Seeking Austin, Texas Beer Advice

Try Sierra Nevada Celebration - out now and for just a little while longer. It's like a bigger, better version of their pale ale. You might also try others in their line such as Porter and Stout. I think Great Divide is available in Texas now, try Titan IPA from them.

Hell, go to Central Market! They have tons of beers and just work your way through them all and happy drinking!

_Randal

There's also the original Whole Foods Market that has a huge selection of beers.

And the ever popular Grapevine Market up near the corner of Anderson and N MoPac. Their beer selection is at least as large as the new Whole Foods Market flagship store. I like to drink (for purely patriotic reasons) Texas beers as much as possible. You can't go wrong with anything from St. Arnold's Brewing (Houston), Blanco Brewing (Blanco County), or Balcones Fault Brewing (somewhere near Austin). All of these should be available in liquor stores and larger grocery stores. Also, these beers tend to be considerably more hoppy than the usual mass market BudMillerCoors stuff.

Okay, okay. So maybe not every beer from those three is great (Lawnmower from St. Arnold's tastes like a foul combo of dirt and yard clippings) but they're definitely good. On a side note, St. Arnold's Brewing gives free tours and tastings every Saturday at 1pm at the brewery. If you save your St. Arnold's cardboard six pack holders and turn them in at the end of the tour you can get stuff. You'll need at least 10 to get a pint glass but it goes up from there. I think if you turn in a million they'll give you the brewery's custom painted Bentley. I still have a ways to go. Also, if you take a few non-drinkers with you on the tour you can usually talk them into getting samples for you. It's not unusual for people to show up with picnic baskets and have lunch with all their friends after the tour. I like the part where they let you drink for free for two hours as long as you have tokens for every drink. Again, that's where the non-drinkers come in handy. Oh yeah... they get to drive you home too. Heh.

Nuts, I gave away all my secrets.

As the Austin Saint Arnold rep, it is always easy for me to concur with grundlethrop on his Saint Arnold recomendations for our fine beers, but being the fresh beer freak that I am, you might also try Live Oak, Real Ale, and Independence beers, all made nearby. As far as where to buy good beers, Central Market, Whole Foods, Grapevine, and of course, the legendary Whip In. FM

Try some of the other Sam Adams brews, like the Octoberfest if it is still available and the Winter Brew. The Dark Lager is very good.

bluestringer

I want to give big time thanks to those that responded to my request about beers here in Austin, Texas. I'm going to be trying out those that were suggested and will report back as to how I liked or disliked them.