Odd Muse Craft & Kitchen debuts in Downtown Plano

Plano Pils and the Okie Smash Burger at Odd Muse Craft & Kitchen
(Photos © Brian Brown/Beer in Big D).

What better way to celebrate National Beer Day than with the debut of a new craft beer destination in North Texas. Odd Muse Craft & Kitchen is now open at 1001 14th St., Suite 500 in Historic Downtown Plano.

The spot is an offshoot of Odd Muse Brewing Co.'s original brewery in Farmers Branch, with the "Craft & Kitchen" naming chosen for a couple of key reasons. For one thing, the Plano locale features a full-service kitchen, upping the culinary game for the company's patrons. Then for another, with no on-site brewing operations, it just made sense to forego the "Brewing Co." tag in creating a clear identity for the satellite location.

Of course, the beer being served is all Odd Muse, with the pub's 23 taps (plus a side-pull) sourced from Farmer's Branch. Recipes will rotate just as they do at the brewery, though co-founder Bobby Diaz says to expect Plano to feature a few taps not currently pouring at headquarters. Right now, satellite exclusives include Plano Pils (a rye pilsner), Woodpecker Lips Scotch Ale, and 2025 Barrel-Aged The Hermit American Barleywine.

Shifting the focus to the food side of things, longtime industry vet Greyson Lane brings a wealth of culinary experience to the project, though his smash burger-based food truck venture The Drop D-FW influences things most at Odd Muse Craft & Kitchen. He's got a good bit of beer knowledge as well, for those who remember Bleshoux Brewing from area homebrew competitions of the past.

Given that, it should come as no surprise that the food menu is designed to pair well with a pint. In addition to burger options like Jam Session (bacon jam), the Okie (grilled onions) and the Mushroom Swiss (mushrooms grilled in the brewery's 500 Pesos Mexican Lager), the kitchen will serve up a selection of starters (poutine, pretzel bites, wings) and sandwiches (cheesesteak, hot chicken, Korean) as well.

On top of all that are additional amenities, which include free parking in an adjacent lot, outdoor patio seating, widescreen televisions behind the bar, and the beer-to-go fridge just off the lobby.

Then there's the convenience of the place, which exists as part of a walkable downtown district that's been in need of a stable brewery presence. Indeed, Odd Muse Craft & Kitchen literally replaces a Voodoo Brewing Co. taproom whose home base was in Pennsylvania, which means there's now a little bit more local flavor to be had in Downtown Plano.

As for when to visit, while an official grand opening celebration is slated for early May, Odd Muse Craft & Kitchen is already running a full schedule, being open seven days a week with operating hours beginning at 11 a.m.  

Odd Muse expanding to Historic Downtown Plano

Image courtesy of Odd Muse Brewing Co.

Odd Muse Brewing Co. of Farmers Branch has announced the upcoming opening of Odd Muse Craft & Kitchen, a new satellite taproom and full-service kitchen concept set to launch in Historic Downtown Plano in Spring 2026.

Set to be located at 1001 14th St., Suite 500 (in a space formerly occupied by Voodoo Brewing Co. of Pennsylvania), Odd Muse Craft & Kitchen will bring the brewery’s acclaimed lineup of craft beer to one of the region’s most vibrant dining and entertainment districts.

According to a press release, the new spot features approximately 3,000 square feet of interior restaurant space and an additional 1,000 square feet of patio seating, creating an inviting indoor-outdoor destination for beer lovers and food enthusiasts alike.

Odd Muse Craft & Kitchen will offer up to 23 rotating taps of its award-winning beer, including flagship favorites, seasonal offerings, and limited-release specialties. The Plano taproom will also feature a full beer-to-go program, giving guests access to packaged releases available for off-premise enjoyment.

In addition, for the first time, Odd Muse is pairing its craft beer experience with a dedicated kitchen program. The food menu will spotlight elevated comfort favorites, including smash burgers, chicken sandwiches, wings, hand-cut fries and more, designed to complement the brewery’s diverse beer portfolio.

“Odd Muse has always been about creating welcoming spaces where community and creativity come together over great beer,” says Bobby Diaz, founder and managing member of Odd Muse. “Downtown Plano gives us an incredible opportunity to expand that experience into a new neighborhood, with a concept that stays true to our brand while offering something fresh through Craft & Kitchen.”

For Odd Muse, which originally debuted in 2019, the Plano expansion represents a strategic next step, leveraging the brewery’s established production facility in Farmers Branch while expanding its direct-to-consumer presence in a high-traffic, walkable market.

As for the timeline, renovations are currently underway at Odd Muse Craft & Kitchen, with an anticipated opening window between April 1 and April 15.

Local artist nabs Platinum Crushies for Odd Muse label designs

Image credits: Craft Beverage Marketing Awards, Odd Muse Brewing Co.

Winners from the 2025 Craft Beverage Marketing Awards (CBMA), a.k.a. "The Crushies," have been announced, with a local artist's work for a North Texas brewery recognized among the winners.

Now in its sixth year, the CBMAs "serve as the ultimate platform for honoring outstanding marketing achievement in the global craft beverage industry." Prizes are awarded across 12 different categories, with entries open to companies producing craft beer, cider/mead, craft hard seltzer, non-alcoholic craft beer, ready-to-drink cocktails and THC-infused beverages.

Matthew Scott, a Dallas-based artist who goes by the Instagram handle @greetings_from_the_not_dead, was honored with Platinum Crushies for two packaging labels designed for Odd Muse Brewing Co. of Farmers Branch (details below). Scott has been creating art for Odd Muse since the brewery opened in 2019, and you can purchase prints of his work in various sizes at the taproom.

For more on the 2025 Crushies, click here to visit the official competition website.

Matthew Scott for Odd Muse Brewing Co., Farmers Branch

• Platinum Crushie for Public Domain Barrel-Aged Imperial Stout - Best Bottle Label Design: Craft Beer.
• Platinum Crushie for Primrose Path Hazy IPA - Best Can Label/Printed Design: Craft Beer.

Cheers and congrats to Matthew Scott and Odd Muse Brewing Co.!

Three NTX breweries nab medals at 2024 World Beer Cup

Image credit: Brewers Association.

Tonight in Las Vegas, Nevada, winners were announced at the 2024 World Beer Cup (WBC), with three local breweries receiving medals.

The competition, otherwise known as "the Olympics of beer," now takes place annually during the Craft Brewers Conference & BrewExpo America put on by the Brewers Association. For the 2024 edition of the WBC, 9300 entries were submitted by 2,060 breweries from 50 countries worldwide. A total of 110 categories were judged, representing 172 beer styles (includes sub-categories).

Among honorees from North Texas, Peticolas Brewing Co. of Dallas scored its second WBC medal - winning the two in back-to-back years no less, while Odd Muse Brewing Co. of Farmers Branch and Union Bear Brewing Co. of Denton (and Plano) earned WBC wins for the first time.

Odd Muse Brewing Co., Farmers Branch

• Silver Spaceship, Silver in the Juicy or Hazy Strong Pale Ale category (132 entries).

Peticolas Brewing Co., Dallas

• Irish Goodbye, Silver in the Irish-Style Red Ale category (98 entries).

Union Bear Brewing Co., Denton

• Mexican Lager, Bronze in the International Pilsner category (133 entries).
  

Cheers and congrats to Odd Muse, Peticolas and Union Bear!

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For more on the 2024 WBC, and the historical performance of breweries from North Texas, click the links below:

• Official press release from the Brewers Association, with a summary of 2024 competition statistics.
• Download a complete list of 2024 WBC winners in PDF format.
• View a historical chronicle of awards won by North Texas breweries at GABF and the WBC.

Odd Muse open for business in Farmers Branch

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

The latest brewing operation to join the ranks of North Texas, Odd Muse Brewing Co. welcomed patrons for the first time last night at its new facility in Farmers Branch. The event was the first of four previews the company will host as it prepares for grand opening festivities set to take place on Saturday, December 14.

Odd Muse is a project that's been in the works for a number of years, according to co-founder Bobby Diaz. It became a reality this past spring, once Diaz and partner Charles Roffino secured funding and a location for the brewery now up and running at 4488 Spring Valley Rd.

Regarding the space itself, Odd Muse is situated on the far eastern edge of Farmers Branch with easy access to the Dallas North Tollway. Inside, the build-out encompasses 5900 square feet, yet the design and layout gives the impression of something bigger. A roomy feel permeates the place, whether you choose to bide your time in the clean and comfortable taproom upfront, or in the production area out back.

Taproom attractions at Odd Muse include wide-screen televisions, board games and various artistic adornments.
Among art placements, wall murals and a rotating selection of framed pieces look to bring attention to local artists.

As for the beer, the taproom at Odd Muse is equipped with 14 taps. Five of those were pouring beer on opening night, with options including a blonde ale, a hefeweizen, two IPAs and a stout. One IPA, Muse Juice, was of the hazy variety, while another more piney-esque offering, Never the Lesser, was a bit more old school. In fact, old school is how I'd describe my favorite beer on the board, a dry and roasty Russian imperial stout called Opulence.

Speaking of which, it's worth mentioning that Diaz is a self-professed "stout guy," with Old Rasputin from North Coast Brewing Co. of California listed among his favorites. Given that, visitors can expect an array of stouts to appear on the Odd Muse menu going forward. In particular, Diaz hopes to develop a series of stouts infused with various types of coffee.

Of course, explorations with other styles are planned as well. Some will be standards, like a Munich-style helles lagering at present, but Odd Muse also intends to delve into recipes featuring popular ingredients of the day (fruit, lactose, etc.). Some of those, like the occasional kettle sour, may occur sooner, while barrel-aged brews are something foreseen further down the road (an initial acquisition of spent barrels is on the agenda for later this month).

For now, though, consumers can check out what's currently on tap during remaining previews running from 4-10 p.m. on the following days: Friday, December 6 and Thursday-Friday, December 12-13. Beyond that, grand opening details are still to come, so be sure to follow Odd Muse's social media channels (Facebook, Instagram) for the most up-to-date details.