We went down to Jester King this weekend. Saw the barn they brew in, conicals, fermentation barrels, talked to one of the owners and drank some RU-55. They said the next batch is due for release in a few months.
Jester King Brewery
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That room with the barrels is kept at 60°F.
They said they really do use wild yeast. They send off samples to a lab to find out what exactly it is and save some but, for the most part, what you get is what they catch.
There were several home brewers there and we tried pumping them for details and yeast samples. They said to collect it from bottles. Having finally drank RU-55, yall best get all you can before I do. I'll be buying it up half just for the yeast.
They said they really do use wild yeast. They send off samples to a lab to find out what exactly it is and save some but, for the most part, what you get is what they catch.
There were several home brewers there and we tried pumping them for details and yeast samples. They said to collect it from bottles. Having finally drank RU-55, yall best get all you can before I do. I'll be buying it up half just for the yeast.
hunter_le five
Sheriff Underscore
Very cool. I've been meaning to check that place out for some time.
DisturbdChemist
I'm drunk 60% of the time, all the time!
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I been there many time. Always have fun there but I'm getting upset when they are just releasing their beers at the brewery now especially the Sours. I understand very limited amount but I think it'll hurt them in the long run. If I cant get their beers in Houston, I'm not driving all the way to Austin just for them.
anywho, Great beers, love to go to the brewery, hate the lines, but its a must go brewery in Texas.
anywho, Great beers, love to go to the brewery, hate the lines, but its a must go brewery in Texas.
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I'm drinking my first Censored, formerly Salt Lick.
My impressions were sour, pilsner, smokey and then apple. Then, my wife said it tastes like an ashtray. Da hell? But then, I taste why she says that. It doesn't taste like that, but I can taste why she says it. There's an ... ashiness... Weird.
My impressions were sour, pilsner, smokey and then apple. Then, my wife said it tastes like an ashtray. Da hell? But then, I taste why she says that. It doesn't taste like that, but I can taste why she says it. There's an ... ashiness... Weird.
Went there in July and in November, it got much better later on in the year. Instead of waiting an hour in line I waited maybe 10-15 minutes. But you can tell they are not keeping up with demand because their selection has really dropped and you can't find much in stores anymore.
In fact I am going back to Austin in a few weeks and looked up their selection and it's even lower than it was in November! In July they hadn't gotten their brewpub license so it was a full page (two columns) of their own beers, now it's just one column (in November it was like 1-1/2 columns).
Nice thing: my parents live about 5 miles from there and my fiance's parents only about 2.
In fact I am going back to Austin in a few weeks and looked up their selection and it's even lower than it was in November! In July they hadn't gotten their brewpub license so it was a full page (two columns) of their own beers, now it's just one column (in November it was like 1-1/2 columns).
Nice thing: my parents live about 5 miles from there and my fiance's parents only about 2.
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World Market here quite often has Commercial Suicide and sometimes Black Metal. Central Market usually has those, Le Petit Prince, Noble King, Mad meg, Wytchmaker, and sometimes Das Wunderkind and Salt Lick. I've seen El Cedro once. Their brewery is the only place I've found RU-55. The rest... mere whispered rumors... 
aiptasia
Well-Known Member
They just started distributing here. Every beer i've had by JK so far has been an instant drain pour. Then again, I don't understand people's obsessions with sours. Cool that they brew in a dusty barn, I guess.
DisturbdChemist
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D and Q right? Wish that was local for me
They have non-sour beers as well. Noble King is a good farmhouse IPA and Black Metal is a great imperial stout.
OP
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Yeah, if farmhouse and sour aren't words that get you tingly, most of JK is not for you.
The people that own Nobi Public House also own a Vietnamese restaurant called Nobi Asian Grill on 528 near Blackhawk. At this location, they also own a Shell gas station that has a ton of craft beer. Definitely check them out if you're out that way.
I was fortunate to be one of the first 200 folks to their open house. Their beers then were what put them on the map. I still enjoy the black metal but some of the stranger things they've been brewing have turned me away. Thirsty Planet is just around the corner.
I still like most of the beers but lately they have been doing a lot of fruit infused beers which isn't my thing at all.
On another note: guy at LHBS told me that Mad Meg, Noble King and Petite Prince will be released again soon using their native yeast.
I just learned about this place this week and need to check it out. I am lucky enough to work in Freeport and just checked out a small grocery store that gets surprisingly good beers this week. Sure enough, El Cedro, Noble King, Wunderkind, Wytchmaker, Petit Prince and Mad Meg were all there.
Oh, I frequent both regularly. Was going to the gas station a couple of years before they opened NPH.
Im' going to try and make it to Nobi today to get some Lagunitas Sucks on tap before it is gone.
Head down to Lake Jackson, they had 4-5 bottles left on Wednesday. I have two in my bottle storage and one in the fridge right now.
OP
OP
Sounds like Midway in Denton. It's a craft beer store disguised as a gas station.
knelson13A
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I'll be in Austin this weekend, might have to check it out. My folks live near Bee Cave, and it doesn't look that far from there.
knelson13A
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I work in Denton and have never heard of this place. I must give it a visit!
hunter_le five
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I was in South Austin yesterday helping my brother move, and found myself with about an hour to kill, so I rode my motorcycle out to Jester King for a quick look around. I didn't have time to go on the brewery tour, or even to hang out and drink a little bit, but I bought a few bottles to try out. Normally I find breweries to be a little boring (you've seen one shiny SS tank, you've just about seen 'me all), but JK seemed like a pretty cool place. Tons of people hanging out outside, drinking, listening to live blues music, eating pizza from the restaurant on site... I'm definitely going back some time for a longer visit.
After spending several hours in the hot sun moving heavy furniture, my brother and I decided a celebratory drink was in order... We ended up draining all three bottles I had bought, $46 worth of beer.
First was RU55, the sour red. We found it to be VERY tart. I liked it, but it was probably my least favorite of the three.
Next was Funk Metal, a sour barrel-aged stout. This was our favorite. The toasty stout flavors balanced the tartness well.
Last was Das Wunderkind, a saison. Probably my favorite saison I've had to date. Very refreshing.
I can't wait to go back.
Sent from my iPad using Home Brew
After spending several hours in the hot sun moving heavy furniture, my brother and I decided a celebratory drink was in order... We ended up draining all three bottles I had bought, $46 worth of beer.
First was RU55, the sour red. We found it to be VERY tart. I liked it, but it was probably my least favorite of the three.
Next was Funk Metal, a sour barrel-aged stout. This was our favorite. The toasty stout flavors balanced the tartness well.
Last was Das Wunderkind, a saison. Probably my favorite saison I've had to date. Very refreshing.
I can't wait to go back.
Sent from my iPad using Home Brew
OP
OP
I've been to Central Market, World Market and Specs; all my go to places for JK. It's hen's teeth. CM said JK is no longer selling to them. The others had only one variety. I'll try a bigger Specs.
About a month back JK switched distributors to Flood. I know they stopped selling to my HEB at that time and HEB pretty much just sold off their remaining stock. I got word last week that Flood is now going to start distribution to HEB so Central Market should see some replenishment of their JK stock in the future. I'm hoping to see some rarer beers instead of the regulars. Fingers crossed!
FYI, HEB Pearland still has Noble King, Mad Meg, and Commercial Suicide.
For those Mad Meg nay-sayers, let the bottle breath a little before pouring (or let it sit in your glass some). I had Mad Meg on Day 1 and thought it was awful. I "re-capped" my bottle and had the rest on Day 2 and thought it was REALLY good! So weird! Just an FYI.
For those Mad Meg nay-sayers, let the bottle breath a little before pouring (or let it sit in your glass some). I had Mad Meg on Day 1 and thought it was awful. I "re-capped" my bottle and had the rest on Day 2 and thought it was REALLY good! So weird! Just an FYI.
Their rare stuff doesn't see any distribution, the seasonals see limited distribution and are generally sold out within a day or two. Flood seems to hit D&Q pretty often with seasonal releases, and Brandon always tweets out when new bottles hit his store.
BGBC
Well-Known Member
Going to be there this weekend with a buddy who's visiting Austin. Will be my 2nd time out there. Looking forward to trying their newest - Hibernal Dichotomous.
Make sure to try the pizza place on-site if you go to Jester King. It's really good.
I'm a huge Jester King fan. I've been there 4 or 5 times already, and we may go back again this weekend. Their brewery/ranch is beautiful, their beers are awesome, and I appreciate the way they brew beer and their activism in regards to distribution and local laws. However, I do get somewhat confused and frustrated with their production at times.
One of my absolute favorite beers, Boxer's Revenge, disappeared from store shelves a while back. Then it disappeared from the brewery menu. Now it appears to be back on a limited release basis (or at least it was). Same with RU55, which both my wife and I like a lot.
I understand that they're a small brewery trying to do things naturally "the right way," but it's getting hard to predict what they will have on tap when and even harder to predict what they will release to who in terms of making their products available in stores.
I'm a huge Jester King fan. I've been there 4 or 5 times already, and we may go back again this weekend. Their brewery/ranch is beautiful, their beers are awesome, and I appreciate the way they brew beer and their activism in regards to distribution and local laws. However, I do get somewhat confused and frustrated with their production at times.
One of my absolute favorite beers, Boxer's Revenge, disappeared from store shelves a while back. Then it disappeared from the brewery menu. Now it appears to be back on a limited release basis (or at least it was). Same with RU55, which both my wife and I like a lot.
I understand that they're a small brewery trying to do things naturally "the right way," but it's getting hard to predict what they will have on tap when and even harder to predict what they will release to who in terms of making their products available in stores.
