Four Bullets reshuffles ownership group in Richardson

Image credit: Four Bullets Brewery.

Four Bullets Brewery of Richardson is undergoing a reshuffling of sorts in relation to recent movement in the company's ownership structure.

Andrew Smeeton, who co-founded the brewery with Jeff Douglas in 2015, has moved on after selling his stake to a group of supporters, some of whom have worked behind the scenes at Four Bullets for a number of years. One of those co-owners is Doug Steele, who ascends from assistant to head brewer after originally joining the firm in 2017.

According to Douglas, now acting as majority owner, the partnership promises to deliver on changes "to make us bigger and better." That said, the brewery will stick with its staples, which means easy-drinking English ales will still play a key role in the Four Bullets portfolio.

At the same time, Steele will be looking to add some new styles to the mix. A hefeweizen recipe that debuted as a pilot batch is set to return and, yes...the brewery will bite the bullet and brew a hazy IPA for the first time in its eight-year history.

There's more to come, says Douglas, but for now other adjustments include a new weekly event - Music Bingo with HeadTilt Entertainment begins a stint at Four Bullets beginning Wednesday, September 20, and new expanded hours as the brewery is now open Sunday-Monday from 1-6 p.m., Tuesday-Thursday from 1-8 p.m., and Friday-Saturday from 1-10 p.m.

Union Bear shares first details of Denton expansion

Logo: 33 Restaurant Group.
Photo © Brian Brown/Beer in Big D.

A former Denton brewery is getting a new lease on life, as the building that once housed Armadillo Ale Works is now the property of 33 Restaurant Group. The Frisco-based company, and parent of Union Bear Brewing Co. in Plano, purchased the facility late last year.

This acquisition fits into an overall expansion strategy for the Union Bear brand, which includes already-revealed plans to open a restaurant-only outlet in McKinney. In Denton, though, locals will be able to enjoy everything Union Bear is about, according to Coty Bell, who hired-on as director of brewing operations in 2022. That means a full kitchen and dining experience will be paired with Union Bear beers brewed in house.

Located at 221 S. Bell Ave., the site has been TABC-approved since last November, but construction on the 17,000+ square foot space has just recently gotten underway in earnest. And, at least in terms of the public areas, crews essentially wiped the previous slate clean.

A completely new bar is being installed alongside what will be the main dining room, where booths and high-top tables will be positioned for the comfort of Union Bear patrons. Then, adjacent to this section, a raised lounge area will set the stage for entertainment options consisting of a pool table, dart boards, arcade games and more.

On the beer production side, operations will be led by Nick Stolz, who arrived at Union Bear after working as head brewer at Cowtown Brewing Co. of Fort Worth since its inception in 2018. Stolz will be producing Union Bear recipes on a 30-barrel system, an upgrade compared to what Armadillo Ale Works originally used on site.

The brewhouse also exceeds the 10-barrel capacity setup at Union Bear in Plano. Small-batch runs will continue there, with high-volume movers like the brewpub's amber and blonde ales shifting to the queue in Denton. Some distribution will come with the expansion as well, a primary point of delivery being other members of the 33 Restaurant family.

As for timelines, Bell says they hope to begin brewing in a few weeks, while the ultimate opening of Union Bear Denton is likely to occur in early 2024.

Pegasus City to close Design District space, consolidate ops downtown

Image credit: Pegasus City Brewery.

Pegasus City Brewery of Dallas has announced the pending closure of its original home on Vantage St., with the intention of consolidating operations at the company's downtown location on Commerce St.

Affectionately known as the "Tiny Tap," the Vantage St. facility has been pouring beer in the Design District since its debut in April 2017. Pegasus City opened the doors to its expansion in late 2020, with the new spot being the first brewery to exist in the heart of downtown since the mid-1930s.

According to a social media post, owners Will and Adrian Cotten decided not to renew the lease on the Design District space in light of recent health concerns and a desire to simplify business actvities going forward. Their consolidation plans include "upgrading and enhancing brewing operations downtown to make sure we can keep making the taproom beers you know and love plus new beers, ciders, and more."

As for the Tiny Tap at Pegasus City in the Design District, it will remain open through the first week of October, with at least one last bash still to come in Tiny Tap 'Toberfest set to take place on September 30.

Keyworth Brewing Co. now open in North Richland Hills

All photos © Brian Brown/Beer in Big D.

By all accounts, the road to opening the area's newest brewery has been a long one. The name Keyworth Brewing Co. first popped up during the pandemic, with the build-out originally beginning sometime in late 2020. All's well that ends well, though, as the company finally reached the finish line and is now pouring beer in North Richland Hills.

A family-owned enterprise sporting an eponymous moniker, I counted at least two Keyworth couples working the crowd on opening day - Josh and Michelle Keyworth, along with Kevin and Angela Keyworth. Together they welcomed a steady stream of thirsty beer drinkers anxious to experience all the new business has to offer.

Keyworth's locale, by the way, occupies a 2,500 square foot spot at 6428 Davis Blvd., this being part of a retail development called The Railyard in North Richland Hills. The structure itself is raised, with patrons primarily accessing the brewery by way of a stairwell leading up from a parking lot down below.

The production space - equipped with hardware from Stout Tanks & Kettles - fronts the primary taproom seating area at Keyworth Brewing Co.

Once through the doors, visitors are met with an open and inviting space designed around the production area acting as a centerpiece. Amenities include typical seating options (barstools, table tops) and a family-friendly lounge (complete with a selection of board games) on the inside, with a small patio supplementing the public area outside. Wide-screen televisions are tacked to the wall as well, for those desiring a bit of visual distraction during their visit.

Shifting gears to the beer, Keyworth offered up a starting slate of nine house recipes (tapwall capacity is 12 handles). In addition to straightforward selections like a kölsch, helles bock and a farmhouse ale, the lineup featured a pair of fruited sours, two IPAs and a chocolate-peanut butter stout. There was also an interesting pecan amber ale called Scrat's Stash, this beer presenting with a sort of candied caramel pecan character.

As for other menu items, guest wines and cider are available for those preferring a different indulgence, while sodas are stocked in the fridge as a non-alcoholic alternative. Food-wise, snack chips are sold in the taproom, or you can order in from the neighboring Back Forty Smokehouse.

It's also worth mentioning Keyworth is the third brewery to set up shop in the city, joining Brutal Beerworks and False Idol Brewing. The trio exists within a three-mile stretch, which creates a convenient day-trip for craft beer seekers making a trek to the Mid-Cities.

On that note, look for Keyworth Brewing Co. to operate on weekends initially, with doors opening at noon on Saturday and Sunday. The brewery plans to expand its hours to select weekdays sometime later in September.