Simpsons show-runner bringing mystery dinner to Vector Brewing

Image credit: Bill Oakley.

Have a cow, man, or maybe not. After all, the menu for this seven-course mystery dinner must remain a secret.

But what can be shared is who’s behind it: Vector Brewing of Dallas and Bill Oakley, former show runner of “The Simpsons.” Yes, those Simpsons. He isn’t creating cartoon pop culture anymore. Instead, Bill has decided he wants to be a food celebrity. So far, so good. His many food-related projects include the creation and curation of an American Culinary Curiosity Dinner, which he’s bringing to Dallas via Vector Brewing.

“Bill reached out to us on our website. I couldn’t believe it,” says Veronica Bradley, co-owner of Vector Brewing. “In fact, I didn’t believe it. I had actually just watched a Simpsons documentary with him in it, so I thought friends were pranking me.”

According to a press release, the dinner will include seven courses of popular city-specific meals from around the United States. There will be an amuse bouche, two appetizers, a soup, a palate cleanser, an entree, and a dessert. During the dinner, Bill will give a presentation about the foods, share stories, play videos, and entertain. It’s a full night of curated food and comedy—truly dinner and a show. Vector has also created a seven-drink pairing to go along with the dinner (if stomachs can handle it).

“We’re having a lot of fun planning this dinner,” says Bradley. “We’re known for doing weird and wacky foods and events, so this feels very on brand.”

Bill Oakley Presents: An American Culinary Curiosity Dinner at Vector Brewing will take place twice, once on Sunday, July 19th, and then again on Monday, July 20th. Tickets for the event are $135pp, including tax and gratuity, and are available at vectorbrewing.com/tickets.

Thomboys Brewing Co. signs lease on space in Van Alstyne

Image credit: Thomboys Brewing Co.

A new project to be called Thomboys Brewing Co. has set its sights on Van Alstyne after signing a lease on a spot in the city's 121 Business Park, located just west of U.S. 75 at 14333 FM 121.

Thomboys is led by Bryan Thomas, who is looking to forge his own path with this self-branded venture after building a brewing resume which includes stops at Ivanhoe Ale Works of Denison, Steam Theory Brewing Co. of Dallas and others.

Obviously, it's very early in the development process, but Thomas hopes to get to work right away on the space with the goal of opening by the end of the year. Once that happens, plans are to focus on distribution at first, with a taproom to follow at a later date.

Three locals honored at 2026 National Homebrew Competition

Image credit: American Homebrewers Association.

Three area homebrewers were honored tonight at the 2026 National Homebrew Competition (NHC), taking place this year in Asheville, North Carolina.

Hosted by the American Homebrewers Association, this year's event drew 3575 entries from homebrewers located around the world. Submissions were then judged across 40 categories covering homebrewed beer, cider (and perry) and mead.

Award winners from North Texas are summarized below. You can also click here to view a complete competition summary.

Barry Forrest of Dallas.

• Silver in the Smoke-Flavored Beer category.
• Club Affiliation: Horsemen of the Hopocalypse.

Karl Wayne King of Colleyville.

• Silver in the Strong European Lager category.
• Club Affiliation: Cap & Hare Homebrew Club.

Jarrett Long of Arlington.

• Gold in the Specialty IPA category.
• Bronze in the Specialty Mead category.
• Club Affiliation: Horsemen of the Hopocalypse.

Cheers and congratulations to all!

'Craft Beer for the Soul' set to be served at Smittox

Photos: Photos © Brian Brown/Beer in Big D.

Some dreams take a little longer to be realized than others, and that is certainly the case with Smittox Brewing Co., which is set to become the area's first fully black-owned brewery once it opens this weekend at 930 E. Clarendon Dr. in Dallas.

Founded by Kuumba "Smitty" Smith, the Smittox name has been known to the industry since the company's inception in 1998. That same year, the brewery's recipe for Short Order Porter, an imperial breakfast porter infused with coffee, maple syrup, cacao nibs and hazelnut, won the Riverside Shootout Homebrew Competition at Martin House Brewing Co. of Fort Worth.

After the success of the event, Smith began searching for a place to set up shop. Collin County was the original target, but by January 2023, Smith had signed a lease on the Clarendon space in Dallas, which was then approved for a brewpub license the following April. From that point on, it's been a matter of navigating a number of hurdles that managed to get in the way.

Smith, though, wasn't one to rest on his laurels. While working to bring the brewery to fruition, he kept the Smittox name front and center by way of collaborations with other breweries. And, we're not just talking about an occasional collab here and there. In fact, since 2018, well over 40 beers (representing nearly 20 different styles) bearing the Smittox name have been produced at 30 breweries or more, both in and outside of Texas.

Now that Smith finally has a brewery of his own, Smittox recipes will be brewed on a 7-bbl system using hardware acquired from Dallas-based White Rock Brewing Co.'s original "Alehouse" location. A 12-handle tapwall will pour stylistic offerings initially, examples of which included a Kölsch, an American pale ale, a stout and a hazy IPA during a preview event this week.

Then there was the porter, which may best represent how Smith is going about this whole brewery business. Fans familiar with Smittox and its history may be hoping for Short Order Porter to be on tap at the outset, but for now Outta Order Porter, a straightforward American porter, is on the menu.

On that note, according to Smith, the plan is to get things locked down from a foundational point of view while learning the ins and outs of his setup. In other words, he wants to make sure his base beers are spot on before adding more exotic flavor ingredients.

As for the atmosphere at Smittox, there's a foundational element to that aspect of the brewery as well. For the time being at least, taproom distractions are at a minimum. Whether you sit inside or out on the covered patio, the taproom experience encourages conversation and connection in an environment open to all.

Core values, if you will, and a welcome reminder of what this craft beer and community thing is all about. And it seems quite appropriate, considering the spirit of support and collaboration within the community of craft brewers helped play a part in getting the area's newest brewery off the ground.

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Smittox Brewing Co. is located just northeast of the Dallas Zoo. Note, parking spots adjacent to the brewery are limited, but patrons may also park at East Dock, a multi-purpose shopping and entertainment destination across the street to the south.