Image credit: Beer Geeks. Sixteen months after first going public with plans for the construction of a brewery, taproom and food hall in Downtown Fate, Beer Geeks owners Jason and Deidra Roe have announced they have ceased development. With a site secured at the corner of Old Town Rd. and Brown Ave. near Fate Station Park, planning for the project began in mid-2021, the goal was to open in the spring of 2024. In the end, though, construction delays, astronomical labor costs, and financing hurdles derailed the couple's dream. From a social media post: "We tried really hard to make this ..read more

Images courtesy of Flying Saucer Draught Emporium. It appears the BeerFeast we've come to know over the past 17 years has undergone a rebranding ahead of its 18th annual edition. The name change does makes sense, though, considering BeerFeast has traditionally occurred in October at Flying Saucer Fort Worth. So, with that in mind, let this be your annual OktoberFeast alert, as the Saucer's seasonal beer festival is set to return on Saturday, October 19 at 2 p.m. According to a press release, Oktoberfest 2024 attendees will be able to choose from over 80 Beerknurd-approved, rare and un ..read more

Image credit:Vector Brewing. Since opening in 2020, Vector Brewing of Dallas has primarily been a late afternoon, evening and weekend destination, but now with the addition of coffee, breakfast and lunch service, the brewpub sets up as the ideal place for a pick-me-up all hours of day. One reason for the move - East Dallas has some wonderful local coffee shops, but none within the almost four-mile stretch between Northwest Highway and US-75. Until now. “We live on the west side of East Dallas,” says Veronica Bradley, co-owner of Vector Brewing, “and we really felt the need for a neigh ..read more

Food and drink offerings at Voodoo - Fort Worth include Key Lime Kölsch and the pub's Not a Philly Cheesesteak (© Brian Brown/Beer in Big D). Voodoo Brewing Co. of Pennsylvania continues to add to its presence in Texas, this time with the recent opening of its latest franchise taproom in Fort Worth. It's the third Voodoo locale in North Texas and the fourth overall in the Lone Star State, following previous debuts in Grand Prairie, Katy and Plano. Locally-owned by David Goldblatt, a recently retired veteran, Voodoo - Fort Worth occupies the ground floor of a building at ..read more

Logo: Franconia Brewing Co., Image:© Brian Brown/Beer in Big D Though no official announcement has been made, all signs point to the permanent closure of Franconia Brewing Co. of McKinney - the second oldest brewing operation in North Texas. Founded in 2008 by German brewer Dennis Wehrmann, Franconia spent the next decade building a reputation for stylistic offerings produced in accordance with the Reinheitsgebot (a.k.a. the German Purity Law). The company was also known for its commitment to sustainability, going off-the-grid in 2013 with site modifications giving the brewery th ..read more

Images: A sampler of the brewpub's Hazelnut Coffee Stout alongside a plate of Adult Chicken Tenders at Union Bear - Denton. © Brian Brown/Beer in Big D). Union Bear Brewing Co. of Plano has added to its pack this week with the introduction of a new location at 221 S. Bell Ave. in Downtown Denton. It's the next step in the evolution of a brand that's been part of the local language for more than a decade. Union Bear first appeared on the marquee of a spot in the West Village of Uptown Dallas in 2012. Those behind the original concept passed the baton to 33 Restauran ..read more

On the flight board, beer styles at Krootz include a märzen, maibock, pale ale and imperial milk stout (logo: Krootz Brewing Co., image: © Brian Brown/Beer in Big D). Five years ago, when Krootz Brewing Co. first opened in Gainesville, it did so with a relatively straightforward approach. Its facility housed the brewery and taproom, and while a kitchen providing pizza and small bites was in the plans, there was the convenience of a farmers market and food truck lot right out the back door. On the liquid side, a standard set of approachable beer recipes was to be served, with ..read more

Image credit: U.S. Open Beer Championship. Winners were announced today at the 2024 U.S. Open Beer Championship. Based in Oxford, Ohio, the U.S. Open is now in its sixteenth year. The event, billed as the second largest annual beer judging competition in America, has been a popular testing ground for local brewers for more than a decade.  Looking back, the first win for a North Texas brewer occurred in 2012, but the region has celebrated wins for multiple breweries in each of the last 12 years - 2024 included. And now with this year's results, 29 area breweries have been awa ..read more

Image credits: Texas Craft Brewers Guild, Method Architecture, Toasty Bros., Village Creek Brewing Co. Recipients have been announced for the fourth year of a grant program awarding aspiring craft brewers with membership in the Texas Craft Brewers Guild. Grantees listed below will receive a one year "Brewery in Planning" membership - a $300 value - in the trade association that represents small and independent craft breweries in the Lone Star State. These grants are funded by Method Architecture, a Texas-based firm that's also a long time member of the Guild. 2024 Grantees: Cottonwood ..read more

Flight trays at Lucky Brewing Co. and Bosque River Taphouse (all images © Brian Brown/Beer in Big D). For the first time in as long as I can remember, I can again say I've visited every active brewery currently residing in the North Texas coverage area. This, after making a trek to Erath County in the far southwestern corner of the region to check out Lucky Brewing Co. of Dublin and Bosque River Taphouse of Stephenville. Now, given the remote locale, and the fact the breweries sit just 12 miles apart on a stretch of US-377, it stands to reason that anyone making the trip is likely to ..read more