Jeremy Banas
Texas Wins Big at the 2024 World Beer Cup in ...

The 2024 Craft Brewers Conference is in the books and with it another World Beer Cup (WBC). The world’s most prestigious beer competition and a yearly battle between breweries all over the world. Setting itself apart from other competitions, the World Beer Cup commemorates brewing with judges and entries from around the world.

Down a little in numbers from 2023, this year’s competition saw 280 judges from 37 countries, many of whom were from outside the United States. This elite group of judges evaluated 9,300 entries, with 2,060 participating breweries, from 50 countries. Judging of the 172 beer styles took place over nine days totaling 18 sessions.

Texas Wins Big at the 2024 World Beer Cup in Las Vegas
Beer and cocktails
Jeremy Banas
San Antonio Breweries Make a Splash At The 2023 ...

Texas craft beer producers showed the rest of the nation that the Armadillo State (yeah, Texas has other nicknames) can brew with the best of them.

Yesterday Texas craft breweries brought home an impressive 19 medals at the 2023 Great American Beer Festival in Colorado — Alamo City-area breweries accounted for three of the state's total medal haul. The festival, which draws tens of thousands of people annually, is considered the industry's most prestigious competition in the U.S.

San Antonio Breweries Make a Splash At The 2023 Great American Beer Festival
Beer and cocktails
Jeremy Banas
Samsaric Brewing Company Collaborates with Two ...

Samsaric Brewing Co out of Bensalem Township, Pennsylvania will release their passion fruit witbier this Friday, June 9th. Previously released last year the beer will make its Texas debut at Mort Subite Belgian beer bar and Celis Brewery in honor of Kama Sutra Day. Yes, that Kama Sutra.

Samsaric Brewing Company Collaborates with Two Austin Staples
Jeremy Banas
Texas Wins Big at the 2023 World Beer Cup

The 2023 Craft Brewers Conference is in the books and with it another World Beer Cup. The world’s most prestigious beer competition, which had been held every two years, became a yearly battle starting last year. Setting itself apart from other competitions, the World Beer Cup commemorates brewing from around the world with judges and entries from around the world.

This year’s competition saw 272 judges from 26 countries, many of whom were from outside the United States. This elite group of judges evaluated 10,213 beers, with 2,376 participating breweries, from 51 countries. Judging of the 176 beer styles took place over nine days totaling 18 sessions.

Texas Wins Big at the 2023 World Beer Cup
Beer and cocktails
Jeremy Banas
First Annual Texas Craft Brewers Cup

Winners of First Annual Texas Craft Brewers Cup Revealed at Brewers Gathering

AUSTIN, Texas (February 12, 2022) —The Texas Craft Brewers Guild awarded 81 medals to 57 small and independent breweries from across the Lone Star State in the non-profit trade association’s first statewide craft beer competition.

The best Texas craft beers in 27 medal categories covering 150+ different beer styles were awarded gold, silver, and bronze medals during an awards ceremony at the Texas Craft Brewers Guild’s Annual Meeting at Hilton Austin on Saturday, February 12. Judging took place January 29-30 in Austin with 37 judges evaluating 755 anonymized entries from 131 breweries hailing from all different corners of the state. The Texas Craft Brewers Cup judging pool was comprised of experienced brewing industry professionals and members of the homebrewing community with extensive Beer Judge Certification Program (BJCP) judging experience.

First Annual Texas Craft Brewers Cup

Beer

Come and Take It...To Go.

Come and Take It...To Go.

I rarely write a true editorial these days. My coverage of the adult beverage world typically comprises books and research articles. However, in light of yesterday’s momentous day, I felt the need to share my personal thoughts.

How did we get here?

Trying to modernize beer laws in Texas has been an arduous journey over the last 10 years. Until 2011, most of the industry did not think change was possible. Distributors were locked into contracts with the big breweries, and any change to the laws that affected distributors and macro brewers was shut down before a bill could even be introduced. Attempts were made in 2007 and 2009 to pass bills that allowed beer-to-go (taking purchased beer home from a brewery), on-premise consumption (drinking beer from the brewery at the brewery), truth in labeling, and even the right to tell consumers where a brewery’s beer could be purchased. Always to no avail. The old boys club between some legislators and distributors (the biggest bully being the Wholesale Distributors of Texas) was just too powerful.

Islla St. Brewing Draws on Family Roots

Islla St. Brewing Draws on Family Roots

Last year, Islla St. Brewing Co. introduced themselves to San Antonio at the San Antonio Beer Festival in the Dignowity neighborhood of downtown.

Now, San Antonio’s newest brewery is ready to bring their wares to the public this weekend, with a more formal opening to include special events set for next weekend.

“We’re excited to finally open our doors to San Antonio,” said Joaquin Pena co-founder and brewer for Islla Street. “It’s been a long three year road and we’re ready to bring our unique brews to everyone.” Pena and brother Josh draw heavily from their cultural influences to create beers that they hope will highlight the unique flavors of their heritage. Josh handles the front end of the house, as well as brewing with Joaquin.

Roadmap Brewing Debuts In San Antonio

Roadmap Brewing Debuts In San Antonio

Today has all the ear marks of being a great day. Outside of the pending rain, San Antonio sees the grand opening of Roadmap Brewing Co., headed up by Texas transplant Dustin Baker, along with his wife and father. Baker, a native of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, took to San Antonio after several visits with his wife to visit his sister.

Baker, who, like many, caught the brewing bug after a homebrew kit was gifted to him and once in the Alamo City, felt the urge to open his own brewery. Baker saw a bustling, but still largely untapped market. After months of looking for a location, he took possession of the keys to his location at North Alamo and 8th Street. Baker came upon his brewery’s name after talking with his architect and wishing there was a roadmap to opening a brewery.