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The TEXAS thread!

CornyKegs 728
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The CA growler laws are beyond full retard. I cannot wait to purge my glass growlers and keep only 1 each as mementos from the breweries and use my SS 1L & 2L exclusively. Amen to that.
 
Was checking the TX brewers guild page but didn't seem to have a ton of info.

Wife and i have considered opening a brewery but I have a ton of self education to do.
 
Phischy said:
Plan is to expand the big kegerator another three taps to return it to its 7 tap glory of old. I like to homebrew and my wife approves. Hell, she brewed her first solo batch a few weekends ago. It will be Jan before my death star is fully operational. We will be staying with family for awhile until we figure out where to buy so will be in the Katy area initially.

I am a BJCP judge but sours aren't my specality. I will give you feedback from what I know and I'm currently reading the American Sours book. And I'm now spending considerable energy learning to make them.

What is the growler law in TX?

How many proposed breweries in the Houston area? San Diego county will be over 100 by new years. Its just nuts out here.
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Awesome man, well always good to see other striving homebrewers in the area. I know quite a few here in Houston and have learned so much this year. Been perfecting my fruited sours now but practice does require good and honest feedback. I would love to try some of your brews however.

I'm currently almost done and ready to bottle a BVDL clone that tastes pretty ******* amazing man. If its ready I'll make sure to give you a bottle to try.
 
HopAG said:
Awesome man, well always good to see other striving homebrewers in the area. I know quite a few here in Houston and have learned so much this year. Been perfecting my fruited sours now but practice does require good and honest feedback. I would love to try some of your brews however.

I'm currently almost done and ready to bottle a BVDL clone that tastes pretty ******* amazing man. If its ready I'll make sure to give you a bottle to try.
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ISO! Let me know when they're done in our convo.
 
nathanmiller said:
This is something I will definitely be trying soon. I've got some 4 ounce mason jars and I'm gonna go HAM on half-cup Yellow Rose jars.
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i've seen a 16 oz apple juice bottle filled before. pretty lol. asking for 4 ounce fills just seems like a good way to piss off your friendly growler fill jockey (jockey? tender? beer jerk [ie, soda jerk]? growlerista? idk).
 
... I was kidding before. The BA Southwest forum is THE worst right now.

Also, if you bring a 4oz mason jar to a growler station, I'm pretty sure you have a good chance of getting your ass kicked if the person is in a bad mood, lol. They complain enough about HF-style swingtops.
 
Cool I'll check that out. It's crazy knowing you'll be gone in 3 months and visiting all your favorite breweries and telling people you're leaving. Knowing what you're going to be missing. This is a last chance to really interalize knowledge they're going to offer. And in a very surreal way, 'seeing' everything again for the first time for the last time. Knowing when I walk in I won't be seeing these people I've known for years again. Sure I'll come back to visit, but it's just different knowing the clock is ticking.

Feels like I've got ******* cancer. And I don't mean to take away from anyone that has ever had that, which is a bajillion times worse.

When my final beers are kegged and carb'd I plan to bring bottles to the brewers I know and ask for brutal feedback. Last chance for me to do so. Then I'll make adjustments and rebrew in TX and ask anyone willing to come by for a beer and let me know what you think.

While I love craft beer more than anyone, I want to make the best. I hope you guys will enjoy my beer.

Bottle shares, brew sessions, tailgates, you name it and my wife and I will be there with lots to share. Also looking for local homebrew clubs because while I'll be doing 10gal batches, I rarely want more than a corny keg worth and am looking forward to collaborating and brewing with others. My current brew partner isn't too happy I'm leaving. Sad to leave, but looking forward to a new start in TX.

I'm rambling...up late watching movies and drinking a Societe Pupil. Gonna miss this.
 
Phischy said:
Cool I'll check that out. It's crazy knowing you'll be gone in 3 months and visiting all your favorite breweries and telling people you're leaving. Knowing what you're going to be missing. This is a last chance to really interalize knowledge they're going to offer. And in a very surreal way, 'seeing' everything again for the first time for the last time. Knowing when I walk in I won't be seeing these people I've known for years again. Sure I'll come back to visit, but it's just different knowing the clock is ticking.

Feels like I've got ******* cancer. And I don't mean to take away from anyone that has ever had that, which is a bajillion times worse.

When my final beers are kegged and carb'd I plan to bring bottles to the brewers I know and ask for brutal feedback. Last chance for me to do so. Then I'll make adjustments and rebrew in TX and ask anyone willing to come by for a beer and let me know what you think.

While I love craft beer more than anyone, I want to make the best. I hope you guys will enjoy my beer.

Bottle shares, brew sessions, tailgates, you name it and my wife and I will be there with lots to share. Also looking for local homebrew clubs because while I'll be doing 10gal batches, I rarely want more than a corny keg worth and am looking forward to collaborating and brewing with others. My current brew partner isn't too happy I'm leaving. Sad to leave, but looking forward to a new start in TX.

I'm rambling...up late watching movies and drinking a Societe Pupil. Gonna miss this.
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I'll have to introduce you to this local homebrew club here in Houston. I think you will enjoy the feedback they offer. Look forward to seeing ya around!
 
I'm up for a brew day or 2 once you're settled. I'm in the energy corridor, so not too far from Katy.
Phischy said:
Cool I'll check that out. It's crazy knowing you'll be gone in 3 months and visiting all your favorite breweries and telling people you're leaving. Knowing what you're going to be missing. This is a last chance to really interalize knowledge they're going to offer. And in a very surreal way, 'seeing' everything again for the first time for the last time. Knowing when I walk in I won't be seeing these people I've known for years again. Sure I'll come back to visit, but it's just different knowing the clock is ticking.

Feels like I've got ******* cancer. And I don't mean to take away from anyone that has ever had that, which is a bajillion times worse.

When my final beers are kegged and carb'd I plan to bring bottles to the brewers I know and ask for brutal feedback. Last chance for me to do so. Then I'll make adjustments and rebrew in TX and ask anyone willing to come by for a beer and let me know what you think.

While I love craft beer more than anyone, I want to make the best. I hope you guys will enjoy my beer.

Bottle shares, brew sessions, tailgates, you name it and my wife and I will be there with lots to share. Also looking for local homebrew clubs because while I'll be doing 10gal batches, I rarely want more than a corny keg worth and am looking forward to collaborating and brewing with others. My current brew partner isn't too happy I'm leaving. Sad to leave, but looking forward to a new start in TX.

I'm rambling...up late watching movies and drinking a Societe Pupil. Gonna miss this.
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Phischy said:
I (and everyone) is spoiled rotten by the beer in CA. For an area roughly the size of Houston we have 94 operating breweries. Some suck, most are pretty good, and about a dozen world class outfits cranking out the beer. I've been homebrewing for over a decade and brew pretty decent beer.

Growlered IPA has a pretty short shelf life so I'll hope to set something up quickly once i arrive.

That and start brewing quickly. I know a few people that homebrew and I've spent some time in Houston. I'm always happy to teach people to brew and split 10 gal batches off my system. Lots to do before we move. It'll be so different living back in TX again after 14+ years in SD.
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We should be really good friends. Especially if you brew sours/wilds.

As far as Houston breweries go, there are quite a few. I'm sure I'll have some fanboy disagree with me, but the truth is they all suck for the most part. They churn out mediocre-at-best beers regularly. Every once in a while they make a fantastic knockout (i.e. Karbach Cherry Hellfighter). My two favorite breweries to regularly drink are St. Arnold and Texian Brewing. St Arnold makes a wonderful DIPA called Endeavour. Texian is out near me and creating some basic, but incredible beers. Their imperial berliner weisse really blew me away, and I believe they're going to be doing test batches with fruit now. I truly believe they are poised to be the best brewery in the entire area, but it'll take them at least another 1-2 years to develop and establish themselves. More for me to drink though.

Let me know if I can help with anything. Good luck on the move!
 
BusinessSloth said:
I'm sure I'll have some fanboy disagree with me, but the truth is they all suck for the most part. They churn out mediocre-at-best beers regularly.
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With respect to that, it's worth mentioning that the beer climates in SD vs TX are worlds apart. I'm sure he's well aware that he's moving to an area that is still on the uptick versus how it's a more mature market in SD. The benchmark for quality in those other areas is far higher, which can lead to all kinds of amusing discussions in tradechat as we are all well aware.

And yes there are a few stellar standouts (like Yellow Rose), but that's hardly the norm, though hey, things are rapidly improving!
 
air said:
And yes there are a few stellar standouts (like Yellow Rose), but that's hardly the norm, though hey, things are rapidly improving!
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Yes. At a snail's pace. I think No Label and Fort Bend brewery got new head brewers or were tossing the idea around. So I guess I need to give their beers another fair try.
 
BusinessSloth said:
Yes. At a snail's pace. I think No Label and Fort Bend brewery got new head brewers or were tossing the idea around. So I guess I need to give their beers another fair try.
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I had Fort Bend's Phat DJ IPA a few weeks back and I'd say it's the worst Texas IPA I've ever had. Also, the stupidest name.
 
Lutter said:
I had Fort Bend's Phat DJ IPA a few weeks back and I'd say it's the worst Texas IPA I've ever had. Also, the stupidest name.
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Their first iteration of an IPA tasted like fritos. Srs. Flying Saucer sugar land started giving out free samples because no one would order it.

Spoiler alert: Most of the free samples went untouched.
 
I'm always extremely wary of buying IPAs that don't have a bottle date. Even out here. It was a long battle of demanding it from the breweries and some have said sales climbed after dating because the fresher it is the faster it'll move.

I have had Endeavor a few times. Fresh and its fantastic.

Picked up a silver for my NZ & AUS hopped APA this past weekend. I don't do many competitions so this was fun. It was in Cat23. The beer that beat me also took BoS.
 
air said:
With respect to that, it's worth mentioning that the beer climates in SD vs TX are worlds apart. I'm sure he's well aware that he's moving to an area that is still on the uptick versus how it's a more mature market in SD. The benchmark for quality in those other areas is far higher, which can lead to all kinds of amusing discussions in tradechat as we are all well aware.

And yes there are a few stellar standouts (like Yellow Rose), but that's hardly the norm, though hey, things are rapidly improving!
Click to expand...

The only breweries I've been to in TX are St. Arnold and No Label. As far as the new guys, I've had some of their beers while vacationing and can't say I've been blown away by anything I've tried. But I also believe ya gotta go to the brewery and try it as fresh as possible.

When it comes to beer culture SD has an advantage and step on Houston (can't say anything about the rest of the state). I think a big portion of this has to do with how integrated the pros are with the homebrewers and the duration. The owner of Alesmith has been a long time supporter, and president, of QUAFF. My club is the largest and they are very active with sensory training, classes for BJCP judging, running lots of competitions (including NHC and a large group involved with GABF) and social events involving both homebrew and visiting breweries/brewpubs. Over the years a lot of homebrewers have gone pro, which just reinforces that collaboration.

So part of it is just time and the pros being engaged with homebrewers. It'd be cool if that same sort of thing was developing in Houston. Either way I'm looking forward to joining a club, brewing and having people over while brewing. I def want to split batches as brewing 10gal is just as easy as 5 but the larger volume helps stabilize consistency.

Once I get there and get lighter/hoppier beers done ya'll can tell me what you think. Always fun to learn with new people.
 
InkBird 300

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