Maple Branch, Flix Frisco/Little Elm medal at 2026 Best of Craft Beer Awards

Image credit: Best of Craft Beer Awards.

Two North Texas breweries have been honored at the 2026 Best of Craft Beer Awards competition.

Held in Central Oregon since 2014, and reported on here since locals were first awarded medals in 2016, the Best of Craft Beer Awards is billed as "one of America's fastest growing competitions." For the 2026 edition, the event drew 1,498 entries from 270 breweries, with submissions judged against style guidelines covering 58 beer and beer-adjacent categories and subcategories.

Among this year's winners were Flix Brewhouse Frisco/Little Elm and Maple Branch Craft Brewery of Fort Worth. This is the first Best of Craft Beer award for the crew at Flix Frisco/Little Elm, while Maple Branch has now nabbed four medals at the competition. In fact, Maple Branch's winning beer, Raspberry Fields, has been recognized at three separate competitions, including the Great American Beer Festival (2022) and the Texas Craft Brewers Cup (2023, 2024).

For more on the 2026 Best of Craft Beer Awards, click here for a full competition summary.

Flix Brewhouse, Frisco

• Flixbrau, Bronze in the Rye Beers category.

Maple Branch Craft Brewery, Fort Worth

• Raspberry Fields, Bronze in the Fruit & Field Beers category.

Cheers and congratulations to Maple Branch and Flix Frisco/Little Elm!

With barley and beans, Maple Branch adds coffee to its craft mix

Image credits: Maple Branch Craft Brewery.

Maple Branch Craft Brewery of Fort Worth has branched out, literally, beyond the beer with the addition of a new coffee shop located at 2624 Whitmore St., right next door to the taproom. The company's Branch & Bean Coffee + Roastery offers coffee drinks made from house-roasted beans sourced from around the world, with house-made syrups and gelatos available as accompaniments.

According to Igor Stepczynski, marketing coordinator and brand ambassador for both ventures, the motivation to move into coffee is about expanding the craft experience for everyone who frequents Maple Branch.

"When customers come to Maple Branch, they can depend on us for quality beer and food made with the best ingredients and utmost care," says Stepczynski. "For Branch & Bean Coffee + Roastery, we wanted to provide the same standard by buying raw coffee beans, roasting them on site, and providing another way for people to enjoy something made with passion, craft and attention."

Plus, it's a way to further appeal to Maple Branch patrons of all ages who come to the brewery, but aren't drinking beer.

"We pride ourselves for having a wide demographic of customers throughout the day - work professionals, families with children, etc.," adds Stepczynski. "Some of them love our environment but would simply prefer something non-alcoholic. Providing an elevated coffee experience is our way to make sure there is something for everyone at any time of day!"

On that note, while the taproom has lunch and dinner service, early hours at the coffee shop call for pastries and breakfast items. Along those lines, Branch & Bean offers a variety of morning-type fare like breakfast tacos, egg bites and brioches, mini waffles, protein boxes and yogurt, to go along with a selection of bagels, coffee cakes, scones, muffins and more.

Oh, and just so you don't forget about the beer...yes, some of those freshly-roasted beans mentioned beforehand will make their way into the brewhouse at Maple Branch. One such beer, a coconut coffee porter called Yule Fuel is on tap now, while a coffee blonde ale is in the works as well.

As for when to visit, Branch & Bean Coffee + Roastery is open from 7 a.m. - 7 p.m. on Tuesday-Sunday. The shop is currently operating in a soft opening phase as it works towards a grand opening set for Saturday, September 6.

Maple Branch, Flix Mansfield among winners at 2024 Best of Craft Beer Awards

Image credits: Best of Craft Beer Awards, Maple Branch Craft Brewery, Flix Brewhouse.

This past weekend, the 2024 Best of Craft Beer Awards competition was held in Redmond, Oregon, with two Tarrant County breweries landing among the winners.

Now in its tenth year, the Best of Craft Beer Awards has grown to be the third largest professional brewing competition in North America. At this year's event, more than 1850 submissions were received for evaluation against style guidelines covering 55 categories and subcategories.

From the entry pool, judges awarded 169 medals to 123 breweries located worldwide. On the North Texas medalists, Maple Branch Craft Brewery of Fort Worth previously won a Best of Craft Beer award in 2022, while Flix Brewhouse Mansfield appears on the honoree list for the first time.

Local winners and their beers are highlighted below. For more on the 2024 Best of Craft Beer Awards, click here for a full competition summary.

Flix Brewhouse, Mansfield

• Luna Rosa, Bronze in the Fruit & Field Beers category.

Maple Branch Craft Brewery, Fort Worth

• Monkey Business, Gold in the German Wheat Beers category.
• Lion's Den, Silver in the Bocks category.
  

Cheers and congratulations to Maple Branch and Flix Mansfield!

Deep Ellum, Maple Branch honored at 2022 Best of Craft Beer Awards

Image credit: Best of Craft Beer Awards.

Winners have been announced at the 2022 Best of Craft Beer Awards competition, with two North Texas breweries earning honors for their brews.

Held in Bend, Oregon, this year's event took place March 4-6. A total of 482 breweries from around the world submitted 2271 entries for evaluation, with medals doled out across 55 different categories. As in prior years, judging was provided by a panel of BJCP judges, industry pros and vetted brewers.

Medalists from North Texas are summarized below. You can also click here for a complete list of winners.

Deep Ellum Brewing Co., Dallas

• Dallas Blonde, Silver in the Golden or Blonde Ale category.

Maple Branch Craft Brewery, Fort Worth

• The Battle of Britain, Gold in the Barley Wines, Wheat Wine & Rye Wine category.

Cheers and congratulations to Deep Ellum and Maple Branch!

Locals land 16 medals at 2021 U.S. Open Beer Championship

Image credit: U.S. Open Beer Championship.

The hits just keep on coming for North Texas at the U.S. Open Beer Championship, as area breweries have landed 16 medals (6 gold, 5 silver, 5 bronze) at the 2021 competition. In fact, including this year's tally, North Texas brewing companies have brought home more than 100 medals from the U.S. Open during the course of the last 10 years.

At this year's event, breweries from around the world sent in over 8000 beers for evaluation, with those entries representing over 140 different styles. Among the winners were 11 local brewers, with first time honorees including Pathfinder Brewery of Hudson Oaks, along with Cowtown Brewing Co. and Maple Branch Craft Brewery of Fort Worth.

A list of winning beers from North Texas is provided below. You can also click here for a full competition summary.

903 Brewers, Sherman

• Silver for Fragile Like a Bomb in the Imperial Stout Extreme category.

Bankhead Brewing Co., Rowlett

• Gold for Mile Marker 12 in the Triple IPA category.
• Bronze for Low Hood in the Belgian Tripel category.

Cowtown Brewing Co., Fort Worth

• Silver for Cold Fort Worth Beer in the American Premium Lager category.

HopFusion Ale Works, Fort Worth

• Silver for Coco Añejo in the Coconut Beer category.

Maple Branch Craft Brewery, Fort Worth

• Silver for Coalition Coffee Stout in the Coffee Beer category.

Oak Highlands Brewery, Dallas

• Gold for Tipsy Goat in the Heller Bock/Maibock category.
• Gold for Freaky Deaky in the Aged Beer category.
• Bronze for Tejano Pecano in the Nut Beer category.

Pathfinder Brewery, Hudson Oaks

• Gold for 3 Dragons in the Belgian Quadrupel category.

Peticolas Brewing Co., Dallas

• Silver for Great Scot! in the Scottish Ale category.

Tupps Brewery, McKinney

• Bronze for Full Grown Man in the American Imperial Stout category.

Vector Brewing, Dallas

• Bronze for Monospace: Nelson in the New Zealand IPA category.
• Bronze for Squoze in the Vegetable Beer category.

White Rock Alehouse & Brewery, Dallas

• Gold for Dreamsicle Capsized Kayak in the Specialty/Anything Goes category.
• Gold for Dave's Perfect Pils in the Kellerbier or Zwickelbier category.

Cheers and congratulations to all!

Maple Branch sprouts citified sanctuary in Fort Worth

A taster of Vienna Waits 4 You, a Vienna lager and one of eleven beers making
up Maple Branch's initial lineup  (All images © Brian Brown/Beer in Big D).

The newest brewing operation in North Texas is now open in Fort Worth, as Maple Branch Craft Brewery has taken root in The Foundry District on the city's west side.

Founders Stuart and Allyssa Maples first revealed their plans for Maple Branch in the fall of 2019, sharing their vision of a craft beer destination with design elements inspired by nature. And, judging by the beer garden alone, what the couple has developed is nothing short of a true urban oasis.

Upon entry, visitors step through an iron gate and into an outdoor expanse comprising nearly 7000 square feet. Greenery abounds there, with color provided by freshly-planted trees and ivy encompassing an external wall of the brewery building. Within these surroundings, an array of picnic tables is centered around a fountain uniquely-adorned with Maple Branch's tree-like tap handles.

An iron gate guides you towards Maple Branch's expansive beer garden.

Moving inside, another 7000 square feet of space houses the taproom and production areas. Simply-appointed with dark wood decor, the spacious setting is furnished with a mix of high-top and community tables, along with individual stools for those wishing to hang out at the bar.

Therein, a menu of light snacks (pretzels, hot dogs and chips) is offered-up alongside non-alcoholic sodas (Sprite and Coke), select wines and a budding portfolio of house beers. Though if your hunger grows a bit greater, you can also get burgers delivered by way of the neighboring M&O Station Grill.

Expanding on the beer, eleven Maple Branch brews were available on the day of my visit, a number expected to climb to greater than 25 once the brewery gets more recipes in rotation. Currently, German styles (a bock, helles, hefeweizen and more) fill a number of slots on the tapwall, with others occupied by two stouts and a couple of IPAs.

Left/Right: Taproom and production areas at Maple Branch.
Middle: Flights at Maple Branch are appropriately served in a maple leaf-shaped tray.

My chosen flight board contained Love, Cologne (kölsch), Vienna Waits 4 You (Vienna lager), Rushin' & Rollin' (Russian stout) and Igoe or You Go (milkshake IPA). Of those, the Vienna was probably the favorite, but the complete quartet was enjoyable and easy to drink.

With that, a first impression would seem to suggest Maple Branch sets up as a worthy diversion for residents of West Fort Worth. Patrons can kick back with a patio pint in the brewery's citified sanctuary, where the owners have curated a calming escape from the hustle and bustle of the Metroplex.

Not only that, the brewery's timely debut presents a chance to branch out from the benign dealings of daily life amidst a pandemic. All the protocols are in place at Maple Branch, so why not get out and grab a beer at a spot where they've got your comfort quotient taken care of.

 

Maple Branch cultivating new craft brewery in Fort Worth

Maple Branch co-founder Stuart Maples was named 2018 Master Brewer of the Year
by Fort Worth's Cap and Hare Homebrew Club (Maple Branch Craft Brewery).

Up until now, areas to the south and east have been the primary target for breweries planning to open in Fort Worth, but at least one new project is looking to change that by setting down roots near the confluence of the Clear and West Forks of the Trinity River.

Stuart and Allyssa Maples are the founders of Maple Branch Craft Brewery, the husband-and-wife team also being fellow graduates of Texas Christian University (TCU). Together, they've secured a spot for their venture at 2628 Whitmore St. on the city's west side. There, Maple Branch will be located in The Foundry District, joining a developing collective of businesses focused on curating "an entrepreneurial spirit, with a distinctly Fort Worth vibe."

Renderings depict front elevation and aerial views of Maple Branch's location in
The Foundry District of Fort Worth (Maple Branch Craft Brewery/HCC Commercial Contracting). 

Regarding the brewery's space, construction is underway on an existing structure made up of 6,900 square feet. A taproom and small-batch production system will be contained inside, while an expansive beer garden (also 6,900 square feet) will comprise a public area outdoors. Overall, patrons should expect a scene inspired by nature, with greenery and dark wood decor setting the tone for warm, comfortable surroundings.

Once Maple Branch opens, the plan is to offer up a variety of beer styles, some of which will likely be drawn from a portfolio of recipes that have won more than 40 awards at homebrewing competitions across the country. As for when that will occur, the couple is aiming for a debut sometime in spring 2020.

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For more on Maple Branch, follow the brewery on Facebook or visit the company's website at www.maplebranchbrew.com.