On Cowtown's taproom takeover in Roanoke

The tapwall at CBC Taproom in Roanoke (Photo © Brian Brown/Beer in Big D).

Late last year, news began to circulate regarding the division of Soul Fire Brewing Co. into two separate entities. Indications at the time suggested the original Roanoke location would be moving to a new site (still pending?), with the Cleburne satellite continuing on independently. Shortly thereafter, the ownership group behind The 206, the food hall Soul Fire called home since debuting in 2019, renamed the Roanoke space at 206 N. Oak St. to The 206 Brewery & Bar.

The 206 Brewery operated under that moniker for a number of months, serving primarily guest beers, though one or two house beers made an appearance on its tapwall as well. Though, as it turns out, one of the breweries supplying guest beers was apparently preparing to take over the space.

With that, Cowtown Brewing Co. of Fort Worth has been managing the taproom at The 206 since early May. And it's a full tap takeover beer-wise, with Cowtown recipes pouring from 14 of the facility's 20 available taps. Guest ciders and wine are also offered, and a full bar remains stocked for those preferring cocktails.

As for whether Cowtown intends to make use of the brewing hardware left behind by Soul Fire, according to the beertender, brewers are currently training at Cowtown's homebase in Fort Worth, with plans to potentially resume brewing operations in Roanoke later this year.

Cowtown Brewing Co. - Roanoke, also known as the CBC Tap Room, serves patrons Tuesday-Sunday, with operating hours beginning at 11 a.m.

North Texas continues its winning ways at 2026 U.S. Open Beer Championship

Image credit: U.S. Open Beer Championship.

Following up back-to-back record-setting runs in 2024 and 2025, North Texas showed up once again at the 2026 U.S. Open Beer Championship, with area breweries winning 19 awards at this year's event.

For the 2026 edition of the competition, submissions were judged against guidelines covering more than 180 categories and subcategories. From those entries, 11 North Texas breweries emerged among the winners, bringing home 8 gold, 5 silver and 6 bronze medals.

All but one recognized brewery represents a repeat winner at the U.S. Open, with Flix Brewhouse - Frisco/Little Elm being the lone honoree to appear for the first time.

A complete list of winning beers from North Texas is provided below. Click here for a full competition summary.

Armor Brewing Co., Allen

• Gold for Sentinel in the Kellerbier or Zwickelbier category.

Bankhead Brewpub, Rowlett

• Gold for Low Beams in the American Premium Lager category.

False Idol Brewing, North Richland Hills

• Silver for Tyrant Reign in the Barrel-Aged Strong Stout/Porter Extreme category.
• Bronze for 2 Live & Die in LA in the New Zealand IPA category.
• Bronze for Snacks of the Titans in the Barrel-Aged Strong Stout/Porter Specialty category.

Flix Brewhouse, Frisco/Little Elm

• Gold for Cumbersome Blonde in the Field Beer category.

Flix Brewhouse, Mansfield

• Gold for Over the Moon in the Fruit Wheat Beer category.

Maple Branch Craft Brewery, Fort Worth

• Gold for Raspberry Fields in the American-Style Fruit Beer category.
• Bronze for Romanov's Revenge in the Stout category.

Oak Highlands Brewery, Dallas

• Gold for Charity in the German Altbier category.
• Bronze for BBA Vanilla Porter with Tart Cherries in the Wood/Barrel-Aged Fruit Beer category.

Odd Muse Brewing Co., Farmers Branch

• Silver for 500 Pesos in the Mexican-Style Light Lager category.
• Silver for La Lucha in the Mexican-Style Dark Lager category.
• Bronze for Playground Battle in the Other Kettle Sour category.

Peticolas Brewing Co., Dallas

• Silver for Royal Scandal in the English Pale Ale category.
• Bronze for Velvet Hammer in the Imperial Red Ale category.

Three Wide Brewing Co., Fort Worth

• Gold for Harlequin Dancer in the English Pale Ale category.
• Silver for High Groove in the Near Gluten Free/Gluten Reduced category.

Turning Point Beer, Bedford

• Gold for Edwin in the Foeder- and Cask-Aged Beers category. 

Cheers and congratulations to all!

Past meets present at Ancient Future Beer Dinner, July 15

Image courtesy of Priory.

Priory Beer Dinners & Collab Brews has announced plans for its next beer dinner, with the group set to team up this time around with Celestial Beerworks of Dallas.

As always, the Priory team collaborated with the brewery beforehand to create a recipe using a unique culinary ingredient not typically seen in modern-day beer. In this case, the ancient grain fonio adds to the foundation for a hazy IPA, meaning there is an old school meets new school kind of coupling at the core of this partnership. 

Fonio is a type of heritage millet grain grown in West Africa and has been cultivated for over 5,000 years, making it Africa’s oldest cultivated cereal crop. It has a small grain structure similar to quinoa or couscous, but much smaller.

What’s truly unique about this grain is that it needs very little water to grow and can be harvested multiple times per year. This makes fonio very versatile and sustainable, especially in arid climates. Fonio is more well known in culinary circles, having only been used in the beer world in the last few years, primarily thanks to the efforts head brewer Garrett Oliver, from Brooklyn Brewery of New York.

According to a press release, fonio was added directly into the mash, which was hopped with Rakau hops from New Zealand to create a fonio hazy IPA. The hops will predominantly lend a fruity character with notes of apricot, peach and mango to the beer, while fonio will add a passionfruit-like flavor once fully fermented. These flavors combined will create a fruit-forward aroma bursting with notes of tropical fruit, and a punchy bite with notes on stone fruit on the tongue.

As for the beer's name, 'Ancient Future' relays back to the ancient roots of fonio while looking forward to its sustainability in a world where natural resources are becoming increasingly more valuable.

For the Ancient Future Beer Dinner, coming up on July 15th at Celestial Beerworks - The Satellite, Chef Ben Walter of Priory has designed a four-course menu for the evening, including fonio directly into some of the dishes themselves. Tickets for the event are $85pp and may be purchased at https://www.priorybeer.com/events/ancient-future-celestial-beer-dinner.

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 © 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.

Rahr to begin brewing select brands at Lakewood

Image courtesy of Lakewood Brewing Co.

Bringing together two of the area's stalwart brands, Rahr Brewing Co. of Fort Worth and Lakewood Brewing Co. of Garland have announced a new contract brewing partnership that will expand production capacity for select Rahr brands.

Since closing its own longtime Fort Worth facility in May 2025, Rahr has been seeking additional brewing capacity to help meet increasing Dallas demand. According to a press release, Lakewood will now produce certain Rahr brands at its Garland facility, while Rahr will continue brewing beer in Fort Worth. As a result of this new partnership, Rahr beers will be served on tap at the Lakewood Taproom.

“This partnership is built on friendship, mutual respect, and a shared belief in the future of Texas craft beer,” says Fritz Rahr, founder of Rahr Brewing. “Together, we can continue to innovate while honoring the traditions that have made both of our breweries successful.”

Lakewood founder Wim Bens added, “Rahr Brewing has long been a cornerstone of the North Texas brewing community. We are excited to produce some of their brands here at our brewery.”

The partnership will allow both breweries to leverage their strengths while maintaining the unique identities and brands that customers have come to know and love. Going forward, consumers can expect collaborative brewing projects, special releases, community events, and initiatives that celebrate the vibrant culture of North Texas craft beer.

Local pours and more for your World Cup watch party

Image credits: FIFA, Maple Branch Craft Brewery, Texas Ale Project, Lakewood Brewing Co.,
Peticolas Brewing Co., Four Corners Brewing Co., HopFusion Ale Works, Community Beer Co., Rahr & Sons Brewing Co.

A rather fantastical football event is on the horizon for North America, with North Texas playing a role as well. The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be contested by 48 teams from around the world at venues located in Canada, Mexico and the United States from June 11 until the World Cup Final on July 19.

In the span of those 39 days, there will be 104 matches, with nine taking place in Arlington at AT&T Stadium, or what will be called Dallas Stadium for the duration of the event.

Area bars, breweries and restaurants are gearing up for the festivities with plans to be open for special hours in order to show the games. There will be watch parties, there will be themed merchandise and, of course, there will be beer.

A list of what sort of beer and swag you can expect to find at local breweries is provided below. And keep in mind we're talking about a sportsball event going on in the dead of summer in Dallas, which means the bulk of the internationally-inspired offerings are sessionable beers, being lagers or light-bodied ales. Also, most are available on draft or in cans. 

As for watch parties and special events, some gatherings will be added to the events page, but for the most up-to-date details, it'll be best to keep an eye on the social media channels of your favorite watering hole.

Beer & Merch:

3 Nations Brewing Co., Carrollton/Anna

• Extra Time Churro Golden Stout
• Match Day IPA Tangier SmAsH
• Night Match Lager Schwarzbier
• Pitch Pils West Coast Pilsner.
• Note: These draft-only beers and others being released for the brewery's Eleventh Anniversary Party.

Celestial Beerworks, Dallas

• Global Pitch American Lager.
• Merch: soccer ball-shaped goblets.

Community Beer Co., Dallas

• Golden Boot Classic American Lager (a Golden Boot is awarded to the tournament's top goal scorer).
• Merch: chalice glassware embossed with a football hexagon pattern, koozies, stickers.

Dr. Jeckyll's Beer Lab, Pantego

• Merch: dimpled soccer mugs.

False Idol Brewing, North Richland Hills

• Paint the Stands Czech Coast-Style Pilsner.

Four Corners Brewing Co., Dallas

• Pitch Mix - France French-Style Witbier.
• Pitch Mix - Germany German Style Pilsner.
• Pitch Mix - Mexico Mexican Style Lager.
• Pitch Mix - Spain Spanish-Style Orange Blonde.
• Note: Pitch Mix beers are available in a 12-can variety pack.

HopFusion Ale Works, Fort Worth

• Outlaw Summer of Soccer Lager.

Lakewood Brewing Co., Garland

• Local Gold Pilsner.

Maple Branch Craft Brewery, Fort Worth

• Merch: gold-rimmed chalice glassware embossed with a football hexagon pattern.

Oak Cliff Brewing Co., Dallas

• Cenzoni Italian Pilsner.
• Chico Mexican Lager.
• Gaffer's Pint English Pub Ale.
• West African Blonde Ale.
• Note: These four draft-only beers are part of the brewery's International Friendly Flight.

On Rotation Brewery & Kitchen, Dallas

• Do Toho Czech Pils (Do Toho is Czech for "go for it").
• Kalsarikännit Baltic Porter (Kalsarikännit is Finnish for "pantsdrunk").
• Ose Ose Japanese Rice Lager (Ose Ose is a Japanese phrase encouraging players to pressure or Push! Push!).
• Merch: Soccer ball-embossed pint glasses

Peticolas Brewing Co., Dallas

• Malice in Dallas Session Red Ale.
• Melee in the USA American Pale Ale.
• TKO in Mexico Mexican-Style Lager.
  
• Ultras 2026 Kölsch
• Merch: koozies, pint glasses, stickers, stress balls, t-shirts and more.

Rahr & Sons Brewing Co., Fort Worth

• Merch: Soccer pint glasses.

Texas Ale Project, Dallas

• Break Free Blonde.

Tupps Brewery, McKinney

• Merch: chalice glassware embossed with a football hexagon pattern.

Lakewood releases new and renewed seasonals for summer

Image credit: Lakewood Brewing Co.

Lakewood Brewing Co. of Garland has released two beers, one being new, while the other is a returning favorite.

The new beer is Fruition Pineapple Ginger Blonde (4.2% ABV), which is described as "light and ridiculously refreshing with just the right pop of juicy pineapple up front and a little ginger spice on the finish to keep things interesting. Golden, bright, and built for easy drinking, it’s smooth, and seriously crushable."

As for the legacy beer Lakewood is bringing back into the summer seasonal fold, Raspberry Temptress (9.1% ABV) launched the brewery's limited Seduction Series in 2014. Infused with fresh raspberries, this Temptress variant is "raspberry forward with a hint of coffee."

“If you don’t walk through our doors a beer lover, we hope you’ll find your perfect match by the time you leave,” says Wim Bens, founder and president of Lakewood. “We keep two dozen options rotating on tap that range from IPAs and lagers to popular seasonal releases and new varieties like Fruition Pineapple Ginger Blonde and Raspberry Temptress, one of the many riffs on our flagship Temptress.”

Fruition Pineapple Ginger Blonde and Raspberry Temptress are now available on tap at the Lakewood Taproom, as well as on craft beer shelves throughout Texas. To find a location near you, click the link to access the Lakewood Beer Finder.

East Dallas Brewing Co. no longer in development

Image credit: East Dallas Brewing Co.

The principals behind the highly-anticipated East Dallas Brewing Co. have decided to cease development on the venture which had targeted the city's popular Lower Greenville neighborhood.

First announced in early 2024 by a founding group consisting of John Mitchell, Michael Stone and Andrew Huerter, the company had begun to introduce itself by way of collaborations with Lakewood Brewing Co. and Intrinsic Smokehouse & Brewery, both of Garland. From there, East Dallas last poured preview beers at the 2025 Big Texas Beer Fest.

As for the future, Huerter currently has eyes on a new beer project, the details of which will be revealed once due diligence has been completed. Prior to more recent stints with Oak Highlands Brewery of Dallas and Rahr & Sons Brewing Co. of Fort Worth, Huerter was the head brewer at BrainDead Brewing of Dallas, which closed in November 2021.

Oak & Stone opens first Texas franchise in McKinney

Photos © Brian Brown/Beer in Big D.

A new craft kitchen with "loaded taps" is encouraging patrons to make pour decisions, now that it's open in a recently-built retail center at 8575 W. University Dr. (U.S. 380) in McKinney.

First founded in 2015, Oak & Stone is a Florida-based concept under the Artistry Restaurants banner featuring a self-pour tapwall experience. As of now, the company has eight locations in Florida, with McKinney being the first one established in Texas. It won't be the last, though, since another locale is set to open later this year in Addison.

A sign declaring that "Beer Tastes Better in McKinney" is the first thing you'll notice when entering the new North Texas spot, which consists of around 6,000 square feet. Seating options are split between the indoor public space, and a covered patio section outdoors.

On the consumables, the food menu at Oak & Stone has an elevated pub grub feel (apps, wings, pizzas, burgers/handhelds, salads), but the centerpiece of the place is certainly the self-pour tapwall. And it's not all about barley and hops, as upwards of 50 rotating handles pour beer, wine, cocktails and spirits (tequila, whiskey), as well as non-alcoholic options including root beer, soda, lemonade and more.

Roughly half of the taps are devoted to craft beer, with products primarily sourced from local breweries. Current selections hail from 3 Nations, Armor, Community, Lakewood, Manhattan Project, Martin House, Peticolas, Rollertown, Texas Ale Project, Three Wide and Tupps.

The closest thing to a macro on tap was a beer from Golden Road, with others beers like Lone Star and Shiner available in cans behind the bar.

As for pricing, most draft pours run $0.50 - $0.60 per ounce, with dark beers (porter, stout) and a fruited sour being higher-priced outliers. Beers may be poured into a provided pint glass, snifter, or a collection of sample glasses, with flight boards available to transport the latter.

Oak & Stone - McKinney serves patrons daily, with hours beginning at 11 a.m. from Monday-Friday, and at 10 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday.

Beer, BBQ & burros: A look at Village Creek Brewing Co. in Rendon

Photos © Brian Brown/Beer in Big D.

If you're looking for a place to go where you can get away from it all, a new venue in Rendon may be just the sort of spot you seek. What's more, with the primary offerings being craft beer and barbecue, one wonders what more does a Texan need?

Founded by Art & Sunny Anderson, you could certainly call Village Creek Brewing Co. a labor of love, considering the couple has been working to make the business a reality since 2019. That year, they poured beer at Luckapalooza V, hosted by LUCK at Trinity Groves, while they were scouting locations for their future endeavor.

By the end of 2019, the Andersons had purchased a 4.7-acre site in Rendon, with the brewery and an expansive biergarten set to front the property while occupying around an acre of that land at 6690 Levy County Rd.

So, why did it take six years to get here? Well, to start, there was this pandemic thing that caused a few disruptions. Beyond that, by all accounts Village Creek was built by the family from the ground up, almost completely by hand. The result being the very definition of a destination brewery, given the remote, rural locale and wooded surroundings.

As for what the experience is like at Village Creek, it begins with the aforementioned beer and barbecue.

Liquids pour from upwards of 20 taps, with the menu featuring mostly classic styles or slight variants of such. Examples include This Spuds for You (potato cream ale), Hopfire Amber (hoppy amber ale), Big L Vanilla Porter and a favorite of those sampled, Blackwater Scotch Ale. You could even turn back the clock with a pint of Threat Level Midnight, a peanut butter and chocolate milk stout dating back to the Luckapalooza days.

Among other beverages available, Village Creek's house hard seltzer can be enhanced with one of four flavoring options, while those preferring wine can choose from varieties bottled by Burning Daylight Estate Vineyard & Winery of Mansfield.

Then for non-alcoholic drinks, canned soda and bottled tea are sold at the Smokehouse Republic food trailer, an on-site barbecue purveyor. There, hungry patrons can order from a food menu consisting of brisket options (sandwiches, nachos), smashburgers and more.

And entertainment? If communing with nature while holding a beer in hand isn't quite enough, you can find widescreen televisions and board games in the taproom, with cornhole and giant connect four set-ups outside. There are also donkeys in an attached pen, who appear to quite enjoy poking their heads through the fence line for a friendly pat.

That brings us to the topic of when to visit, as Village Creek has been opening at noon on weekends - beer and food stock permitting. Given the latter, it's best to check the brewery's social media channels for updates before heading down south.

A look at 2025 North Texas production numbers

Click to enlarge.

This is the annual update of the breakdown of brewery sizes in North Texas, based on 2025 production data as reported to the Brewers Association (BA) and published in the May/June 2026 issue of The New Brewer.

Note, not all brewing companies provide their numbers, and some report statistics combining multiple locations. For 2025, roughly 80% of brewing companies active in North Texas are accounted for in the BA's production report.

Data also includes production from breweries that closed during the course of 2025. As a result, the number of entities represented in the chart is not equal to the total number of breweries open and operating at any given time.

Inside the numbers:

Brewery tiers in North Texas, based on production (shown alphabetically):

     Regional (> 15,000 bbls)

• Manhattan Project Beer Co. of Dallas.

     Large (> 10,000 bbls)

• Martin House Brewing Co. of Fort Worth.

     Mid-Size (> 5000 bbls)

• Community Beer Co. of Dallas.
• Four Corners Brewing Co. of Dallas.
• HopFusion Ale Works of Fort Worth.
• Rahr & Sons Brewing Co. of Fort Worth.
• Tupps Brewery of McKinney.
• Twin Peaks Brewing Co. of Irving.
• Union Bear Brewing Co. of Denton/Plano.
  
  

Tier movement

• Advancing from "Small" to "Mid-Size" tier: Union Bear Brewing Co. of Denton/Plano.
• Moving from "Large" to "Mid-Size" tier: Community Beer Co. of Dallas.

Year-to-year production change

• At 54%, just over half of the breweries in North Texas reported a drop in production during 2025 (flat compared to 55% reporting declines in 2024).
• Overall production in North Texas was down 3% for those reporting in 2024 and 2025 (compared to a 6% overall decline in 2024).
• Comparison: Craft beer volume was down 4% nationally in 2025, according to the Brewers Association.

Significant year-to-year production gains (based on those reporting in 2024 and 2025)

• For the fourth year in a row, Manhattan Project Beer Co. of Dallas had the largest year-to-year gain in raw barrels produced locally for 2025. The brewery is now the fourth largest craft beer producer in all of Texas, behind Gambrinus Co. of San Antonio (Shiner), Saint Arnold Brewing Co. of Houston, and Real Ale Brewing Co. of Blanco.
• The largest year-to-year percentage gains for brewing companies with production greater than 1000 barrels were realized by (alphabetically): Armor Brewing Co. of Allen, Four Corners Brewing Co. of Dallas, Manhattan Project Beer Co. of Dallas, Martin House Brewing Co. of Fort Worth, Oak Highlands Brewery of Richardson, Rollertown Beerworks of Frisco, Three Wide Brewing Co. of Fort Worth, and Union Bear Brewing Co. of Denton/Plano.
  

Lucky Vines closes tasting room in Dublin

Image credit: Lucky Brewing Co.

Lucky Vines Vineyard & Winery has announced the closure of its tasting room in Dublin. While not explicitly mentioned, this presumably means the company's side project, Lucky Brewing Co., is closing as well.

Owners Jeff and Kimberley Hutchins added house beers to the menu in August 2021, roughly three years after opening the winery in late 2018. The company's name and logo had an Irish theme, in deference to the more famous Dublin city across the pond, which extended to stylistic beer offerings like Beour Blonde, Emerald Isle IPA and Luck-in Bock.

From a social media post:

"After much consideration, we have made the difficult decision to close the Lucky Vines Vineyard & Winery Tasting Room."

This is not goodbye to Lucky Vines — it is simply the closing of one chapter and the beginning of another.

While our Tasting Room has closed, Lucky Vines will continue through wine sales, private events, and honoring all currently booked events. We are excited for what the future holds and look forward to continuing to share wine and special memories with you."

Second Rodeo joins Firefly Park project in Frisco

Rendering of Firefly Park in Frisco (Wilks Development).

For the past two years, Second Rodeo Brewing of Fort Worth has been actively exploring options for a second location, with the latest possibility - a least in North Texas - a new development being built in North Frisco.

Coming from Wilks Development of Fort Worth, Firefly Park is a mixed-used urban village set to occupy a 217-acre tract of land on the southwest corner of the Dallas North Tollway and U.S. 380, expanding down to PGA Parkway.

According to a press release, once completed "Firefly Park will feature 3 million square feet of Class A office space, 400,000 square feet of retail, dining, and entertainment, 1,200 hotel rooms, 230 townhomes, and 1,970 residential units."

Second Rodeo signed on as a tenant in late April. The brewpub, a concept from Jason Boso and Brain Storm Shelter (the group behind Truck Yard), debuted its original location in the Fort Worth Stockyards during the summer of 2021.

"Second Rodeo Brewing has always been about more than cold beer and good food - it’s about creating a place where the outlaw spirit is alive and the live music never stops,” says Boso. “Frisco is growing quickly and deserves a destination that grows with it, making Firefly Park a natural fit. We built Second Rodeo as a full experience, with house-brewed beer, strong cocktails, great food, and live music every day - all coming together to create a place people want to stay awhile."

It should be noted that plans for Second Rodeo - Frisco are in the very early stages, and details could change (dirt is moving at the site, with condos and office space under construction). Based on the current outlook, the brewpub is scheduled to open in Fall 2027, alongside other first phase retail, residential, office and hotel elements of Firefly Park.

As for other expansion options, Brain Storm Shelter previously looked into adding a Second Rodeo location in Richardson in mid-2024. That project is now a Truck Yard (with no attached brewing operation), opening later this year.

And if we're talking further out, both in terms of timeline and geography, Second Rodeo has eyes on San Antonio for its first location outside of North Texas.

Dirty Job closing brewery in Mansfield

Image credit: Dirty Job Brewing.

Dirty Job Brewing has announced it will close its doors in Mansfield.

A group made of Derek and Lashawn Hubenak, along with Justin Watson, opened Dirty Job on N. Main St. in Historic Downtown Mansfield during the summer of 2017. And at the time, it was the city's first and only brewing operation.

The brewery's most popular beer was The Short Stack, a maple pecan porter, though a personal favorite was Sluggo's Black EyePA. Dirty Job also produced No Big Dill, a cucumber wheat, throughout its run, with that beer and The Short Stack being examples of the company's trademark willingness to experiment with different flavors in its recipes.

From a social media post:

"We are ready to let you all know. It has taken some thinkin’, some reflectin’ and a lot of back-and-forth decidin’. We are officially closing up shop here in Mansfield. 

Do not be sad for us. We came to this decision for multiple reasons, but mostly because we are ready to get back our time as a family and for our family, as well as some close friends.

Over 9 years, we have done more than we could imagine for our community and the vision we shared with our fellow small business owners and the city representatives that we knew saw what could be. We took the leap and put our full efforts, savings, earnings, hearts, blood, sweat, and sincerity into building something that would instill a heartbeat for this amazing Historic Downtown to thrive. We could not be more proud of what we know we have accomplished, especially when we saw the tragedy of so many small businesses collapse during the few years of the pandemic/post-effects. We doubled-down, worked harder, fought for everyone we could and succeeded.

Recent things have put us in the spot to make the decision. You cannot get back your time with loved ones. You cannot get back every day you are given to make memories and cherished moments. We will cherish the moments we have made and helped make in the welcoming environment we built and know you will, as well. So many friendships and even relationships we have seen spark and solidify before us truly warms our hearts."

As for its final day of business, Dirty Job will close after a "Drinko-Goodbye-o!" farewell event on Saturday, May 2.

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!