TKO Libations to host grand opening, January 13

Image credit: TKO Libations.

Now that production is fully underway, TKO Libations of Lewisville is ready to celebrate its official grand opening with an event set for Saturday, January 13.

TKO first opened its doors on a soft basis in October. Since then, founders Ty Sefton, Kamel Maude and Cory Kucinsky have been working to build up the brewery's initial portfolio. Along those lines, patrons can expect at least 10 TKO beers to be on tap for opening day, with the debut lineup to include the following:

• Gingerbread Monster - gingerbread porter brewed with toasted ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves.
• Breakfast Stout at Tiffany's - breakfast stout brewed with oatmeal, locally-roasted coffee, cocoa and strawberries.
• You Like the Juice - a hazy, New England IPA that looks, tastes and smells like a glass of fresh-squeezed juice.
• Additional selections: Tart Blonde, Special Beast (special bitter), Abbey Delight (Belgian dark strong ale), Bayern Weizen (Bavarian wheat), Southern English Brown Ale, Dry Stout and Oatmeal Stout.

Located in the Castle Hills Village Shops development, TKO occupies a 2800 square foot space comprising an indoor bar, seating areas with games and televisions, an outdoor patio and a separate brewery space with windows to view the operation.

“TKO caters to the neighborhood and family segment of consumers by offering a unique location that stands out among the typical industrial brewery model,” says Sefton. “The location has so much to offer: a great view of Lake Avalon; an outdoor splash pad and interactive fountain for kids; easy access to various restaurants, shops and eateries; and the opportunity for an intimate tour of the brewing space.”

As for the event itself, a morning Zumba session in the Village Shops’ outdoor Plaza will kick off the day's festivities, with TKO set to open its doors at 11 a.m. for “Donuts and Beer." Then, throughout the day, the event will feature a variety of family-friendly activities like face-painting and balloon animals, as well as live music from from Storm Front and Ross Redmond of High Definition.

Food options will be provided by the Walt Garrison BBQ Food Truck, though customers may also bring in items from neighboring restaurants, either by way of takeout or delivery. One Village Shops vendor, The Salty Cow Cheese & Provisions, will offer a special cheese plate to attendees in honor of the occasion.

Details and a complete schedule of events will be posted as the event draws near, so be sure to keep up with TKO's social media channels for the most up-to-date information.


TKO Libations  (Web, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram)
2520 King Arthur Blvd #109
Lewisville

North Texas Craft Beer Conspectus - October 25, 2017 edition

With the start of North Texas Beer Week looming on the horizon, it makes sense to slip in another edition of the Craft Beer Conspectus. This time around, coverage includes news on three new brewing operations, and two local brews now available in cans.

Cheers!


Landon Winery now offering house beers

 

 Image credit: Landon Winery. 

Sliding in somewhat under the radar, Landon Winery of Greenville began serving its own brand of beer in August. The beers, which up to now have included a blonde ale, a bock and a kölsch, are a collaborative effort between Landon and Good Neighbor Brews of Wylie. Wort for each beer is prepped by the brewers at Good Neighbor prior to being passed on to the winery, where fermentation takes place on site.

  

   Image credit: Martin House Brewing Co. 

A new hefe from Martin House

Martin House Brewing Co. launched its latest beer, Martin House Hefeweizen, during an event at its Fort Worth brewery on Thursday. Release notes indicate the beer is brewed in the traditional German style, with flavors of banana, clove and a hint of bubblegum sweetness leading the way. Look for it in six-packs of 12-ounce cans for a limited time.

Wild Acre cans Texas Blonde Ale

Image credit: Wild Acre Brewing Co.

Wild Acre Brewing Co. of Fort Worth has packaged its Texas Blonde Ale in cans, with six-packs rolling out to retail locations this week. The beer, which debuted over the summer as a draft offering, is said to feature a tropical essence brought on by the use of Azacca hops.


Hop & Sting receives TABC license

Image credit: Hop & Sting Brewing Co.

After receiving approval from the TABC on Tuesday, Hop & Sting Brewing Co. is now officially licensed. For those unaware, Hop & Sting has entered into an alternating proprietorship agreement with 3 Nations Brewing Co., which means both entities will operate out of the same facility in Farmers Branch. As for when consumers can expect the first production brews, founders Brian Burton and Jon Powell suggested a late-November time frame as a best-guess estimate.

Image credit: TKO Libations.

Production begins at TKO Libations

According to co-founder Ty Sefton, production is underway at TKO Libations in Lewisville. The company's first beer, a batch of blueberry blonde, was brewed Tuesday night, and a breakfast stout is next on the agenda. An official grand opening is still a few weeks away, but TKO is now up-an-running on a soft basis during weekends. Check the brewery's social media channels (Facebook, Twitter) for details on that, as well as information on what guest beers the brewery is currently featuring on its tapwall.

TKO Libations set to enter the ring in Lewisville

Image credit: TKO Libations.

The address might say Lewisville, but based on where the soon-to-be brewery is located, it's clear that TKO Libations is looking to carve out its own corner of the Metroplex.

One reason for that is because TKO is set up in the community of Castle Hills, a development more in proximity to the town of Hebron than what words on a mailbox might have you believe. Almost like its own little world, the neighborhood is a place with enough workspace and amenities that one imagines some residents never have to leave.

Given that, it's an ideal setting for a brewery looking to separate itself from the crowd, which founders Cory Kuchinsky, Kam Maude and Ty Sefton hope to do by way of an experimental approach to making beer.

"Our goal is to cater to those consumers who tend to jump from beer to beer," says Sefton. "We'll be doing all kinds of small varieties, and we plan to change things up a lot. Since we'll only be brewing with a seven-barrel system, we can shoot recipes off into separate holding tanks to create different flavor combinations."

That doesn't mean TKO won't have staples, but indications are that consumers should expect to try something new virtually every time they visit. In fact, insight into how the brewery will go about using the 20 taps it has available can be found in the beers being considered for opening day.

"Our initial lineup will include a blonde, a porter, a wheat beer and an IPA," reveals Sefton. "We may split each of those to make flavor variants as well, like a blueberry blonde and a seasonal porter (either a gingerbread or pumpkin coconut version). We also hope to brew a few British styles soon, like an ESB, a brown ale or a regular bitter, so we can use the beer engine we've acquired to provide hand-pulled cask ales!"

On top of everyday beers created in its seven-barrel brewhouse, TKO plans to experiment with sour beer production and

barrel-aging. For the latter, the founders intend to source various types of port, wine and whiskey barrels (TKO Libations).

At least to start, no matter what beers are being poured, you'll only be able to get TKO's libations at the brewery.

"We're not going to be distributing when we open," says Sefton. "We'll sell in-house at first, and then change things up based on support. If we grow to a certain point, they we'll probably start canning."

Patrons will have the option of getting beer to go, since the company will operate with a brewpub license. Growler fills will be available, and a crowler machine is already on site. Plus, Sefton has hinted that a few barrel-aged offerings may eventually make their way into bottles.

As for what TKO will serve besides beer, the brewery will make and sell its own craft soda, with coffee, tea and wine being on the menu as well. Food won't be made in-house, but consumers can grab a bite from roughly a half-dozen restaurants situated in the same retail center.

So, when will TKO hold its first main event? Final inspections are underway as we speak, meaning the inaugural brew day is imminent. Once that happens, Sefton says it's a matter of working through their brew schedule to prepare for the debut. At this point, a grand opening is still a few weeks away, but expect an official announcement on that topic to occur in mid-to-late October.

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Track brewery developments by following TKO Libations on its social media channels:  Facebook, Twitter, Instagram.