A sip of something different with Fox & Raven Mead

Photo © Brian Brown/Beer in Big D.

It's been mentioned here before, but the field of fermented beverages in North Texas goes beyond just beer. There are cider and mead-makers around town as well, though their numbers are far fewer compared to the landscape of local breweries.

One of those dropping honey-based alcoholic drinks goes by the moniker of Fox & Raven Mead. Founded by Bryce DeShazo and Savannah Castillo, the company has been in business since 2021. It operates out of a small production and pickup-only storefront at 1510 Randolph St. in Carrollton, but the owners are out nearly every weekend sampling and selling their meads at area festivals, vendor markets and other special events.

Products from Fox & Raven range from The Hunt - The Hare (14% ABV), a traditional mead that dries out quite nicely in the finish, to Fellow Traveler (12% ABV), a tasty acer (or maple mead) with fresh green apples. Their portfolio also features a few lower strength fruited hydromels and sparkling meads (6% ABV), with prickly pear and mango/habanero among the flavor options.

Sampling some of Fox & Raven's creations this weekend while shopping the Farmers Market at The Lawn in Little Elm, what stood out the most was how well-balanced their meads are across the board, not being overly sweet or dominated by added ingredients. Similar thoughts applied to a bourbon barrel-aged version of their base mead called The Hunt - The Hart, which was entirely too easy to drink considering its boozy backbone.

Given those impressions, the most highly-anticipated taste might be Whidbey, a barrel-aged bochet (or black mead) made with caramelized honey and marionberries. This one was only available to take home, as samples were understandably cost-prohibitive due to batch size.

As for how to get a taste for yourself, Fox & Raven meads can occasionally be found on guest taps at local breweries. Then on the packaging side, corked bottles can be purchased online for shipment or pick-up, but they are also available at Lone Star Beverages of Carrollton or at the aforementioned pop-ups. For details, visit the "Find Mead" link on Fox & Raven's website.

3 Nations celebrates opening in Anna

Cops to Hops Blonde Ale, the inaugural Anna exclusive from 3 Nations Brewing Co. (Photo © Brian Brown/Beer in Big D).

The doors are open at 3 Nation's Brewing Co. in Anna, as the Carrolton-based business has completed an expansion project initially announced late last year. An official grand opening took place on Saturday, the event drawing a capacity crowd from the outset.

Previously a bank and then a police station, the building at 101 S. Powell Pkwy in Anna now houses 3 Nations' new satellite taproom, a supplementary space to complement its flagship location in Downtown Carrollton. A five-barrel brewing system is still to be added, according to founder Gavin Secchi, once it and an accompanying array of six fermenters arrives in the coming weeks.

Of course, that means all beer being served at the new spot is coming from Carrollton at this point, but small-batch Anna exclusives will rotate in after the expected production hardware is installed and dialed-in on site.

Taproom seating inside is supplemented by and expansive patio area outside at 3 Nations Brewing Co. - Anna (Photo © Brian Brown/Beer in Big D).

One of these, Cops to Hops, was produced in Carrollton ahead of time, so at least one Anna standard would be ready for opening day. A reference to the evolution of the structure's history, Cops to Hops is a light and easy-drinking blonde ale with an ABV of just 4.7%. It and other house brands pour from a tapwall with upwards of 28 slots available daily, or visitors can grab beer to go in cans or growlers.

Among other Anna amenities, an interior feature called The Vault is a private event room recalling the former bank, while an expansive patio has been added along one elevation to provide for a bit of outdoor ambiance. And for visuals, a number of wide-screen televisions have been installed both inside and out.

On the subject of eats, options include deliveries from next door neighbor, Mamma Mia's Pizzeria, or patrons can bring in bites from other outside restaurants as well. Then besides beer, beverage alternatives for pairing range from several wine selections to non-alcoholic liquids like bottled water and sodas.

As for when to go, 3 Nations Brewing Co. in Anna will have operating hours Tuesday-Sunday, with nightly attractions (bingo, karaoke, trivia, live music) set to engage patrons as they pass the time over a pint.

3 Nations opening satellite location in Anna

Image credit: 3 Nations Brewing Co.

Taking the next step in its evolution, 3 Nations Brewing Co. of Carrollton has announced the intention to open a satellite brewery and taproom in the City of Anna.

First arriving on the scene in 2015, 3 Nations began operations in Farmers Branch before making a big move to a much bigger spot in Downtown Carrollton late in 2019. Now, the company is looking to expand its reach, while also becoming the first business of its kind to reside in Anna.

So, what's behind the move?  According to business manager John Royer, there are multiple reasons to open a satellite taproom in the right places.

"Number one, it extends our brand.  [More] people get to experience 3 Nations," says Royer. "In addition, we make more money selling in our taproom than through distribution per unit.  Due to inflation, cans/lids/PakTechs, labels, case trays and grain have all gone up a bunch.  Our price, to date, has not gone up.  So, this is another opportunity to extend our brand AND create an additional revenue source."

The focus of the project is an existing structure located at 101 S. Powell Parkway in Anna. Formerly utilized as a police and finance facility for the city, the 5,200 square foot building will be renovated to bring it in line with the company's charter of being "a brewery focused on brewing good beer and creating a fun environment for the community."

Among the expected amenities, a small-batch brewing system will produce unique beers onsite, while the addition of an outdoor patio space is in the plans as well.

Look for the Anna location of 3 Nations Brewing Co. to open sometime around June 2023.

3 Nations launches Symbol Brewing side project

Image credit: 3 Nations Brewing Co.

A new North Texas brand is debuting this week, the concept behind it built around three little words: "Simply. Good. Beer."

From the team at 3 Nations Brewing Co. of Carrollton, Symbol Brewing Co. is an initiative designed to give head brewer Gavin Secchi the opportunity to experiment with recipes falling outside the bounds of the brewery's everyday lineup.

"Symbol Brewing is our innovative, rotating line of beers focused towards craft beer lovers," says John Royer, business manager at 3 Nations. "Our 3 Nations beer portfolio, like most local breweries, tends to be a consistent lineup of great tasting beers. Gavin is a strong brewer with a lot of recipes and we want to take advantage of this opportunity."

Regarding the "simply good beer" elements of the brand's identity, those words apply not only to what's found inside Symbol Brewing's cans, but also to how its products will be portrayed in the marketplace.

"The marketing is minimalistic and meant to be 'all about the beer,'" explains Royer. "We believe that symbols create conversation, so rather than naming beers we just wanted to create relevant symbols."

As for what consumers can expect in terms of availability, the Symbol Brewing line is intended to be a series of limited edition, one-off beers.

"We will rotate three new exciting brews created by Gavin every other month," says Royer. "This is a limited series as we just don’t have the capacity to brew larger amounts of Symbol Brewing beers.  It is just our way of having fun and keeping it fresh."

The initial run of Symbol Brewing beers is shipping now to select retailers across North Texas. Styles include Pastry Gose, Strawberry Hefeweizen and West Coast IPA. Look for them in four-packs of 16-ounce cans.

3 Nations debuts its showy new shed in Carrollton

 (All photos: © Brian Brown/Beer in Big D).

A craft brewery now resides in Carrollton, as 3 Nations Brewing Co. has opened the doors to its new location in the city after relocating from its previous site in Farmers Branch.

Initially debuting in the summer of 2015, 3 Nations got its start after taking over the original space of Grapevine Craft Brewery, following that operation's move to its namesake city. Along the way, 3 Nations has made a name for itself with beers like GPA, Mango Smash IPA and Haze Wizard, along with offerings from its Devout Imperial Milk Stout series.

Now, 3 Nations occupies a former grain warehouse anchoring a corner of Historic Downtown Carrollton. Built in the 1950s, real estate listings for the structure known as the "shed" quote a usable space of just under 12,000 square feet, but the place feels bigger...much bigger. So much so, one wonders if a survey team should be called out to recheck the numbers.

Views from above and below capture the production system at 3 Nations, along with a pilot system
composed of tanks once used at Hoffbrau Steaks & Brewery in the 1990s (click image to enlarge).

In any case, the brewing apparatus from Farmers Branch takes up a good portion of the south end of the building, fronting what's essentially an indoor patio to the north. Along the eastern edge, there's a climate-controlled taproom, an event space, and a second-floor public area with additional seating and expansive views of the brewhouse.

Also of note, 3 Nations has acquired a bit of North Texas brewing history in the form of equipment once used by Hoffbrau Steaks & Brewery in the late 1990s. Visible alongside the array of production fermenters, the set includes a brew kettle and four "tax determination" tanks made of copper and stainless steel. And, they're not just for display either, as the whole lot is expected to be put to use as 3 Nations' pilot system.

Of course, there's plenty of room to mix and mingle outdoors as well, given the overall lot size of 20,000 square feet. On opening day alone, there were multiple food trucks, vendors, a giant dart board and inflatable attractions for the kids, all of which made for a family-friendly atmosphere enjoyed by a large crowd of young and old alike.

It's an impressive setup, to say the least, and given 3 Nations' proximity to shops and restaurants downtown, it's one that makes Carrollton an instant North Texas craft beer destination. As for when to visit, check out the brewery during taproom hours seven days a week, and don't forget to mark your calendar for the official grand opening scheduled for Saturday, November 16.