everyone here is telling me to check out 6th street tonight, but I am not sure if its what I am looking for. I really want to go somewhere that I can sit down and have a good beer. Everywhere in Round Rock seems to only serve Bud. If you were me, which place would you goto tonight knowing that this might be your only free night in Austin area?

Oc course it depends what else you are looking for as a complement to your beer. Single-beer pub hopping -- Starting from the north side, I'd hit NXNW for half off appetizers early munchies. Move down to Flying Suacer just to enjoy it (there also some good eateries in the Triangle like Mama Fus and Mandola's Italian). If you just want to try some good local beer, go to the Draft House (no food -- to speak of). Not much else in the neighboorhood.

Still looking? Head for Opal Divine's on west 6th (next to Katz's all-night deli). There's plenty aright around Opal's and as you head east you run into the warehouse area music and food (Antone's - Blues), Fado's, Cedar Street (jazz). Further east is Elephant Room (jazz on 4th street) on Congress Ave and 6th east of Congress is an area you'll just want to walk around and pop in and out of places. Lot of university students frequent this area so might not want to stay to late....

One place? Hmmm... I'd go Opal's just because of all the choices afterward for a visitor. If you like scotch or vodka, they have extremely knowledgable staff in upstairs scotch room.

I ended up hitting the Draught House and it was definitely the right choice. I tried the house porter on cask and it was delicious. Thanks!

Jared311 said:

I ended up hitting the Draught House and it was definitely the right choice. I tried the house porter on cask and it was delicious. Thanks!

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Glad you enjoyed it. Since it's all about the local beer , you'll have to give Uncle Billy's a try also. You'll find it's well worth it.

~Buck