A first look at what's to come at Windmills in The Colony

Windmills in The Colony is the second brewpub designed and built by Total Environment Hospitality (all images © Brian Brown/Beer in Big D).

The long-awaited debut of Windmills, a brewpub concept first established in Bangalore, India, by Total Environment Hospitality, is set to take place later this month in the Grandscape development of The Colony.

It was August 2019 when plans for Windmills were revealed in this space. According to CEO Ajay Nagarajan, an early 2020 opening was pushed back due to delays associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, but now Windmills is putting the final touches on a refined brewpub showplace unlike any other in North Texas.

Windmills offers multi-level seating inside and out, with patio options overlooking a manmade waterway.

Along with a fully-appointed brewery, attractions within Windmills' two-story, 14,000 square foot facility include spacious dining areas, two full bars, a performance stage, multi-level seating inside and out, and an expansive selection of carefully-curated books. As a whole, the combination makes Windmills a restaurant, brewery, library and live music venue all rolled into one.

On the culinary side, an elevated menu overseen by Adam Harkless, Windmills' executive chef, goes well beyond everyday pub grub. Starters, stuffed breads, kebabs, entrées and desserts are inspired by Texas traditions and East Indian influences (think spices like curry, cardamom, cumin and cinnamon).

Select samples provided at a socially-distanced preview event are described with images below. Not pictured, Texas Twinkies (smoked, honey glazed and bacon-wrapped jalapenos stuffed with cream cheese, gouda and pulled pork) are forecast to be a particular favorite among patrons.

Left: Cheese Curds Pakora - fried white cheddar cheese curds, mint-yogurt dipping sauce.
Middle left: Prime Filet Dorado - bacon-wrapped prime filet, black-eyed pea succotash, mole poblano sauce, roasted broccolini.
Middle right: Carrot Halwa Cake - carrot halwa and orange upside-down cake, citrus salad, orange chips, French vanilla ice cream.
Right: Sour Cherry Kulfi - pistachio/saffron kulfi, ruby chocolate, chick pea noodles, saffron-pistachio sauce, sour cherry compote, sweet basil seeds.

In the brewhouse, Windmills has equipped Cal Ryan, director of brewing operations, with a 15-barrel, three-vessel system paired with an array of seven fermenters and 14 serving tanks. From the latter, no fewer than 14 house-brewed beers will be served on a daily basis.

Among them, customers will discover a mix of new and old world styles, with recipes originating from America, Belgium, Germany and beyond. Ryan says the opportunity to brew a diverse range of styles is one of the things that attracted him to Windmills, since he was most recently a brewer in San Diego, California, where it's all about the almighty IPA.

Highlights from a tasting of initial offerings were a Coffee Porter, made with beans sourced from Addison Coffee Roasters, and a Tropical Saison, infused with mango, passionfruit and pineapple (a beer which pairs wonderfully with elements of the food menu). Also notable, a hefeweizen is the best seller at Windmills' original location in India, so naturally it slots into the local lineup as well (see image caption below for the complete opening day slate).

Opening day beer styles: Blonde, Pilsner, Saison, Tropical Saison, Vienna Lager, Amber, Hefeweizen, Pale Ale, IPA, Hazy IPA, DIPA,
Blackberry Sour, Coffee Porter, Imperial Stout. Flights and full pours will be available on site, with crowlers and growlers to take home.

Altogether, Windmills is an ambitious and unique venture. With its sophisticated dining element, the promise of world class jazz and the availability of intellectual reading pursuits, the new spot presents as a multi-faceted venue where visitors can indulge in the finer things in life while enjoying, of course, a finely-crafted beer.

As for when you can experience the eclectic atmosphere yourself, Nagarajan expects Windmills to go live during the last week of January. The brewpub will begin with a soft launch, followed by an official grand opening to be held at a later date.