Hop-Water Only Brewery “Clear Current Brewing Co.” to Open in South Austin
Austin, TX – Clear Current Brewing Co. has announced they are planning to open a taproom in the new mixed-use development at the intersection of South Congress and Industrial Blvd. The brewery will focus solely on non-alcoholic hop-waters, a niche segment of the beverage industry showing recent growth by appealing to health-conscious consumers. “We’ve seen the trend of better-for-you (BFY) beverages on the rise, with many available by distribution only,” writes Samantha Stommel, founder of Clear Current Brewing Co. “But people are still looking for a third space to meet friends and hang out, without feeling the need to drink intoxicating beverages. We’ve noticed success in Austin, with locations like Sans Bar, Tulum Botanical, and Taano House pulling off the non-alcoholic bar concept, and we think this will work for a brewery as well.”
The new development that will house Clear Current Brewing Co. is a short walk from The Yard, a popular destination for food, beverage, and entertainment. “We believe the South Austin industrial district is the perfect home for our experimental tasting room,” writes Stommel, “as it’s home to two breweries, two wineries, a coffee shop, a dispensary, a fine dining establishment, and three pickleball venues. Plus, Pin’s Mechanical Co. is right across the street offering additional foot traffic. It’s a growing hotspot for nightlife in Austin.” In addition to the location, Austin hosted its first annual Hop Water Fest at Zilker Brewing in February, in which a number of Central Texas breweries showcased their house-made hoppy, and often fruity, refreshments.
As for the new brewery itself: it will be modeled like a traditional taproom. “We want to invite the beer community in with a familiar space,” writes Stommel. The taproom is planning to produce on a 5 bbl system, with up to 12 taps at a time. Canning and distribution are planned, and in fact, initial production has already started. “We’ve been working with Martin House Brewing Company to test out our recipes as we await the completion of the taproom space. And we’ve been experimenting: we’ve so far produced our double dry-hopped water and a New England hazy water. We have a few other ideas in mind, such as a Belgian dubbel water, a blueberry smoothie water, and an English brown water. We’re even thinking of trying out barrel-aging, from barrels that held non-alcoholic spirits, of course.”
The new space is planning to open mid to late 2027, and brewery mainstays like live music and workshop events are planned. “We’ll have water flights as well, for those looking to sample a few of our brews,” notes Stommel. “We’ve also been in contact with a beverage software provider to list our items in an online menu, making it especially easy for the established beverage community to keep up with and ‘check-in’ new releases. With frequent small-batch waters planned, we’re expecting to see a lot of returning customers. Clear Current is going to put the ‘hype’ into ‘hyperhydration’!”
For more information on breweries that produce hop waters, check out our Definitive Guide to Austin Hop Water here.
Alternatively, you may also enjoy last year’s guide on The Best Wineries in Austin.
