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I S SU E 8
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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LETTER from the EDITOR
MEAD ME AFTER the FAIRE
MAD PECKER BREWING CO.
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REAL ALE BREWING CO.
DIRECTORY of BREWERIES
Harrison Civick Founder/Creative Director
CON TR IBU TOR S
JoMando Cruz Editor in Chief/Photographer
Blake Murrah Nathan Martinez
Alexandria Rutledge Designer
JoMando Cruz
CON TAC T US S A B E E R M AG
S A B E E R M AG
I N F O @ S A B E E R M AG . C OM
S A B E E R M AG
S A B E E R M AG . C OM
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I S SU E 8
LETTER FROM THE EDITOR “Repetition may be bad, but surely inexactness is worse.” —Mark Twain This issue is one of extremes, albeit consistent ones. How else can I describe Mad Pecker Brewing Co. and Real Ale Brewing Co. existing on the same plane? (Or an article about mead in a beer magazine?) One is a hyperlocal nano brewpub that works with a one-barrel system, and the other an over two decades-old brewery completing a multimillion-dollar expansion. One is couched in a suburban neighborhood, while the other exists on a sprawling piece of scenic Hill Country land. One brewery’s offerings are only available at the source, while the other brewery’s offerings are unavailable in 49 states. The latter needs explaining, but it informs my general premise. The two breweries featured in this issue exist on completely opposite ends of the spectrum when it comes to size, but they are united by the same core values that honor being local and staying local. It’s the difference between #hyperlocal and #drinktexas, which isn’t really a difference at all, depending on how you look at it. While Mad Pecker has no plans of distributing or selling their beer off premise, Real Ale has no plans of distributing their beer outside of Texas, something they’ve never done. Thank you very much to Mad Pecker for their hospitality on a recent brew day and to Real Ale for hosting us while we previewed their new brewhouse. That collaborative spirit is an underrated aspect of any local scene, including ours. ¡Salud! JoMando Cruz, Editor in Chief/Photographer SA Beer Magazine P.S. As for my seemingly unrelated quote above, see my previous three editor letters.
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MEAD ME AFTER the FAIRE By: Blake Murrah Photography by: JoMando Cruz
A RT IC L E cont.
M E A D M E A F T E R the FA I R E cont .
Mead is one of those beverages that we’ve all heard of, but seldom purchase while shopping for groceries or making a beer run. But meads don’t only share proximity with the beer aisle. Simply put, mead is a beverage formed out of fermented honey. A couple of the popular derivations include pyment (made from honey with the addition of grapes) and cyser (honey wine made with the addition of apples). There are others as well, including melomel, tej, and metheglin mead. While the production equipment is similar (fermenters, brite tanks, filters, bottling and kegging lines, etc.), there are key differences between mead and beer. When building a beer recipe, all your work goes into designing a grain bill, planning the hop schedule, and then setting up the yeast for success in the fermentation portion. But when working with mead, your recipe additions and techniques come into play during and after fermentation, or the “cold side” of the process. I sat down with Mike Simmons, owner and self-taught mead maker at Meridian Hive in Austin, Texas, to get some answers, perspective, and a refreshing take on this medieval era libation and the differences between Faire mead and craft mead. One thing rings true: balance. “It is easy to make mead, it is not easy to make good mead,” Mike clarified. Additionally, yeast plays a very crucial role in the making of a good mead. In fact, the yeast will convert the sweet nectar into a bone-dry alcoholic beverage, making back sweetening such an important part of the process. If you add too many sugars too quickly, the yeast will go into osmotic shock and be unable to ferment properly. The key is to manipulate the amount of additional fermentables as the mead ferments and ensure that you keep everything in balance. All this yeast wrangling bears similarities to the process of brewing beer. »
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M E A D M E A F T E R the FA I R E cont .
Meridian Hive is unique from the 100+ meaderies opening in the United States every year because you do not have to reach for the bottle to enjoy their mead. In order to have success, Mike knew he had to ensure his consumers were able to buy multiple drinks during their visit to their local watering hole. By pioneering draught mead (and now canned mead!), Mike can add a hydromel or session mead to the forefront of the draught list. Additionally, Mike has utilized his brite tanks to force carbonate his offerings and he has even released a dry-hopped mead (Frontier). A quick look into the bottom of the can will tell you what each batch was dry hopped with. If you are anything like me, your first impression or taste of mead was a crude Viking beverage back sweetened to ungodly levels, lacking any semblance of balance, and serving only one true purpose: To speed our inebriation whilst traversing a field donning centuries-old garb and admonishing ye olde knights in their shiniest of armors. And that certainly is a type of mead—the one that unfortunately too many of us think about when we think of mead. But craft mead is on a crusade to challenge what you thought you knew about honey wine.
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APRIL 7-14, 2018
SABEERWEEK.ORG @SABEERWEEK
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MAD PECKER BREWING CO. By: Nathan Martinez & JoMando Cruz Photography by: JoMando Cruz
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M A D PE C K E R BR E W I NG C O. cont.
We’re onsite at Mad Pecker Brewing Co. on a cool, Monday morning brew day, and Jason Gonzales is brimming with a lot more confidence since he and his wife, Errika, opened the brewpub in July 2015. “We didn't even have a freaking kitchen in our business plan, we just made it work,” he explains. With this husband and wife duo’s hands completely clean from any outside investors, Jason and Errika can brew, cook, choose guest taps, and run their vision with their own careful consideration in every aspect. Walk through the doors and you’ll be greeted by this unique nano brewpub’s character. Mad Pecker is proudly located in westside San Antonio suburbia. It’s a low-key spot, to be sure, but one that houses true hard work, determination, and a humble one-barrel system—a fact all too clear to us as we continually try to stay out of the brewers’ way while we shoot photos and pepper them with questions. But we don’t mind at all, and they don’t seem to either. There is a charm to the cramped quarters, and a pure feeling to the ongoing brewing operations. Until very recently, Jason has maintained a separate full-time job while brewing all of Mad Pecker’s offerings. His diligence has afforded him the ability to now solely focus on Mad Pecker, but his vision of being small and local remains consistent. “The most we want to top out at is a three- or five-barrel system,” he confirms. They also have no plans of selling or distributing their beer offsite, but they do intend to eventually make the beer available to go in various formats. »
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M A D PE C K E R BR E W I NG C O. cont .
Today they’re brewing Cosmic Rye, a rye ale with Bravo, Cosmic, Chinook, and Columbus hops, but Mad Pecker brews a wide variety of styles to meet the needs of even the pickiest palates. They pay homage and do justice to somewhat forgotten styles like black IPAs and ESBs while also adapting to the latest style preferences by producing some of the best unfiltered, juice-forward hoppy beers the South has to offer. But Mad Pecker has a devoted customer base, and if you ask them, the Ridge Creek blonde ale has their allegiance. “I’m at the point now where its weird to me if I don't see the majority of our customers at least once a week,” remarks Rey Duque, assistant brewer and Mad Pecker employee since day one. People from the surrounding neighborhood who before may have never even thought of venturing into the realms of craft beer are now showing up with enthusiasm for the rest of Mad Pecker’s portfolio. And therein lies one of Mad Pecker’s best aspects: community. The Gonzales family represents this area because they are from the area, and they know all too well the importance of having a hyper local option for good beer and food. “We’re going to be a nano brewpub forever,” Jason explains. He insists that he and Errika’s ability to dream big with modesty and attention to their community is what will ultimately keep the brewpub afloat for many years to come.
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A DV ERTISE W ITH
email us at: I N FO@SA BEER M AG.COM
W W W.SABEERMAG. C O M
REAL ALE BREWING CO. Words and photos by: JoMando Cruz
R E A L A L E BR E W I NG C O. cont.
Real Ale Brewing Co. is about as household of a name as a craft brewery can be, especially here in Texas. Brewing Texas beer (for Texans) since 1996, they’ve been converting beer drinkers into craft beer drinkers for over 20 years. And whereas that type of longevity can often result in stagnation, Real Ale has continued to grow, both creatively and physically. The drive alone always makes a visit to Real Ale worthwhile, and because of that we make it a point to attend Real Ale’s birthday parties (surefire fun) and Mysterium Verum releases (when we can). But lately, we’ve got new reasons to attend, and reasons worth highlighting—Real Ale fame notwithstanding. »
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R E A L A L E BR E W I NG C O. cont.
One of the major developments over the last couple of years has been Real Ale’s Real Spirits launch. The brewery now houses a distillery wherein the facility produces a whiskey and a gin sourced from their base beers, not a base distillate. This alone is unique for the brewery, but the first use of bottlebrush in their gin adds an extra layer of exclusivity. Having the option to purchase bottles of these spirits or enjoy a cocktail in the taproom is a welcome addition. However, the newest and most exciting addition is the major brewhouse expansion. This is a beer magazine after all, and the idea of more Hans’ Pils lubricating our brainstorming sessions is cause for celebration. A tour of the still under-construction facility was impressive enough, and the completed brewhouse only furthered that feeling with its scenic views. The new brewhouse is a 120bbl BrauKon Brewhouse, capable of producing up to 250,000 barrels a year. Real Ale’s previous brewhouse produced 60,000 barrels a year, so the expansion effectively quadruples their brewing capacity (this is where we see more Hans' in our future). And yet, despite this exponential growth, Real Ale’s principles remain the same. Real Ale brews Texas beer, for Texans. They have never distributed beer outside of Texas, and the addition of a new, larger brewhouse will only reinforce that consistency. Therefore, we raise a glass to drinking local.
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D I R E C T O R Y of B R E W E R I E S
DIRECTORY OF BREWERIES San Antonio and its surrounding area is a prime location for exploring a wide-ranging selection of craft breweries and brewpubs—and that isn’t even counting Austin’s offerings. In our experience, most people don’t take as wide a view of the region as they should. With that in mind, we’ve gathered the pertinent information you require and created a directory of San Antonio’s vibrant and growing brewery and brewpub scene. To be clear, this directory highlights places that brew beer, from production facilities with taprooms to brewpubs with food programs. And we’re making sure to include both San Antonio proper and our friendly neighbors in Adkins, Blanco, Boerne, New Braunfels, San Marcos, and Seguin. This directory will evolve along with the city’s beer scene. You can always consult SA Beer Magazine for an updated and comprehensive list of the local craft beer scene because we’ll be sure to print it in every issue. All you need to do is decide which venue to visit next. Cheers! »
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A DK I NS CACTUS LAND BREWING CO. 368 County Road 325, Adkins, TX 78101 1st & 3rd weekend / month | Fri: 3pm–9pm | Sat: 12pm-9pm cactuslandbrewing.com
BL A NCO REAL ALE BREWING COMPANY 231 San Saba Ct., Blanco, TX 78606 Mon–Tue: Closed, Wed-Th: 12pm–6pm, Fri: 2pm–7pm, Sat: 11am–7pm, Sun: 12pm–5pm realalebrewing.com
BOER N E BOERNE BREWERY
THE DODGING DUCK BREWHAUS
9 Hill View Ln., Boerne, TX 78006
402 River Rd., Boerne, TX 78006
Fri Tours: 2pm-5pm (last tour at 4:45pm) Sat Tours: 1pm-4pm (last tour at 3:45pm)
Mon–Th: 11am–9pm | Fri–Sat: 11am–10pm Sun: 11am–9pm
boernebrewery.com
dodgingduck.com
CIBOLO CREEK BREWING CO.
KINEMATIC BREWING CO.
448 S. Main St., Boerne, TX 78006
635 Texas 46, Boerne, TX 78006
Mon: 11am–9pm | Tue: Closed Wed–Th: 11am–9pm | Fri–Sat: 11am–10pm Sun: 12pm–8pm
Fri: 5pm–9pm | Sat: 12pm–9pm kinematicbrewingco.com
cibolocreekbrewing.com
N EW BR AU N FE L S 5 STONES ARTISAN BREWERY
FAUST BREWING CO.
11335 FM 1863, New Braunfels, TX 78132
499 S. Castell Ave., New Braunfels, TX 78130
Wed-Th: 12pm - 6pm | Fri-Sat: 12pm - 8pm
Th: 4pm–10pm | Fri: 4pm–11pm Sat: 12pm–11pm | Sun: 1pm–10pm
5stonesbrewery.com
faustbrewing.com
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DI R E C T ORY OF BR E W E R I E S cont.
RUGGEDMAN BREWING CO.
NEW BRAUNFELS BREWING CO.
7600 S. Old Bastrop Rd., New Braunfels, TX 78130
180 W. Mill St., Ste. 100, New Braunfels, TX 78130
Thu: 2pm–8pm | Fri: 2pm–10pm Sat: 12pm–10pm | Sun: 12pm–6pm
Th-Fri: 4pm–9pm | Sat-Sun: 1pm–7pm nbbrewing.comNew Braunfels cont
drinkthedamnbeer.com
GUADALUPE BREWING CO. 1580 Wald Rd., Ste. 1, New Braunfels, TX 78132 Fri: 4pm–9pm | Sat: 2pm–9pm | Sun: 2pm–8pm guadalupebrew.com
SA N A N TON IO ALAMO BEER COMPANY
GHOST PIXEL BEER STUDIO
202 Lamar St., San Antonio, TX 78202
2000 S. Presa St., San Antonio, TX 78210
Th: 3pm–9pm | Fri: 3pm–12am Sat: 12pm–12am | Sun: 12pm–9pm
Th-Fri: 4pm–9pm | Sat: 12pm–10pm Sun: 12pm–6pm
alamobeer.com
ghostpixelbeer.com
BLUE STAR BREWING CO.
HIGHWHEEL BEERWORKS
1414 S. Alamo St., San Antonio, TX 78210
1902 S. Flores St., San Antonio, TX 78204
Mon: 11am–10pm | Tue-Th: 11am–11pm Fri-Sat: 11am–12am | Sun: 11am–9pm
Th: 5pm–10pm | Fri: 5pm–12am Sat: 5pm–1am
bluestarbrewing.com
www.dorcolspirits.com
BUSTED SANDAL BREWING CO.
THE GRANARY ’CUE & BREW
7114 Oaklawn Dr., San Antonio, TX 78229
602 Ave. A, San Antonio, TX 78215
Wed–Fri: 5pm–9pm | Sat: 2pm–9pm
Sun-Mon: CLOSED | Tu-Th: 11am–10pm Fri-Sat: 11am–11pm
bustedsandalbrewing.com
thegranarysa.com
FREETAIL BREWING CO.
KÜNSTLER BREWING CO.
Production Facility & Taproom 2000 S. Presa St., San Antonio, TX 78210
302 E. LaChapelle, San Antonio, TX 78204
Th-Fri: 4pm–9pm | Sat: 12pm–10pm Sun: 12pm–6pm
kunstlerbrewing.com
Opening Soon
Brewpub 4035 N. Loop 1604 W., San Antonio, TX 78257 Mon–Sat: 11am–12pm | Sun: 12pm–12am freetailbrewing.com
MAD PECKER BREWING CO. 6025 Tezel Rd., San Antonio, TX 78250 Mon-Fri: 4pm–12am | Sat-Sun: 12pm–12am madpeckerbrewing.com
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RANGER CREEK BREWING & DISTILLING CO.
SOUTHERLEIGH FINE FOOD & BREWERY
4834 Whirlwind Dr., San Antonio, TX 78217
136 E. Grayson St. #120, San Antonio, TX 78215
Fri: 5pm–9pm | Sun: 2pm–9pm
Mon–Wed: 11am–11pm | Th–Sat: 11am–12am Sun: 10am–4pm
drinkrangercreek.com
southerleigh.com
WEATHERED SOULS BREWING CO. 606 Embassy Oaks, Ste. 500, San Antonio, TX 78216 Mon-Th: 4pm–10pm | Fri: 2pm–11pm Sat: 12pm–11pm | Sun: 12pm–6pm weatheredsouls.beer
SA N M A RCOS AQUABREW BREWERY & BEER GARDEN
ALTMEYER & LEWIS BREWING CO.
150 S. LBJ Dr., San Marcos, TX 78666
15898 TX-123, San Marcos, TX 78666
Mon-Wed: 11am–11pm | Thu: 11am–12am Fri: 11am - 1am | Sat: 10am - 1am Sun: 10am - 11pm
Fri: 3pm–10pm | Sat: 2pm–10pm altmeyerlewisbrewing.com
aqua-brew.com
MIDDLETON BREWING 101 Oakwood Loop, San Marcos, TX 78666
THE ROOT CELLAR CAFÉ & BREWERY 215 N. LBJ Dr., San Marcos, TX 78666
Mon: 2pm–10pm | Tue: Closed Wed–Thu: 2pm–10pm | Fri: 12pm–10pm Sat: 12pm–11pm | Sun: 12pm–10pm
Tue-Sun: 7am - 10pm
middletonbrewingtx.com
rootcellarcafe.com
SEAN PATRICK’S IRISH PUB & TEXAS GRUB 202 E. San Antonio St., San Marcos, TX 78666 Mon–Wed: 11am–12am | Thu–Fri: 11am–2am Sat: 10am–2am | Sun: 10am–12am seanpatrickstx.com
SEGU I N BS BREWING CO.
SEGUIN BREWING COMPANY
1408 Old Lehmanns Rd., Seguin, TX 78155
111 W. Gonzales St., Seguin, TX 78155
Fri: 5pm–9pm | Sat: 2pm–8pm
Th-Sat: 12pm–10pm | Sun: 12pm–8pm
bsbrewingtx.com
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