Aaron Stevens

My fascination with craft beer began in college as a bartender and grew as a volunteer at Peticolas Brewing in Dallas. Since relocating to Austin, I have closely followed the growth and evolution of Central Texas' brewing scene.

Outside the City Limits Festival Returns to Vista Brewing October 28th

By / / Austin Breweries, Charity, Craft Beer News, Event Listings and New Releases

Outside the City Limits Festival Returns to Vista Brewing October 28th Fall weekends in Central Texas offer a cornucopia of outdoor events. Do you want to go to a concert? A farmer’s market? A brewery? The choices can be overwhelming. Vista Brewing is combining all three options into their Outside the City Limits Festival. OCL, happening Saturday, October 28th from 12-8 pm at the Driftwood brewery, is an alternative and antidote to a hectic Halloween …

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The Brass Tap Austin Reopening in The Triangle

By / / Craft Beer News

The Brass Tap Austin Reopening in The Triangle Opening August 25 Sixteen months after closing its doors in The Domain, The Brass Tap Craft Beer Bar has found a new home in familiar territory. The Florida and Texas taproom chain is reopening at 815 W 47th St, Suite 103 later in August. That space was occupied by Flying Saucer Draught Emporium for just over a decade. After Flying Saucer shut down in December 2017, the …

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2023 U.S. Open Beer Championship Puts Roadmap on the Map

By / / Austin Breweries, Craft Beer News, San Antonio Breweries

 2023 U.S. Open Beer Championship Puts Roadmap on the Map The 2023 U.S. Open Beer Championship finished judging over 9,000 craft beers and homebrews from across the country earlier this month. While it was a down year for Texas overall (not a single Lone Star brewery made the top 10 prize winners), it was a strong showing for the state’s up-and-comers. San Antonio’s Roadmap Brewing tied Amarillo’s Pondaseta Brewing and Flix Brewhouse El Paso for …

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Hedgehog Brewing Announces Closure

By / / Austin Breweries, Craft Beer News

Hedgehog Brewing Announces Closure After four years in business, Cedar Park’s Hedgehog Brewing will cease operations in July. Brewery co-founder Jonathan Harris announced the closing on Instagram Thursday evening. Harris and his brother Chris opened Hedgehog after years of homebrew experimentation with wild yeast from the Hill Country. Hedgehog always emphasized farmhouse and hoppy ales in their core lineup, but the brewery also developed a reputation for its taproom-only barleywine and adjunct stout releases. The …

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“Beer To You” Bills in Texas Legislature Would Legalize Home Beer Delivery

By / / Austin Breweries, Craft Beer News

“Beer To You” Bills in Texas Legislature Would Legalize Home Beer Delivery The 88th regular session of the Texas legislature finishes on May 29th. Among the hundreds of bills still up for debate are HB 2003 and SB 752. Nicknamed the “Beer To You” bills, the bills were introduced by Shelby Slawson in the House and Peter Flores in the Senate. The twin pieces of legislation would legalize direct-to-consumer shipping and delivery from Texas breweries. …

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A Day of Fun at Shiner Saturdays in Shiner, Texas

Deja Brew: Trio of Texas Breweries Hold Their Ground on Annual Production List

By / / Austin Breweries, Craft Beer News

Deja Brew: Trio of Texas Breweries Hold Their Ground on Annual Production List 2022 was a predictable year of production for Texas’ largest craft brewers, according to the Brewers Association. The organization published its annual Craft Brewing Industry Production Report for 2022 on Wednesday. Gambrinus, the parent company of Shiner Bock brewer Spoetzl, was the top producer in the Lone Star State, coming in at number 5 on the list. Deep Ellum and Oskar Blues …

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The Definitive Guide to Austin Cider

By / / Austin Breweries, CBA

The Definitive Guide to Austin Area Cider Updated April 2023 Central Texas’ vibrant craft alcohol scene has drawn national praise for at least a decade. While not as numerous as craft breweries or as well known outside of the Lone Star state as Central Texas distilleries, Austin’s cideries are quietly flourishing. From single-apple, barrel-aged ciders to unconventional combinations of fruit and hops to crushable cans, there’s something for every cidery fan in Austin. Argus Cidery …

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Picadas Hard Aguas Frescas Begins Distribution in Texas

By / / Craft Beer News

Picadas Hard Aguas Frescas Begins Distribution in Texas Hard seltzer has rapidly colonized the beer coolers and liquor departments of Texas grocery stores in the past five years. An intriguing newcomer will be joining the hypercompetitive malternative ranks at an H-E-B near you soon. Monterey, Mexico-based Picadas Hard Aguas Frescas began distribution across more than 200 Texas H-E-B stores earlier in March. “Más Sabor” and “Escarcharlo”: the Picadas Story Picadas was founded in 2021 by …

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The Definitive Guide to Austin Brewery Tours

By / / Austin Breweries, Beer Trippin', CBA

The Definitive Guide to Austin Brewery Tours Updated March 12, 2023 The City of Austin is home to over 45 different breweries within a 326 square mile footprint, plus an additional 71 breweries spread across the 4,285 square miles of the greater Austin area. This vast landscape is conducive to brewery experiences of all shapes and sizes. From the chic, tiny brewpubs of downtown Austin to the sprawling farmstead breweries of the Hill Country and …

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What to Drink in Yucatan

By / / CBA

Beer Tripping | Yucatan, Mexico Earlier this month, I visited the southern Mexican state of Yucatan. I was pleasantly surprised to discover that a craft beer scene had sprung up since my last visit in 2015. Read on to learn more about Mexican beer, Yucatan’s brewery scene, and the best places to get a pint. Beer in Mexico (not the Kenny Chesney song) Mexico’s “big two” brewers Cerveceria Modelo (Modelo and Corona) and Cerveceria Cuauhtemoc-Moctezuma …

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The Definitive Guide to Austin Mug Clubs

By / / Austin Breweries, CBA

The Definitive Guide to Austin Area Mug Clubs Updated January 2023 Mug Clubs have been an essential part of the craft beer scene in the United States for decades. These clubs are a great way to reward regulars, foster loyalty to tap rooms, and help small breweries make money. Almost a third of Central Texas breweries have some sort of rewards or membership program. Many others have clubs under development. Some bars have even gotten …

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Austin’s Big Country is First Ever Organic, Fair Trade Hard Seltzer

By / / Austin Breweries, Craft Beer News

Austin’s Big Country is First Ever Organic, Fair Trade Hard Seltzer The rise of hard seltzer continues to be one of the biggest trends in craft brewing. Central Texas is no stranger to the fad. Austin is already home to more than half a dozen hard seltzer brands. Newcomer Big Country Organic Hard Seltzer has a standout claim that goes beyond exotic flavors. Big Country is the first and only hard seltzer that is USDA …

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