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| Image credit: Priory. |
For some, the idea of a ghost or gypsy brewer is one aspect of the brewing industry that might be unfamiliar. Practically, the two terms are the same in that they describe a brewer who does not have a physical facility.
That said, ghost brewing is not to be confused with an alternating proprietorship arrangement, where two (or more) licensed entities share a physical space. Ghost brewers are not licensed, with the gypsy descriptor being fitting if the brewer travels to and collaborates with a variety of different breweries.
Locally, BlackMan Brewing is perhaps the most well-known ghost brewer to operate in North Texas, while Smittox Brewing has been taking this approach more recently as the company works to open a brick-and-mortar location in Dallas.
Smittox, incidentally, highlights a typical goal of the ghost brewer, that being to build brand recognition before committing to a larger investment in the pursuit of opening their own brewery. And with regard to their overall approach, creativity and experimentation are the hallmarks of these nomadic wort wranglers.
This brings us to the newest entry into the category for North Texas, a group that goes by the name of Priory (@priorybeer on IG). A partnership between Collin Zreet (Advanced Cicerone, former co-owner of Funky Picnic Brewery & Cafe of Fort Worth), Ben Walter (creative and culinary director at Southside Cellar of Fort Worth) and John McCurdy, Priory identifies as part ghost brewery, part dinner series.
A priory, of course, brings to mind a monastery, and indeed the principles behind Priory are rooted in the characteristic behaviors of monks and their well-known devotion to community.
"The guiding ethos - to know the unknown guest - shapes every aspect of hospitality. The table is central: a place where strangers become friends, where slowness and presence are valued, and where the wild, unseen work of yeast and time become metaphors for renewal.
Priory’s identity draws from ancient monastic rhythms, punk aesthetics and culinary innovation. The tone is contemplative yet gritty, reverent yet grounded. Each beer and dinner tells a story - of patience, transformation and belonging."
Established in 2024, Priory debuted its first collaboration beer earlier this year at Turning Point Beer of Bedford. Punk Monk was a farmhouse ale/hazy IPA hybrid brewed with flaked oats and fermented with a strain of Brettanomyces yeast. The formulation was also emblematic of the types of beers consumers can expect to see from Priory going forward.
"All of our creations will blur the lines between beer styles, including non-traditional ingredients with a focus on culinary compatibility," says Zreet.
Punk Monk was released before beer dinners were added to the concept, but look for the pairing portion of the program to be introduced with the next Priory creation. That recipe, a Japanese-inspired saison is being aged in a foeder at Vector Brewing of Dallas, with the associated beer dinner set to occur in mid-December.
As for whether or not Priory has further aspirations beyond its current incarnation?
"Right now, it's just something fun," says Zreet. "We'll see if it turns into anything."
