Hop & Sting secures shelf space at Albertsons, Tom Thumb

Image credit: Hop & Sting Brewing Co.

Hop & Sting Brewing Co. of Grapevine has announced a new deal which provides the company with valuable retail space for its products at North Texas locations of Albertsons and Tom Thumb.

According to Hop & Sting co-founder Brian Burton, the plan is to start out with placements in seven stores, then add more over time. The first to receive a shipment was the Tom Thumb store on 302 S. Park Blvd. in Grapevine, and another at 4000 William D. Tate Ave. is slated take delivery on Monday.

First placements of Hop & Sting products on shelves at Tom Thumb in Grapevine (Brian Burton).

From there, stores in Colleyville, Coppell, Plano, Dallas and Fort Worth are also in the queue, with orders currently pending from those locales.

As far as what beers will be available, Burton says stores will be able to pick and choose from a mix of year-round and select seasonal brews. From the regular lineup, options include Aluminum Cowboy Light Lager, Masterminds IPA, Miracle Wheat, Northeast Texas IPA and Weisser Time Hefeweizen, while seasonal selections will consist of Local 3113 Oktoberfest Lager, and Christmas Cookie Ale, when those recipes are available.

Grapevine Main Street Fest to offer 'A Taste of Texas'

Image credit: City of Grapevine.

Announced during a special event at Hop & Sting Brewing Co. of Grapevine on Wednesday, the 2023 edition of Grapevine Main Street Fest will present a new option for craft beer fans in attendance.

Sponsored by Gaylord Texan, "A Taste of Texas" is a new tasting experience featuring products exclusively from breweries in the Lone Star State. This attraction is in addition to the "Craft Brew Experience," which has been a standard offering at the event for a number of years, though limited to brands under the Ben E. Keith distribution umbrella.

Hop & Sting, of course, is the City of Grapevine's hometown brewery. According to co-founder Brian Burton, the company has participated in Main Street Fest on a small-scale basis in the past, but this is the first year Hop & Sting has been an official event sponsor.

"We will be sponsoring the Gazebo Stage [for live music]," says Burton. "This will allow us influence on some of the acts, plus we'll have our own booth next to the gazebo with eight Hop & Sting beers on draft."

Upwards of 20 breweries or more from the Lone Star State will
participate in Taste of Texas at Main Street Fest. (City of Grapevine.).

As far as the overall attention being given to Texas breweries at Main Street Fest (many of which appear in the above poster shared during the Taste of Texas unveiling), this aspect has been a focus of Hop & Sting and others in the community for a number of years.

"We worked with the City of Grapevine to add the Taste of Texas event," add Burton, "bringing in over 20 Texas breweries new to the festival."

Main Street Fest will take place in Historic Downtown Grapevine from Friday, May 19 through Sunday, May 21. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit the event website at https://www.grapevinetexasusa.com/main-street-fest/.

Oldest brewing operation in North Texas is no more

The bar and brewing operation occupied the second floor at Uncle Buck's (© Brian Brown/Beer in Big D).

Bass Pro Group, LLC has confirmed Uncle Buck's Brewery & Steakhouse will no longer operate within Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World in Grapevine.

Originally established as Big Buck Brewery & Steakhouse by a Michigan-based brewpub chain in 2000, Bass Pro purchased the restaurant and re-branded it in 2008. Naturally, Uncle Buck's played up an outdoor theme, with the brewery side of the business producing beers like Bass Kickin' Pale Ale, Old Angler's Amber and Four Stroke 60 IPA.

Uncle Buck's continued to operate alongside Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World until the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, announcing what was assumed to be a temporary closure in March 2020. At the time, Uncle Buck's was recognized as the oldest active brewing operation in North Texas, having been around for nearly 20 years.

As for the space, an email from Bass Pro indicates the company is "exploring opportunities to create an enhanced customer experience in the future."

Christmas coming early at Hop & Sting

Image credit: Hop & Sting Brewing Co.

Hop & Sting Brewing Co. of Grapevine is calling for an early Christmas with the release of its seasonal Christmas Cookie Ale. Previously a taproom exclusive, the beer is being packaged for the first time this year.

A press release describes Christmas Cookie Ale as "a tasty treat with sugar, spice, and everything nice." With an ABV of just 5%, the beer is of lower strength compared to other winter ales, making for an "easy drinking delight" you'll want to leave out as a treat for Santa.

“Christmas Cookie is an amber ale blended with cinnamon and vanilla to give you that taste of the holiday season, like a fresh-baked cookie on Christmas morning,” says Jon Powell, co-owner of Hop & Sting. “Our Taproom customers can’t get enough of this beer and actually ask about it year-round, so we’re thrilled to be able to share it across DFW and help get everyone in the holiday spirit.”

Christmas Cookie Ale will be available on draft and in six-packs of 12-ounce cans. Look for it at local bars, restaurants and retailers beginning this weekend, or stop by the brewery's taproom to enjoy it on tap today.

Hop & Sting expanding product range and reach

Image courtesy of Hop & Sting Brewing Co.

Hop & Sting Brewing Co. of Grapevine, an entity striving to be one of the most diverse craft breweries around, is now available all over the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex.

The 9000-square-mile economic and cultural hub of North Texas is rich with community and generational diversity, and the brewery is a welcoming atmosphere to all who want to drink and learn about the refreshing complexity and science of craft beer. However, D-FW stretches for nearly 100 miles end-to-end, making it a trek for many.

Recognizing that fact, Hop & Sting has been building relationships in Dallas, Fort Worth, Arlington, Plano, Garland, Irving, McKinney, Frisco, Denton and Rockwall to ensure their beers reach the diverse audiences they celebrate.

For craft beer fans from baby boomers to Gen Z, Hop & Sting puts out beers of tradition and trend to quench the thirst of those craving new styles as they discover and engage in the diversity of craft beer. The production schedule and expertly-conducted canning days support the brewery’s ability to maintain a variety of brew styles locally-owned shops and growler bars need to keep customers coming back for more.

“We have enough core beers to keep tap lines stocked with a new brew monthly throughout the year.” states co-owner Brian Burton. “It comes down to being deliberate about brewing beers that are approachable by all and enjoyable to people from all walks of life.”

In addition, Hop & Sting's products support various charities providing assistance to those in need ranging from children to animals, public servants to education. It’s important to the brewery team to get their product out as far as possible to support the livelihood of businesses and nonprofits affected by their work.

One Hop & Sting beer produced to that end is Miracle Wheat. This American-style wheat beer benefits The Miracle League of Southlake, an organization which removes barriers keeping children with mental and physical disabilities off the baseball field and lets them experience the joy of America’s favorite pastime.

As for other current and future offerings, available now is the brewery's latest limited release, Weisser Time (5.4% ABV), a beer described as a "clove and banana-balanced hefeweizen." Then later this month, look for Hop & Sting to unveil its version of Black is Beautiful. Created in collaboration with Weathered Souls Brewing Co. of San Antonio, proceeds from the sale of Black is Beautiful will go to Beersgiving, a North Texas group advocating for diversity in the brewing industry.

Quarantine beer to benefit bartenders

Image credit: Quarantine Brewing/Hop & Sting Brewing Co.

A new beer produced at Hop & Sting Brewing Co. of Grapevine is providing beer drinkers an opportunity to serve those who serve us.

According to a press release, Quarantine Bartender Bail Out is an all-American ale brewed with American 2-row barley, American hops and an American yeast strain. In addition, the beer features an infusion of elderberry, "to give it a special sense of doing what's best for you and your friends as we are coming out of isolation and social distancing."

Quarantine Bartender Bail Out goes on sale at Hop & Sting's taproom beginning Saturday, May 23. Limited to only 4000 cans, Quarantine Bartender Bail Out may be purchased in four-packs for $16, or $5 for individual cans.

A portion of proceeds from sales of Quarantine Bartender Bail Out will go to support those in the service industry who have lost their jobs. Merchandise promoting the release is also available at www.quarantinebeer.com. Leave a tip with purchase, and 100% of that money goes directly to servers and bartenders.

Pink Boots NTX releases first canned collaboration

Image credit: Hop & Sting Brewing Co.

Working in collaboration with Hop & Sting Brewing Co. of Grapevine, The Pink Boots Society - NTX Chapter has released its first canned beer for distribution. Aptly named “She’s Intense,” the beer represents the intensity of the group's work to bring more women into the craft beer S.T.E.M. career path throughout North Texas, as well as the beer's intense triple dry hop schedule, which included the 2020 Pink Boots hop blend.

The brew day for She's Intense was led by Betsi Good of Plano's Union Bear Brewing Co., with assistance provided by Danii Oliver of Island to Island Brewery, an area project in development. The session also included educational demonstrations for chapter members Angi Thomas, alcoholic beverage writer of The Undeniable Vixen, and Lorinda Pinto, cellar person at Martin House Brewing Co. of Fort Worth.

Throughout the day the women welcomed young girls into the brewhouse, teaching them about S.T.E.M. aspects involved in the manufacture of fermented beverages. Industry professionals also came by in support of Women’s History Month, and to witness history in the making for women of craft beer in Dallas-Fort Worth.

“This brew day happening at Hop & Sting comes from a personal standpoint for me," says Jeremy Fernald, sales manager at Hop & Sting.  "I have a one-year old daughter, Carden, and recently did a homebrew so she could be a part of what I love to do.  I think it's absolutely vital for her to follow her passion when she's ready to do so and I'll be right there to cheer her on.”

As for the beer itself, She's Intense (8.5% ABV) is described as a delicious and surprisingly easy drinking brew with a smooth mouthfeel and a soft, balanced bitterness. It features an array of fruit flavors, with a tropical aroma and notes of pine.

A portion of the proceeds from the sale of She's Intense will be donated to the Pink Boots Society, benefiting women who earn a living from the beer industry.

“It's part of our business to share a part of ourselves and our product to help or advocate for our community," says Brian Burton, co-founder of Hop & Sting. "We also understand how hard it is to break into the brewing industry. When we meet people who are willing to work hard to do what we do, we are happy to give advice or act as mentors. We don't care who you are, who you know, or what you look like. If you have the right work ethic, we'll find a place for you. That place may be with us, or with a brewery we know and respect.

“[Co-founder] Jon Powell and I have trained, hired, or mentored quite a few people in the industry.  Specifically, we've done so with quite a few women. Most recently, we have mentored Betsi on multiple systems and standards. Even though we are at different breweries, we don't stop being mentors.”

She's Intense is available now in six-packs of 12-ounce cans at Hop & Sting's location in Grapevine. The beer will also be sold at retail, with deliveries expected to begin soon.

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Join members of the Pink Boots Society -NTX Chapter, Hop & Sting Brewing Co., and others for a She's Intense Digital Release Event, taking place live at Denton County Brewing Co. on Sunday, April 19 (click here for more information).

Hop & Sting adds Sir William's to NTX Strong series

Image credit: Hop & Sting Brewing Co.

Hop & Sting Brewing Co. of Grapevine is expanding its charity beer offerings with the addition of a recipe inherited from the Grapevine Craft Brewery brand.

Sir William's English Brown Ale is now one of four full-time beers making up what Hop & Sting calls its NTX Strong lineup of charity beers. A core brand at Grapevine Craft Brewery (acquired by Hop & Sting in June 2018), Sir William's was awarded a gold medal at the 2014 Great American Beer Festival, as well as a silver medal at the 2016 event.

“Before starting Hop & Sting, my co-founder Jon Powell and I were part of the team that brewed the gold medal winning batch of Sir William's," says Brian Burton, co-founder of Hop & Sting. "Sir William's is a wonderful beer and we wanted to keep it in our lineup. It is still the same great recipe that we all loved, and it is a natural fit for our NTX Strong lineup."

Regarding the choice of charity for Sir William's, Powell says adding a beer to benefit local law enforcement officers was a no-brainer.

“Our first responders and their families serve our communities," explains Powell. "It is a small token of our immense appreciation to dedicate another beer to give back to those heroes."

As of today, the NTX Strong series at Hop & Sting looks like this:

• Fire Engine Red/3113 Oktoberfest Lager - benefits Local 3113 Firefighters Benevolent Fund.
• Miracle Wheat - benefits Miracle League of Southlake.
• Dixon's Series - benefits Dallas Pets Alive.
• Sir William's - benefits Texas Peace Officers Benevolent Fund.

The NTX Strong program also includes a rotating tap that gives to a new local charity every month, and events like the brewery's Charity Bingo Night are used to help pitch in as well. Groups besides those mentioned above who benefit from Hop & Sting's efforts include Grapevine AMBUCS, Pro Players Foundation, Lupus Foundation of America, Pink Boots Society NTX Chapter, Second Chance SPCA, Gallant Few and more.

Fifty cents of every pint, $1 of every six-pack sold in the taproom and 5% of offsite beer sales go to those sponsored. In its first year after acquiring the facility in Grapevine, Hop & Sting gave over 1% of their overall revenue to charity. And, it's notable that the company considers its charity commitment as overhead, since rather than only giving a percentage of profits, Hop & Sting writes donation checks before the owners pay their own salaries.

“I’m truly happy we are able to give back through our NTX Strong program," adds Lane Joseph, co-owner and CTO at Hop & Sting. "Drinking beer and helping people, it doesn’t get any better than that!"

Look for NTX Strong beers on draft at select retailers and in the taproom at Hop & Sting. Miracle Wheat is currently the only NTX Strong beer available in cans, but Sir William's (March), Fire Engine Red (Summer) and 3113 Oktoberfest (August) are expected to be packaged in the months ahead.

Hop and Sting launching beer to benefit Dallas Pets Alive

When not taking time to admire his namesake beer, Dixon enjoys meeting new friends, giving
friends his toys and carrying around blankets, especially blue ones (Hop & Sting Brewing Co.)

Created in honor of a dog adopted from Dallas Pets Alive, Hop & Sting Brewing Co. of Grapevine has announced the release of Dixon's Pale Ale, with a launch event set to occur on National Beer Lovers Day.

Hop & Sting co-owner, Brian Burton, rescued Dixon "the brewery dog" from Dallas Pets Alive on October 20, 2014. The next day, Dixon accompanied Burton to work at a local brewery, and he has continued to do so almost every day for the first two years of his life.

As for the beer, Dixon's Pale Ale is described as "an American pale ale with intense hop flavor and aroma, balanced with a light caramel finish. It is hoppy enough for hopheads to enjoy, while approachable enough for everyone else. It is a great all-around beer to drink alongside a great all-around dog like Dixon."

Dixon's Pale Ale is on tap now in Hop & Sting's taproom at Grapevine Craft Brewery, and it's also available in kegs for delivery to draft accounts. A portion of the proceeds from sales of the beer will benefit Dallas Pets Alive, with fifty cents from each taproom sale and five percent of all off-site sales going directly to the rescue organization.

Festivities celebrating the debut of the beer will take place at the brewery on Friday, September 7. After that, look for Dixon's Pale Ale to be packaged in cans for sale this fall at independent beer stores around North Texas, as well as at area locations of Total Wine and Whole Foods Market.

Hop & Sting purchases Grapevine facility

Image courtesy of
Hop & Sting Brewing Co.

Effective June 1, Hop and Sting Brewing Co. has signed a contract to purchase assets of Grapevine Craft Brewery.

Talks between the two companies were originally focused on allowing Hop & Sting to contract brew at the facility in Grapevine, but discussions eventually morphed into something more. Now, with an agreement in place, Hop & Sting will have a place to call home, while brewing in one of the area's best brewing facilities.

It's a coming home of sorts for the Hop & Sting team, which consists of Brian Burton, Jon Powell and Lane Joseph, all of whom worked at Grapevine Craft Brewery in the past.

"It has been a long road starting Hop & Sting, but we finally have a home in a great community," says Burton."I am also excited to get back into a facility that I helped commission."

“I’m especially stoked to be brewing some of the same beers that were developed in my parents barn, less than 10 miles away," adds Powell. "It feels good to be back home again."

“It’s been a very exciting process getting Hop and Sting off the ground," says Joseph. "I am thrilled to be back in the Grapevine facility doing what I love!”

Taproom staff will be maintained through the transition, and there are no plans to make significant changes to the name of the facility. It will simply be referred to as Hop and Sting at Grapevine Craft Brewery. Popular Grapevine brands will also continue to be brewed and made available alongside new and exciting Hop and Sting brands like Northeast Texas IPA, Remedio Southwest Wit and Galactic Haze Belgian White IPA.

On the question of contract brewing, Burton says that aspect of Grapevine's business will continue on a small scale. The focus there will be on up-and-coming brewing companies looking to get their brand out in the market, just like Hop & Sting was when it got started.

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Hop & Sting at Grapevine Craft Brewery is located at 906 Jean St. in Grapevine. For more information on the companies, visit their websites at hopandsting.com and www.grapevineontap.com.

Grapevine resumes canning ahead of return to retail

Image credit: Grapevine Craft Brewery.

Nearly one year ago, Grapevine Craft Brewery made the decision to cease distribution of its products throughout the State of Texas. Now, however, the company has regained the right to self-distribute its brands in the Dallas-Fort Worth market, which means a return to local retail shelves is at hand.

According to a press release, the brewery will continue to operate its contract brewing subsidy, North Texas Brewing Co., but plans are to reinstate shipments of house brands to area grocers and craft beer retailers. At this time, though, only cans will be sent to outside accounts, as draft beer will continue to be served exclusively in Grapevine's taproom.

"It's because of great industry partners and friends that contract brewing has provided a platform for a sustainable business," says Gary Humble, CEO of Grapevine Craft Brewery. "Beyond that, we continue to see great success on the local level in our taproom and beer garden, and fans have continued to support our small business. We love people and we love our community. We could not be more excited to have the opportunity to once again make our beers available to our friends in stores across DFW.”

Six-packs of Lakefire Rye Pale Ale and Sir William's English Brown Ale will hit shelves across the region beginning the third week of July. After that, keep an eye out for the new Railcar Double IPA (ABV 8.5%). Originally marketed as Grapevine's highly-regarded Brewers' Reserve Double IPA, Railcar is set to make its debut in four-packs of 12-ounce cans.

Uncle Buck's gets back to brewing in Grapevine

Uncle Buck's brewing system, which is visible from the restaurant's front elevation,
consists of a 15-barrel brewhouse and three 30-barrel fermenters (© Brian Brown/Beer In Big D).

After a hiatus that lasted nearly two full years, Uncle Buck's Brewery & Steakhouse has resumed brewing operations at its location in Grapevine.

Open since the year 2000, when it was known as Big Buck Brewery & Steakhouse, Uncle Buck's is one of the oldest brewing entities in North Texas. In fact, only three area Humperdinks locales have been active longer. Over the course of its history, the restaurant had brewed continuously up until the stoppage, which according to general manager Jeff Landress was simply a result of other aspects of the business taking priority after a change in personnel.

"Once the last brewer left and the rest of the in-house beer sold out, the decision was made to just stock kegs from other brewers," says Landress. "When I came on board in May of 2015, though, I made it a priority to find a brewmaster and to get this thing up and going again."

To that end, Uncle Buck's looked to its past as a way to move forward by hiring someone already familiar with the existing setup. That person ended up being Raymond Plasek, who actually began his brewing career at Big Buck on the day it opened in 2000. Plasek spent nearly a decade with the restaurant before departing in 2009 to pursue opportunities as a brewer at Gordon Biersch in Dallas and later Revolver Brewing in Granbury.

Since returning to the fold, Plasek has been tasked with getting the brewhouse back in order and getting Uncle Buck's beer back in the glasses of North Texans. As for his plans going forward, Plasek indicated he'll mostly stick to a traditional approach when it comes to his portfolio of beers.

"We'll have a good mix, but I tend to be a 'to-style' brewer," says Plasek. "I'm not one that goes with the fad beers, because once they hit the scene everybody makes one, and then just like that they're gone. Here, we'll keep to a lineup of 10 year-round standards while switching out two seasonals."

Along those lines, the first beers to emerge as part of Uncle Buck's new lineup look like this:

• Old Angler's Amber (4.6% ABV, 15 IBU)
• Morning Pint - Oatmeal Stout (5.4% ABV, 10 IBU)
• Belfast Resistance - Red Ale (5.6% ABV, 25 IBU)
• Four Stroke 60 - American IPA (6.2% ABV, 80 IBU)
• Caber Tossing Wee Heavy (7.5% ABV, 20 IBU)

One variation patrons will see in the above list has to do with the stout. Plasek intends to vary the specialty ingredient in that beer, likely rotating between oatmeal, coffee and chocolate. Beyond that, he'll brew an ESB, a hefeweizen, a kölsch, a brown ale and an American-style pale to round out his set of 10 staples. Seasonals will be introduced over time, one of which is likely to be a wheat wine Plasek would like to make if he can secure the right ingredients.

As for when Uncle Buck's will be fully stocked, Plasek thinks he'll have his to-do list complete in about two weeks. After that, Landress says the restaurant will hold a grand re-opening party to celebrate the return of house-brewed beer, with that likely occurring sometime during the first week of August.

Keep an eye on Uncle Buck's newly-created Facebook page for details on the event as they become available, as well as for updates on new beers headed to the tapwall.

Grapevine Craft Brewery making Monarch a pilsner

In parallel with a recipe change, Monarch cans have been completely re-designed
(image courtesy of Grapevine Craft Brewery).

Once marketed as "a wheat beer that drinks like a pilsner," Grapevine Craft Brewery has announced that from this point on, the company's Monarch brand will be brewed to match that traditional German style.

Monarch debuted along with the brewery in late 2014 as one of Grapevine's year-round brews, but being a filtered wheat beer, research suggested it caused confusion for consumers who expected something more along the lines of a German hefeweizen (a style characterized by its banana and clove flavors, cloudy appearance and fuller body) . In addition, despite being billed as the brewery's lighter, more sessionable option among its core lineup, some tended to shy away from the beer because it was brewed with wheat.

With that in mind, Grapevine decided it was time to make a change to the beer's recipe, while still maintaining the brand identity it had built around Monarch. Thus, a pilsner was born.

As brewery owner Gary Humble explains, "We've been asked why we are still calling the beer Monarch and not changing the brand. The beer we're making today is the beer that we've been working towards for a long time. While much has changed in how we make the beer...we feel it's a more honest approach to the way we portray the brand. We know that fans of Monarch are going to love this beer, at least we're certainly counting on it."

According to a press release, the new Monarch Pilsner will hit draft accounts around March 1, with cans appearing on retail shelves beginning March 14.

Grapevine Craft Brewery unveils new facility

All images the property of Brian Brown/Beer in Big D.

It wasn't long ago that Grapevine Craft Brewery was celebrating the success of a record-setting Fundable campaign meant to help the business get off the ground. Now, just two years later, the brewery is ready to open the doors on a new 11,000 square foot facility in its namesake city.

By now you know the story as to how the original plans got derailed, and how owner Gary Humble made the decision to operate temporarily in Farmers Branch in order to make good on a promise to have beer in the hands of his supporters by the end of 2013. They say that all's well that ends well, though, and I imagine after taking in the new facility at a private event last night that Humble is more than happy with how things turned out.

Visitors may overlook the coming soon-style sign out along E. Dallas Road, but the big blue building with gray stripes is hard to miss as you approach the site located at 906 Jean Street in Grapevine. Parking is available on the south side of the structure, and is adjacent to the main entrance which you reach by passing through the beer garden.

Bar and picnic table seating are available in the Beer Garden.

Inside, there's a two-level taproom with expansive views of the brewhouse thanks to walls of windows which exist both upstairs and down. Naturally, the bar features an array of Grapevine beers on tap for your drinking pleasure, one of which will be the brewery's new year-round offering, HopFest United IPA. Brewed with 10 different hop varieties, this bright and flavorful brew was being packaged in six-packs of 12-ounce cans during the event, presumably in preparation for deliveries to retail locations in the coming days.

Birds-eye views of the taproom.

As for the production space, a thirty-barrel brewhouse sits nestled in the corner of the main area next to a group of 60 and 90-barrel fermenters, with an empty row being reserved for a set of 120-barrel tanks yet to be delivered. Packaging occurs in a separate room towards the rear of the building using an advanced rotary canning line Grapevine acquired back in January. Current estimates put the brewery's annual capacity at 16,000 barrels, though Humble says they'll produce less than half of that in 2015.

The brewhouse (left) is adjacent to the taproom, while the canning line (right) is seated in the back of the building.

All in all, it's an impressive step forward for a brewery that hasn't even reached its two-year anniversary. You, as a consumer, can check it out this weekend during the brewery's grand opening celebration. It's happening today and tomorrow (Friday and Saturday), July 10-11, from 3-10 p.m. each day. Festivities will include live music, food trucks and a slew of special releases tapped especially for the occasion.

Grapevine Craft Brewery

906 Jean Street

Grapevine

Taproom hours: Daily, 3-10 p.m.

Grapevine plans new beers, packaging

Image credit:  Grapevine Craft Brewery

The Grapevine Craft Brewery has been open all of about two months, yet they are already expanding their sphere of influence and putting plans in motion to package their brews.

On February 3, Grapevine will begin supplying beer to accounts in Austin. More importantly for North Texans, though, is the planned launch of Lakefire Rye Pale Ale in cans.  Six-packs of the brewery's flagship will be available throughout the Metroplex starting in April.  When asked about canning, owner Gary Humble responded by saying, "'We're excited to get our beer in cans and out there in the places where good times are being had. That's where our beer belongs."

Grapevine is also working on a number of new styles for the coming year. Humble says the brewery "seeks to fill a need for approachable and sessionable ales...meant to invite would-be craft beer drinkers into the growing culture of local beer."  Along those lines, expect to see an English-style brown ale, seasonal saison and a Belgian IPA.  Beyond that, head brewer Caton Orell intends to dry-hop 60 barrels of Lakefire with whole leaf Chinook for release in February, and he's got a brown ale infused with raspberry and cocoa in the works for Paste Untapped Fort Worth in March.

Including those debuting next week, Grapevine has taps flowing at 60 accounts in Dallas, Waco and Austin.

Grapevine Craft Brewery launches Fundable campaign

Image credit:  Grapevine Craft Brewery

Fresh off their recent groundbreaking ceremony, Grapevine Craft Brewery today announced a new Fundable campaign, with the goal of raising the "final" $50,000 needed to get their brewing venture up and running. Visitors to http://join.grapevineontap.com will notice that it looks very much like a competing site, with varying support levels and associated rewards based on how much you're willing to give. It may not be Kickstarter, but it does come with a bit of a kicker.

From the press release:

"To raise our final $50,000 of startup cash, we are asking the community to fund our business for rewards and to secure 5% of all future profits for the community. What that means is that in exchange for the community's support of our business, we are going to give back 5% of our profits every quarter in perpetuity to local community organizations that are making a difference and engaging in activities that make our community better. To show our commitment, we are starting out right away by giving 5% of this campaign's proceeds directly to GRACE in Grapevine, a non-profit organization that provides food, clothing, medical services and transitional housing to those in need in our surrounding community."

Potential benefactors can be among the first to publicly sample their beers next Saturday, May 18th, in the Grapevine Convention & Visitors Bureau building as part of that city's 29th Annual Main Street Days celebration.


Update:  Grapevine's Fundable campaign was a success as they pulled in over $60,000, fully $10,000 above their original goal.  They are currently planning an October launch.