On most weeks, TABC releases Label and Brewery approvals that have been approved for sale in Texas. Every beer that is sold in Texas has to go through this process before you can see it on store shelves or on tap at your favorite Craft Beer Bar. It is a way to see what beer will be coming into the Texas market before it shows up at your local bottle shop. The time frame between showing up on the label approval list and hitting the shelves could be anywhere from a day to a couple of months out.
The same can be said for breweries. The brewery approvals tend to be even further out. Every brewery opening in Texas has to go through the same process to get approved by the TABC. Once they do this, they can then get labels approved.
I only include craft beer labels that have been approved.
After each label, I have indicated what they have been approved to sell in. They are as follows:
K = Keg
B = Large format bottle
b = Small format bottle
c = Small format (12oz) can
C = Larger format cans
Here are this week’s releases:
Alltech – Kentucky Rye Barrel IPA (b, K)
Brazos Valley – 7 Spanish Angels Brown Ale with Coffee (B, K)
Brooklyn – K is for Kriek (B)
Buffalo Bayou – Chai Porter Ale (B, K)
Buffalo Bayou – Sam’s Daily Ale (c)
Cobra – Dawn of the Dank IPA (K)
Cobra – Jack Froth Winter Ale (K)
Deep Ellum – Barrel Aged Four Swords (b)
Einstok – Icelandic White Ale (b, K)
Fireman’s Brew – Brunette Beer (b, K)
Fireman’s Brew – Redhead Ale (b, K)
Firestone Walker – Easy Jack Session IPA (c)
Firestone Walker – Pivo Hoppy Pilsner (c)
Firestone Walker – Union Jack IPA (c)
Funkwerk’s – Deceit Belgian Style Golden Ale (b)
Funkwerk’s – Saison Ale (K)
Green Flash – Mosaic Session IPA (B, K)
Green Flash – Other World Irish Style Red (K)
Last Stand – IPA (K)
Left Hand – Oak Aged Wake Up Dead Imperial Stout (B, K)
New Belgium – Session IPA (b, c, K)
Pinthouse Pizza – The Dude White Russian Imperial Milk Stout (K)
Pinthouse Pizza – ATX Pale Ale (K)
Pinthouse Pizza – Beaded Seal Dry Irish Stout (K)
Pinthouse Pizza – Best Coast IPA (K)
Pinthouse Pizza – Blind Jake Brown Porter (K)
Pinthouse Pizza – Calypso Kolsch (K)
Pinthouse Pizza – Fully Adrift Double IPA (K)
Pinthouse Pizza – Iron Genny Pale Ale (K)
Pinthouse Pizza – Jaguar Shark Bourbon Barrel Aged Imperial Dry Irish Stout (K)
Pinthouse Pizza – Luscious Cream Ale (K)
Pinthouse Pizza – Man O’ War IPA (K)
Pinthouse Pizza – Nitro Bearded Seal Dry Irish Stout (K)
Pinthouse Pizza – Old Beluga Amber Ale (K)
Pinthouse Pizza – Oso Tiburon Tequila Barrel Aged Imperial Dry Irish Stout (K)
Pinthouse Pizza – Sharktopus Rum Barrel Aged Imperial Dry Irish Stout (K)
Pinthouse Pizza – Sw’elsinore Canadian Style Lager (K)
Pinthouse Pizza – The Admiral Imperial Dry Irish Stout (K)
Pinthouse Pizza – The Big Lebarrelski Bourbon Barrel Aged Russian Imperial Milk Stout (K)
Pinthouse Pizza – Warning Shot IPA (K)
Prairie – Apple Brandy Barrel Noir (b)
Pyramid – IPA A Medley of Hops (b, B)
Smithwick’s – Pale Ale (b)
South Austin – Crossroads Coffee Stout (K)
Sprecher – Hard Ginger Beer (b)
Steven’s Point – Apricadabra Apricot Wheat Ale (b, c, K)
Steven’s Point – Whole Hog Barley Wine Style Ale (b, K)
Steven’s Point – Hog Peach Hefeweizen (b, K)
TABC Brewery Approvals:
Les Brasseurs de Gayant – France
BJ Brewhouse – Temple (making a brewpub to brew their beers for the rest of TX instead of contract brewing)
A couple things to take from these releases:
Pinthouse Pizza – Well, they decided to get their whole lineup approved in kegs. I would not look too into this. My guess on what is going on is that they are getting approval for all their beers at their new location. Basically, since they will have two locations, any beer that is brewed at one would have to have label approval to be sold at the second location. I hope that I am wrong and that they plan to distribute, but I do not believe that is the case.
Prairie Artisan Ales – Apple Brandy Barrel Noir – Another beer from the Noir series. This one just sounds delicious. It has been for sale in other states already, which means the bottles are probably already in Texas but waiting for label approval. I would expect this to hit shelves soon.
Other News:
Fort Bend Brewing out of Missouri City, TX, is closing their doors. They were distributed in Austin, so do not expect to see them around much anymore. I do not see this as the start of a bubble popping by any means. I think we will see some more breweries shutting down over the next year, but it is mainly due to a combination of marketing and quality. Even if we have 3-4 shut down this year, we still will be seeing likely 30+ opening this year. Competition will make better beer in the end. Regardless, it is sad to see one go.
