best beer bars in Austin

[PVH]

I'll be in Austin this week and I want to check out the best beer bars. I went to The Ginger Man last time. What else should I try?

 

[509inc]

Opal Devine's is always a good time.

 

[DonutMuncher]

If you liked the Ginger Man, I also recommend the Flying Saucer. There's one on Lamar Blvd. and 47th street (just north of the Univ. of Texas campus).

It is similar to Ginger Man, in that they have around 200 beers you can try from all over the U.S. (and some imports too). It's a cool atmosphere, and you'll see people's "Saucers" mounted all over the walls and ceilings. These people joined the Flying Saucer club and achieved their status by sampling over 200 different beers.

I wish I could offer more - I went to school there in Austin and had a blast, but I spent pretty much all of my drinking days downtown on 6th street. Great atmosphere, but lacks anything in the way of drinking quality craft brews.

 

[D_Ranged_Eskimo]

There's Black Star Coop up in the northern side of the city (Pflugerville/Georgetown Area) Flying Saucer, BJ's. I've never done the Coop or Gingerman, but heard that both are great.

There are a couple of spots in San Marcos (Dark Side Fermentation), a brewpub in New Braunfels (name slips me at the moment) and there is Free Tail Brewing Co in San Antonio. Those might be a little hike for you depending on where you are at.

Unfortunately, TABC doesn't allow sales at breweries, and most of the tours are on Saturday morning/afternoons, so it's a taphouse or bust.

 

[rhamilton]

#1: Draught House (They have spreadsheets dammit! SPREADSHEETS!)
#2: Ginger Man (pure selection)
#3: Opal Divine's (Goes to #1 if you like premium booze too), also try their Urban Bubba Burger
#4: NxNW / Black Star -- good food and some hit and miss house brews.
#5: Flying Saucer -- Everyone raves, I don't see it. Good food, good beer, but the wait kills all. Maybe I'm just an alcoholic but waiting 15+mins for a beer makes me angry.

Don't bother with BJ's, it's a chain with decent beer

 

[imaragingbull]

Yep draught house #1 although out of downtown

Gingerman a close 2nd

Many bars around university will have a good-ok craft selection

You can get some craft beer on tap at Shakespeare's on 6th if you find yourself downtown/in the area.

Also south east on interstate whip-in panini craft beer on tap and bottle shop

Commenting as a tourist, but thoroughly enjoyed my time in Austin

 

[PVH]

Thanks for the suggestions. I won't be venturing outside of Downtown/UT area but there seem to be plenty of choices.

 

[rhamilton]

Also http://www.unclebillys.com/bs-landing/

 

[kellanv]

+1 Draught House. Not Alamo Drafthouse mind you although that is a good place for drinking and movies.

A new place that I've been meaning to visit is The Brew Exchange. Has a ticker that goes up and down with popularity. http://brewexchangeaustin.com/

Lots of other microbreweries but they only offer tours/beer every so often due to Texas law not allowing retail and brewpubs to be one entity.

 

[rhamilton]

A new place that I've been meaning to visit is The Brew Exchange. Has a ticker that goes up and down with popularity. http://brewexchangeaustin.com/

*****DAMMINTTT

That was my brewpub idea. Beer + exchange

 

[ReverseApacheMaster]

I am fond of Gingerman. I haven't been to Draught House or the other places but we have Flying Saucer up here as well. I'm not a huge fan of the saucer. More expensive, more crowded, less interesting selection (IMO) and less impressive service than the Gingerman.

 

[DirtyDirty]

Lovejoy's taproom is a decent little place with really friendly staff and quite a few local brews.

 

[fenners]

There's Black Star Coop up in the northern side of the city (Pflugerville/Georgetown Area)

I know people living south of the river think anything past 45th Street is the suburbs, but suggesting Black Star is in Pflugerville/Georgetown is a /bit/ of a stretch. An 11 mile stretch to Pflugerville, in fact. I wish it was in Pflugerville, mind...

It /is/ a great bar though, I'm a member-owner (and live in Pflugerville).

 

[fenners]

Whip-In is worth a visit too - Indian food & great beer selection.

 

[D_Ranged_Eskimo]

I know people living south of the river think anything past 45th Street is the suburbs, but suggesting Black Star is in Pflugerville/Georgetown is a /bit/ of a stretch. An 11 mile stretch to Pflugerville, in fact. I wish it was in Pflugerville, mind...

It /is/ a great bar though, I'm a member-owner (and live in Pflugerville).

Guess I should have googled first.

I know it's on the north side of Austin and kind of consider the whole Round Rock/Pflugerville/Georgetown area one in the same on the north side. Guess I'm lazy like that!

 

[fenners]

Guess I should have googled first.

I know it's on the north side of Austin and kind of consider the whole Round Rock/Pflugerville/Georgetown area one in the same on the north side. Guess I'm lazy like that!

Like I said, anything north of 45th street

BlackStar's right beside a light rail stop too, makes it real easy to get to. Great attitude, great people, *great* beer. Love that place.

 

[Grumpybumpy]

There is a newer bar on the south end of town definitely worth checking out called Black Sheep Lodge. A buddy of mine opened it and it's gotten some good attention. On tap now:

Alaskan Amber
Austin Beerworks Pearl Snap Pils
Austin Beerworks Peacemaker Extra Pale Ale
Brooklyn Lager
Brooklyn Dry Irish Stout
Oskar Blues Dales Pale Ale
Thirsty Planet Bucket Head IPA
Thirsty Planet Yellow Armadillo Wheat
Sierra Nevada Pale Ale
Sierra Nevada Torpedo Extra IPA
Guinness
Green Flash West Coast IPA
Bear Republic Racer 5 IPA
Live Oak Hefeweizen
Live Oak Big Bark
Real Ale Fireman’s #4
Pacifico
Harpoon UFO White
Harpoon Celtic Ale
Hops and Grain Pale Dog Pale Ale
Independence Austin Amber
512 IPA
512 Pecan Porter
Woodchuck Amber Hard Cider
Blue Moon
Miller Lite
UFO White

I was also a regular patron at Billy's on Burnet. Pretty good beer selection and the bar just felt "right" to me. Don't know why. FANTASTIC burgers

+1 to the Draught House as well

 

[HotHandsHanon]

Like I said, anything north of 45th street

BlackStar's right beside a light rail stop too, makes it real easy to get to. Great attitude, great people, *great* beer. Love that place.

+1 on Black Star. I lived in that apartment complex for a few months with some friends. It's literally like ten minutes from downtown, their house beers are fantastic, and all the other beers on tap are too. All the members of the co-op get together every month and vote on which brews from around the country to buy from what I was told.

The food is great as well, the staff is A+, and you can always just grab a cab or the train back to where you came from.

 

[944play]

I was a big fan of Lovejoy's (for the atmosphere and selection of not-brewed-on-site beers, although there was one notable exception in Hug ESB).

Uncle Billy's is downtownish.

 

[BurntOrngeLonghorn84]

Alot of them have been mentioned, but if you have a rental car or wheels check out The Barbershop in Dripping Springs. They specialize in local texas brews and have washers and horse shoes. Goes great with beer. Great "back patio" feel to it.

They don't serve food but allow you to bring in what ever you want. Prices are reasonable as well.

 

[ReverseApacheMaster]

I know people living south of the river think anything past 45th Street is the suburbs, but suggesting Black Star is in Pflugerville/Georgetown is a /bit/ of a stretch. An 11 mile stretch to Pflugerville, in fact. I wish it was in Pflugerville, mind...

It /is/ a great bar though, I'm a member-owner (and live in Pflugerville).

My older brother used to live up the street from Black Star on Metric. When I would come into town we would hit up 6th and try to pick gals up and take them back to his place. Inevitably the gals would ask where we lived my brother would tell them off palmer and we would get the, "oh that's too far" response. I'm not sure why ten minutes is a long drive. Our answer changed to "just north of here" and we got more positive responses.

 

[PVH]

I ended up going to Lovejoy's and Ginger Man. Lovejoy's house pilsner needs some work, but the characters in the bar made up for it.