North Texas Craft Beer Conspectus - August 2, 2019 edition

Image credits: False Idol Brewing, Noble Rey Brewing Co.,
Happy Hippie Brewing Co., Howling Mutt Brewing Co.

It's been a minute since the last round of ICYMI updates in May, but the Conspectus is back with news on continuing development activities as well as Noble Rey's rebirth.

Cheers!

Noble Rey brand reborn

The group behind last year's purchase of Rockwall's Woodcreek Brewing Co. has added another name to its portfolio with the acquisition of the Noble Rey Brewing Co. brand. Noble Rey recipes are now being produced at Nocona Beer & Brewery while ownership scouts locations for a new taproom facility (presumably in Dallas). Select draft offerings are said to already be back on the market, with cans soon to follow.


Happy Hippie to start production at Hop & Sting

Also in the market for a home is Happy Hippie Brewing Co., with the firm currently targeting the Richardson area as a place to put down roots. While the search continues, look for Happy Hippie to begin production by way of an alternating proprietorship agreement with Hop & Sting Brewing Co. of Grapevine. If all goes according to plan, initial shipments of Happy Hippie beer will occur in the fourth quarter of 2019.


Crowdfunding in the cards for Howling Mutt

With TABC approval in hand, Howling Mutt Brewing Co. is working to clear the final hurdles in its effort to open a brewery in Denton. To assist with those endeavors, the company is preparing to launch a crowdfunding campaign on Kickstarter. Howling Mutt has set a goal of $6,000 for the project, with funds to be used to offset unexpected costs incurred during the course of development.


False Idol obtains TABC approval

The TABC approved a brewpub license for False Idol Brewing in July. False Idol was brewing batches under license at Oak Cliff Brewing Co. of Dallas, but its focus will now shift towards getting its operation up and running in North Richland Hills. Once equipment is in place, look for False Idol to brew beer for distribution while it prepares its taproom (which will include an element of on-site food service) for a full public opening later this year.

Noble Rey closing Dallas brewery and taproom

Image credit: Noble Rey Brewing Co.

Following a late December bankruptcy filing aimed at restructuring its debt, Noble Rey Brewing Co. has announced it will close both of its Dallas locations as of April 1.

Noble Rey debuted on the local scene nearly four years ago, opening a production facility on Farrington St. in July 2015. The company then went on the become the first area brewery to open a satellite taproom, after establishing a presence in the Dallas Farmers Market in November 2016.

More recently, Noble Rey had begun marketing its brand to European markets via a partnership formed with Neodif of France in January 2018. Through that arrangement, recipes for Vertigo Double IPA and Sex in a Canoe American Light Lager were licensed for production and distribution overseas.

According to a press release, the business is being sold to new ownership by way of the bankruptcy court, with the buyers expected to take over by mid-April.

Noble Rey eyes strategic restructuring with Ch. 11 filing

Image: Noble Rey Brewing Co.

Noble Rey Brewing Co. of Dallas has filed for protection under Chapter 11 of the federal bankruptcy code, according to a filing with the Texas Northern Bankruptcy Court dated December 19, 2018.

Chris Rigoulot, founder of Noble Rey, released a statement on the matter, indicating the company has no plans to close, with the move being made primarily to help Noble Rey organize existing debt.

"Chapter 11 is part of a strategic restructuring that allows companies time to become profitable again while restructuring any debt," says Rigoulot. "We are making the necessary changes to be in this industry for the long haul!"

"Noble Rey is going through a strategic restructuring, and we couldn’t feel better about that decision," adds Rigoulot. "We feel the excitement of creative enterprise again, and Noble Rey will begin to push the envelope and reaffirm ourselves as a source of innovation, and with no compromise to our existing product or image. We simply got caught up in the rat race, and the realization of the support we have received from the local community has brought us back to what we wanted this thing to be in the beginning."

The brewery began operations in July 2015, and in the years since has established itself as one of the area's more recognizable brands. Noble Rey was the first to introduce label graphics designed around full-body characters that come together when viewed across stacked cans.

Cannabis crops up in craft brews

Matt Dixon of Do214 and Tommy Miller of Noble Rey
hard at work during brew day for Certified Dank (Dallas Brew Scene).

In the continuing quest for fresh and novel flavor ideas, the cannabis plant has emerged as a source of inspiration, with brewers exploring the use of hemp and other offshoots in the creation of new beers. It's a category that is trending, and it's growing in popularity.

Shop local shelves and you'll find two hemp beers for sale produced by out-of-state brewers. TheHemperor is a product of Colorado's New Belgium Brewing Co., while Hemp Gose comes from Goodwood Brewing Co. of Kentucky. Both are made with hemp hearts, which is what's left of the hemp seed after it's shelled. Unlike hemp leaves and flowers, which are prohibited, hemp hearts are legal and may be used as an ingredient in beer. Hemp hearts do not contain the psychoactive components, cannabidiol (CBD) or tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).

As for what's in the works locally, the entertainment website, Do214, and Noble Rey Brewing Co. of Dallas have come together to collaborate on Certified Dank, a hemp beer debuting during NTX Beer Week. Also brewed with hemp hearts, Certified Dank follows the footsteps of New Belgium's beer, which paved the way for these types of products

"Luckily, New Belgium released The Hemperor and did the hard work for us to be able to use hemp hearts," says Tommy Miller, head brewer at Noble Rey. "Now, you can use hemp hearts in beer without special licensing in all states besides Kansas."

Some might hear "hemp" and assume its dank and herbal elements influenced Certified Dank's name, but hemp hearts provide different flavor qualities compared to other aspects of the plant brewers aren't able to use.

"The hemp hearts add nutty and bready flavors to beer," explains Miller. "Unfortunately, we cannot use hemp terpenes, the key flavor attributes of the hemp plant that deliver citrus, pine and dank flavors. We also cannot use hemp flowers, which would give the beer a really dank nose and flavor. Instead, we will be utilizing hops such as Simcoe, Comet and El Dorado to give the beer its dankness."

In addition to hops and hemp, Certified Dank features four types of grain - oat, white wheat, pilsner and carapils malt. The mix of ingredients results in a finished beer Miller describes as big-bodied with a burst of dank hop aromas and tropical fruit flavors.

"Certified Dank will be hazy with a load of dry-hopping, and strong with an ABV of 8.4%," says Miller. "Some people are calling this type of beer a 'West Coast Hazy IPA,' but it's what I like to call a 'New Dankland IPA.' Either way, it's going to be a fun beer to drink!"

NTX Beer Week launch parties for Certified Dank will occur at The Common Table - Uptown on Tuesday, November 6, and at Noble Rey's taproom on Friday, November 9.

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Originally published as part of a special section on NTX Beer Week in the November 1, 2018 edition of the Dallas Observer. An online copy of the complete newspaper is available by clicking here.

Noble Rey announces European expansion

Image courtesy of
Noble Rey Brewing Co.

Looking to expand its reach to overseas markets, Noble Rey Brewing Co. of Dallas has announced a partnership with Neodif, a beverage retailer based in Nantes, France.

Noble Rey's can designs were the catalyst in bringing the two companies together, as Neodif took notice of the brewery's distinctive packaging. Samples were then requested and shared, leading to an agreement giving the French company exclusive rights to produce, package and sell Noble Rey's beers in France and potentially other locations throughout Europe.

Ahead of the launch, founders Chris and Kindra Rigoulot were joined by head brewer Tommy Miller as they toured potential contract breweries in France and Belgium with Neodif’s managing director, Gildas Hays. The trip was undertaken in order to choose which facilities would be the best fit for production.

Two Noble Rey recipes, Vertigo (a double IPA) and Sex in a Canoe (an American light lager) ,were chosen for the first wave of production, which began at the end of 2017.

Both beers have been specifically reformulated for the European market by Miller, with the first cans expected to hit shelves at the end of February. As for where to get them, France's largest chain store, Carrefour, will carry Noble Rey products exclusively at the start.

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Noble Rey can designs are the work of TILT and graphic designer John Rubio.

North Texas Craft Beer Conspectus - October 17, 2017 edition

In an effort to provide more complete coverage of the goings on related to our craft beer community, presented here is the first edition of what I'm calling the North Texas Craft Beer Conspectus.

Long story short, the plan is to publish an occasional summary of notable news items as a way for me to keep up with all that's happening in the local scene (since time constraints and/or limited details make it impossible to write long-form features on everything), and a way for you - the reader - to catch up on things you may have missed on social media.

As is the case with feature articles, information appearing here will be new, which means you won't see mention of re-releases or returning seasonals, both of which generally get due attention on the weekly events page. The exception to that rule being any case where a beer (year-round, seasonal or otherwise) is being packaged for the first time.

Lastly, the intent is for this to be like a week (or month) in review piece, so the past tense prevails, meaning anything occurring in the future (e.g. a new beer being released later this month) will be reserved for later editions.

Got it? Good. Off we go then...


Malai Kitchen opens third location in Fort Worth

Image credit: Malai Kitchen.

Established in Fort Worth's Shops at Clearfork development, Malai Kitchen opened the doors to its third location on October 4. According to a Facebook post, the restaurant does expect to do some brewing with a small-batch brewhouse set up on-site, but the majority of Malai's barley-and-hop-based libations will continue to be made at its site in Southlake.


Panther Island now packaging its beer

Image credit: Panther Island Brewing Co.

Last week, Panther Island Brewing Co. of Fort Worth became the latest North Texas brewery to begin canning its beers. Panther Island utilized the services of Beer Dudes Mobile Canning to package Allergeez (5.7% ABV), an unfiltered American wheat ale brewed with local honey, chamomile flowers and rose hips. The new cans feature a label graphic referencing a silver medal awarded to the brewery for Allergeez, which placed in the Herb and Spice Beer category at the 2015 Great American Beer Festival.


Noble Rey introduces Eagle Tears

 Image credit: Noble Rey Brewing Co. 

Noble Rey Brewing Co. of Dallas has introduced Eagle Tears, a beer crafted in response to Dallas Sucks, a seasonal offering from Pennsylvania's Weyerbacher Brewing Co. The two beers call attention to the longstanding rivalry between the Dallas Cowboys and the Philadelphia Eagles of the NFL.

Billed as a "better beer, with a better name and a way better design," Noble Rey's announcement was met with a swift reply from a Philadelphia-area reporter who suggested Eagle Tears wasn't even a good comeback. A curious counter, considering the amount of deep thought that must have gone into coming up with the oh-so-original phrase, "Dallas Sucks." Either way, with five Super Bowl rings to our team's credit, we'll take being better at football over being better at comebacks any day of the week.

Also from Noble Rey, Tactical Combat Firefighter IPA (6.2% ABV) was canned for the first time last week. Pick up six-packs at the brewery in the Design District, at Noble Rey's taproom in the Dallas Farmers Market, or at a craft beer-friendly retailer near you.

Image credit: Pegasus City Brewery.

From Pegasus City to your porch

Highpoint Porch Ale (5.3% ABV), the second #porchapproved product to be canned by Pegasus City Brewery of Dallas, is now available at retail in six-packs of 12-ounce cans. The beer, an English-style mild ale, was the first ever made by the team at Pegasus City, with the original test batch being one that was crafted on an actual porch.

  Image credit: Martin House Brewing Co.

Martin House launches Saturday IPA

Launched at the brewery last Thursday, Saturday IPA (8.0% ABV) is the newest micro-seasonal from Martin House Brewing Co. of Fort Worth. The beer is brewed with three hop varieties and 200 pounds of blood orange puree, creating a double IPA that is said to be "a bit boozier with a heavier mouthfeel" compared to its predecessor, Friday IPA. Look for it in four-packs of 12-ounce cans.

Noble Rey now open in Dallas

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

After more than three years in development, the Noble Rey Brewing Company can finally claim the title of being the newest craft brewery in North Texas. Owner Chris Rigoulot and his team began welcoming consumers during a series of soft opening events last week before the official debut this past Saturday.

First appearing on the scene in early 2012, Noble Rey would be forced to scrap plans to open in Grapevine and Oak Cliff before winding up at its permanent location in the Dallas Design District. Now settled at 2636 Farrington Street, the brewery sets up as the northern bookend to a two mile stretch of the city which includes neighboring brewers Peticolas, Community and the Texas Ale Project. Cross the Trinity River and Four Corners is in the vicinity as well, which if you ask me means there's an opportunity for a rather epic brewery crawl for anyone willing to take up the challenge.

The entrance (left) and brewhouse (right) at Noble Rey Brewing Company.

The building Noble Rey occupies takes up a total of 8400 square feet. An eyeball estimate suggests a little less than half of that is devoted to production, with the rest set aside for the taproom. The work space contains a two-vessel, fifteen-barrel brewhouse flanked by a wall of thirty-barrel fermenters, while the public area has two bars, couch and table seating options, arcade games and a TV equipped with a gaming console.

Taproom offerings on opening day featured an array of mostly Texas taps, including beers from Noble Rey's Pilot Series. Thanks to a brewpub license, upwards of twenty guest beers will pour from the larger of the two bars on days the taproom is open, with as many as four house beers being served at the other. While only select Noble Rey products were on tap this weekend, a larger selection of the brewery's beers will be made available once operations ramp up later this week. That's when Rigoulot and brewer Justin Krey will begin crafting commercial batches on the brewery's production system. Not that you would have noticed, necessarily, but all of the beers served in the taproom up to now have been produced on Noble Rey's pilot rig.

Guest beers are on tap at Noble Rey Brewing Company.

One of those I sampled was Clockwork Orange, billed as the brewery's standard Steam Punk brewed with blood oranges, Himalayan pink sea salt and a French saison yeast. Here, the bitterness from the fruit addition provided a nice balance to the somewhat sweet, grainy malt making up the foundation for this beer. At least to my taste I thought the salt and yeast influence was fairly subtle, but Clockwork Orange is a beer I'd gladly come back to again in order to do some additional research.

As for the rest, once in-house stock gets built up, patrons will have the option of taking home Noble Rey beers in both glass growlers and aluminum crowlers. Further out, cans will be another take-home option, though Rigoulot mentioned during an impromptu tour he gave that canning would happen a few months down the road. For now, you'll have to get your fill on bottles and cans from local and national breweries which are on sale to-go in the taproom.


Noble Rey Brewing Company
2636 Farrington Street
Dallas

Taproom hours: Wednesday-Friday 4-9 p.m., Saturday 12-10 p.m.

Another Brew Riot in the books

Image credit:  Spillers Group



Let's start with one simple truth: Brew Riot is getting bigger. It wasn't a hard conclusion to draw, mind you, as the line to get in was longer (it snaked far down 7th Street for a time), there were more homebrews to sample (though, possibly a few less pros), and it was asses to elbows along some stretches of Bishop Arts (that span of 8th Street west of Bishop Avenue was an absolute beast to navigate).

All of this isn't a bad thing, having more beer and more people come together to celebrate craft beer, but the effect is that coveted brews had to be acquired quickly as kegs floated early and often. More beer also meant not all selections were tapped at the same time, a development that had some wishing for some sort of map or guidepost to help them stagger their way back to a favorite brewer. "Where was that such and such brewery again?"

I will say, though, that more emphasis needs to be placed on glass rinsing. Some booths were diligent in this respect, while others were not. A clean glass is important, perhaps even more so when much of the tasting involves homebrews which, quite frankly, can have flavor profiles ranging anywhere from floor cleaner to phenomenal.

Surveying the beer, to no one's surprise IPAs were the most abundant, though there were quite a number of milk stouts and bourbon treatments. However, I wouldn't say there were a tremendous amount of heavy, dark brews, but then again I didn't make it around to try every beer. If anyone did, they should probably call Guinness (the record book not the beer, though they were once one in the same).

Dead Cowboy and Noble Rey, each intending to open in the not-too-distant future, both offered a glimpse of potential offerings. Dead Cowboy, who also took home the People's Choice prize, sampled what may be their opening day lineup in Ruby Red Wheat, East Texas Pine IPA, Texas Crude Stout and Texas Sunset cider. At the Noble Rey tent, they poured Hoppily Ever After (a märzen-style lager) and Steam Punk (a California common a la Anchor Steam). They also mentioned ongoing work to secure a location in Oak Cliff, as opposed to one in Grapevine as originally planned.

As for the day's favorites, a handful are noted below. I also had a hand in judging the IPA category, so you can infer from that what you will.


Mossberg Brewing Bitter Embargo: Always strong in the sour category, this group was recognized for their Cherry Weisse and Pink n' Petit (which I sadly missed). That said, I thought their Bitter Embargo, an Americanized ESB, was a solid take on a traditionally British style.

East Fork Double D Milk Stout: The best of the milk stouts I tried, what I liked most about this brew was that its welcoming aromas of light roast, dark chocolate and a hint of sweetness translated directly to the flavor.

Dallas Homebrew Collective Mango Habanero IPA: Drink an IPA with a spicy meal and it tends to amp up the heat, so you can imagine how tricky it can be to add hot peppers to this type of beer. Here it was done well, with the soft, sweet character of the mango helping to balance a well-tempered burn.

Knowles Brothers #Hashtag DIPA: Citra hops are a key ingredient in this DIPA, as well as in a tasty Cascadian dark the brothers call Hop Freakness. Hashtag, brewed in honor of many of the key players in the Dallas craft beer community, had a nice mix of tropical fruit, florals and fresh herbs, to go along with a prominent but not overwhelming bitterness.

Night Owl Half a Laugh Nitro: Ever since I overlooked this beer last year, I've been told over and over again how it was the belle of the ball among beer geeks. Now that I've tried it, I will say that this Vietnamese coffee stout lives up to the hype. Smooth, creamy, roasty, good.

Ole 47 Vanboozled While their Divinity Imperial IPA (an oak-aged bourbon IPA) was a worthy brew as well, my favorite beer from this year's festival was this bourbon oak vanilla porter. Well crafted, it had just the right amount of barrel character to enhance the added vanilla and subtle roast of the underlying style.

Cheers!