Monday, June 17, 2019

Krootz Brewing Co. holds grand opening in Gainesville

BT Justice, a vanilla porter, is one of seven beers
on tap at Krootz (Photo: © Brian Brown/Beer in Big D).

Cooke County's first brewery has been up and running for a few weeks, but Krootz Brewing Co. made its official debut with a grand opening event this past Saturday in Gainesville.

Founded by Chad Sykora, Krootz is set up with easy access to I-35 at 315 W. Elm St in Gainesville's downtown district. The company's facility comprises around 3600 square feet, split between production area, a taproom, and an additional public space with a second bar and stage.

The larger common area opens up to the city's recently-revamped Farmers Market, a community gathering spot that has among its amenities a food truck lot accessible through the brewery's back door. There, snack seekers are afforded the added convenience of being free to roam the market and an outdoor gaming area with beer in hand.

And speaking of beer, the initial approach at Krootz involves getting back to the basics of making the barley and hop-based beverage. When I first contacted Sykora last year, he spoke about the brewing industry's focus on the chase for the next big thing. In his mind the seemingly endless experimentation has created a gap in the market, with consumers left with a lack of options in the realm of go-to beers.

Along those lines, the starting lineup at Krootz features a number of traditional styles. Standards like a blonde, a pale and an IPA are supplemented with a shandy, a vanilla porter and an imperial milk stout. A juicy hazy pale ale also makes the list, but that's the only beer on the current menu that hits on one of the highly sought-after styles of today.

Of course, Krootz is just getting started, and the beertender was quick to point out that more brews are in the works. For now, though, the brewery is sporting a straightforward and sessionable range of beers with only one reaching an ABV of over 6.6%.

As for how to grab a taste, those interested will have to get up to Gainesville, as Krootz is presently only selling its beers in house. Distribution is also said to be in the plans, but once that happens deliveries may be limited to local businesses.

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