Blue Flag now flying over familiar Fort Worth spot

Single malt in the bottle, Blue Flag Pale Ale in the glass (Photos © Brian Brown/Beer in Big D).

A new beverage alcohol business called Blue Flag Distillery has taken over a long-time familiar spot in the Near Southside neighborhood of Fort Worth.

Led by Will Rucker and Nate Swan, Blue Flag replaces Rahr & Sons Brewing Co. at 701 Galveston Ave., with the brewery's former taproom transformed into a special event space known as The Vault. Blue Flag has been hosting private events there for a few weeks, but a Saturday soft opening was the first time The Vault's doors were open to the public.

Incidentally, Rucker comes from an oil and gas background, while Swan spent many years as a cellarman and brewer at Rahr & Sons, which for him means this new venture makes for a full-circle moment.

So, what's the "blue flag" all about? It's drawn from a tradition built around neighborhood gatherings. Symbolic of an open invitation, if a blue flag was being flown outside of someone's house, it meant friends were free to stop by for community, conversation and a bit of food and drink.

Now, a blue flag flies not only over the entryway to The Vault, but also over the brewhouse in the production area. Among remaining equipment from Rahr & Sons, the brewhouse is the origin point for both house-brewed beer and the distillery's flagship American single malt whiskey.

For the single malt, the "American" designation is new, as "American Single Malt Whiskey" was officially recognized as a category by the U.S. Government in January 2025. Though, at Blue Flag, you could arguably add a "Texan" tag as well, since Blue Flag is partnering with Fort Worth-based TexMalt to source 100% of their malted barley from Texas farms.

In terms of product lines, beer options currently include a rice lager, house lager and a pale ale, with other styles like an IPA and stout in the works. Then on the spirits side, in addition to single malt whiskey, Blue Flag is bottling gin and straight rye whiskey. And like most distilleries just starting out, Blue Flag is outsourcing whiskey to sell (finished, blended and bottled on-site) while its own liquid is aging.

Still to debut is the Tasting Room at Blue Flag, the distillery's retail space being set up at 700 S. Main St. in a building adjacent to the former location of Locust Cider. Until that happens, public access would presumably be limited to pop-up dates at The Vault, so stay tuned to Blue Flag's social media channels (Facebook, Instagram) for upcoming opportunities to visit.

Manhattan Project working to build facility in Waco

Foster Pavilion and parking garage at Baylor University (City of Waco).

According to the minutes of a council meeting held by the City of Waco on Tuesday, a North Texas brewery may one day be operating a new location within its borders.

Council members approved a lease agreement that would allow Manhattan Project Beer Co. of Dallas to construct a 10,260 square foot facility at 600 S. University Parks Dr. in Waco, the targeted location a retail development on the ground floor of the parking garage serving Foster Pavilion at Baylor University.

To be built by K4 Construction, site functions would involve the "operation of a craft beer brewing and manufacturing facility, including the production, packaging, storage and distribution of  beer; a taproom and bar for on-site consumption; a full-service restaurant and kitchen serving elevated bar foods and chef driven menu items; and a coffee and beverage concept." 

Manhattan Project produces beer at its original site on Sulphur St. in West Dallas, as well as at Four Corners Brewing Co. in The Cedars. Last summer, the company also explored the possibility of expanding to Mesquite, but it is not known if that initiative is still under consideration.

As for the Waco site, it's projected to open by May 1, 2027.

3 Nations notches another win at 2026 World Beer Cup

Image credit: Brewers Association.

Tonight in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, winners were announced at the 2026 World Beer Cup (WBC).

While the WBC hasn't always been a yearly event (annual competitions began in 2022), this was the 30th anniversary of the first WBC, which took place in 1996. Over that period, 24 beers brewed in North Texas have been recognized as being among the best in the world.

For 2026, in a repeat of last year's result, 3 Nations Brewing Co. of Carrollton was the lone North Texas honoree, taking a bronze for its year-round Mexican lager, Texian. It's the third overall WBC award for 3 Nations, having previously won medals at the 2022 and 2025 competitions.

Competition Statistics:

• 8,166 beers judged based on entries sent by 1,644 breweries and cideries representing 50 countries worldwide. For a historical comparison, 600 entries were submitted by 250 participating breweries in 1996.
• 356 medals awarded across 119 style categories covering craft beer (114) and cider (5).
• Most-entered categories in ranked order: West Coast-Style IPA, Juicy or Hazy IPA, Classic IPA.

Medals

• 3 Nations Brewing Co. of Carrollton: Bronze for Texian - Mexican-Style Light Lager.

Cheers and congrats to 3 Nations!

Craft, a new Canadian beer and food concept, now open in Dallas

The beer - Manhattan Project White Sands Witbier, the food - Brewmaster Chicken Sandwich (Photos © Brian Brown/Beer in Big D).

A new Canadian import is now serving up a wide-ranging menu of beer and bites in the Preston Center commercial district of North Dallas.

Simply called Craft, the restaurant located at 5974 W. Northwest Hwy is part of a venture founded by entrepreneur, P.J. L'Heureux. And since debuting the first Craft location in 2011, his company has gone on to open nine restaurants in seven Canadian cities.

Now, for Craft's first foray into the U.S., L'Heureux has partnered with Dallas Stars owner, Tom Gaglardi, to develop a two-story gathering spot which consists of a 10,500 square foot indoor space topped off by a 5,250 square foot open-air rooftop patio/beer garden.

As for the vibe, Craft fits the mold of an upscale sports bar/restaurant (with plenty of widescreen televisions throughout). Yes, the beer selection is literally a centerpiece, with a large two-sided tapwall surrounded by a rectangular bar centering the space, but Craft is a bright and lively spot with plenty of hustle and bustle, as opposed to a dark and quiet neighborhood pub.

The drink menu at Craft touts over 100 beverages on tap, with 75% sourced from local Dallas breweries. The current lineup doesn't hit that number, but you will find many familiar Dallas names among the listings, including Celestial, Community, Four Corners, Peticolas, Manhattan Project, Texas Ale Project and Westlake. These are supplemented by selections from cities further out by Rahr & Sons, Tupps, Union Bear and others.

Roughly 10% of Craft's taps are labeled as "rotating," which suggests they'll be refreshed from time to time. The everyday beers cover a full range of styles (wheat, white, blonde, IPA, stout, porter, Belgian, light lager, pilsner, fruit, sour, etc.), but either way, you should expect to pay $8-$9 a pour.

Regarding food options, they also run the gamut. There's the expected elevated pub fare in the form of appetizers, bowls, handhelds and pizzas, along with chef-crafted signature entrees, steak dinners and more. Then, a kids menu is available as well.

Beyond the consumables, community is also a key aspect of Craft. On that note, the restaurant features a "Community Brew" called Light Eh! Lager, a collaboration between Craft and Kingsville Brewery of Canada - the latter owned by former Dallas Stars goalie, Marty Turco. One dollar from every pint of the beer goes to the Heaven's 27 Foundation, created in memory of the 27 girls who lost their lives at Camp Mystic during the 2025 Central Texas floods.

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Craft serves patrons seven days a week, with hours beginning at 11 a.m. on weekdays, and 10 a.m. during the weekend.