Open! Location: 4514 Bob Wire Road, Spicewood, TX 78669
How exciting that the friendly faces at Frontyard Brewing’s dreams are coming to fruition! The Frontyard family has tackled its business model in a unique way. Instead of jumping headfirst into opening a taproom, they opted to brew their beer out of a temporary leased space with the intention of showing the world how great their product was as a “proof of concept”. Co-Founder & Brewer, Kevin Jones elaborated, “The idea was to get up and running, test the waters and see how our beer would be received and show banks and investors that we could do this on a larger scale.” This way, they could get their plan streamlined while looking for their permanent space. Spoiler alert, they found it! Their beautiful property is now open in Spicewood!
I was able to enjoy a delicious Kolsch and Honey Blonde on their new lawn with my colleague Pam Catoe and cheers their success with the brains behind the brilliance & Co-Founders, Kevin Jones, and Chad Worner. Now that opening is in sight, Jones expounded on what they are most excited about. “This is all about the relationships for us. We want to get to know our patrons. We want to provide a fun, safe, family-friendly environment for people to gather. And we want to be able to give back to our community like we haven’t been able to up to this point. As a startup, time and money are both scarce. We look forward to having the bandwidth to really care for our neighbors, patrons, and staff and be generous with what we’ve been given,” Jones stated.
The Space
When you pull up you will immediately notice that the brewery shares roughly 9 acres with 5 Soul Wine Co. The 2 businesses have worked together to create a cozy family-friendly atmosphere where you are able to go back and forth between, enjoying all both have to offer. The brewery has a 15 barrel brewhouse which is hard at work creating masterpieces to be enjoyed ASAP.
There is a small stage for outdoor music performances, fire pits, 6 pickle-ball courts, and a few frisbee golf holes in the works. They will offer some free or open play times for pickle-ball, but you can expect to book your time on an app to ensure the space is available to you. Fancy huh? Pickle-ball was a no-brainer on the premises and Jones jokes, “The developers are so into it that before any of this was built…nothing on the land, except that pickle-ball court. It was the first thing they did when they bought the property.” Wormer notes, “I’m not a sporty guy, but you can literally stand, hold a beer, and play.” Sounds like the perfect brewery sport!
Where to Plant Yourself
B-Y-O-Blanket? Sure, why not! They’ll offer socially distanced picnic tables and sitting areas with their staple Adirondack chairs, but they also encourage guests to bring their own blankets or lawn chairs to lounge on. Bring it on, family picnic style. They will offer parking on-site as well.
The Beverages
If you have been following Frontyard’s journey through social media or CraftBeerAustin.com then you will already know that several of their beers have been available in cans or on tap at various establishments in town like Bangers Sausage House & Beer Garden and on Pinthouse Pizza’s guest tap lists. You can expect to enjoy their Rye IPA, Coffee Milk Stout, Kolsch, Honey Blonde, Belgian Blond, Belgian Triple, Belgian Golden Ale, and more in their new space. They will also have their version of the collaboration beer for social justice Black is Beautiful available. Their particular stout will feature raspberry, mint, and lactose. They have a shiny new yellow crowler machine so you can take your favorites home with you as well. On top of all that great beer, they also perfected a house-made root beer for the kids (or grown-up kids) that is sure to be a hit! What’s next? Keep your eyes peeled for a future hard seltzer…
What is the Food Sich?
There will be a permanent food truck offering locally sourced farm to table items. Guests can look forward to a menu with cheese boards featuring Antonelli’s artisan cheeses, as well as burgers, sandwiches, salads, tacos, and soft pretzels. They will also have Lick Honest Ice Cream on-site…I am already drooling over the potential of a partnered house-made root beer float! Fingers crossed! Worner added, “The whole goal is approachable. We really worked hard to source everything locally.”
Will You Distribute?
Jones and Worner made it clear that distribution takes a second seat to their new taproom. They want their focus to be on the environment and their relationships with the people. The whole purpose of their business model and starting small was a stepping stone to give them that interaction they have been dreaming of. Jones does point out, however, “As we figure out what kind of traffic we’re going to have here, we’re going to sell what we can and the rest will go into distribution. We certainly want to keep providing beer to the accounts that gave us our start. They’ve always been good to us. We want to keep that going.”
Mug Club, What’s That?
Frontyard has found yet another way to welcome their guests into their family via their Mug Club. Head to their website to join and get all the answers to your questions. (Pro-tip, you can also watch an adorable video of the families behind the business. Great way to get to know them a bit.) Some perks of joining include:
- Free Beer for Life – First Beer is FREE every day you show up or 64 Oz Growler Fill Per Week
- 10% off your Frontyard tab & onsite merchandise
- Personal invites to exclusive Mug Club events including the Annual Mug Club Member Party
- Frontyard Loyalty Card/App, which will accumulate points for discounts and merchandise
- New Neighbor welcome pack which includes: Your own branded 24-ounce Yeti Mug, a founding member Mug Club t-shirt, 5 free beer tokens to share the love, and more additional swag!
The future looks bright in spite of all 2020 has tossed Frontyard’s way. Their optimism is contagious and Jones sums it up perfectly. “There’s no precedent for this kind of thing so there’s not a great way to make these decisions. The main thing we want people to know is that this brewery is about them. The name Frontyard Brewing came from the idea of those little Friday night cul-de-sac gatherings where everyone grabs their lawn chair and gathers around a cooler while the kids play in the street. That chair planted in the front yard is an open invitation to the neighbors or even just the occasional passersby to come hang out; to be a part of our family.”
Make sure to join the Frontyard family, follow them on social media via Facebook and Instagram, and as they say, “Don’t be a stranger!”
[Featured photo credit to Frontyard Brewing]
