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It’s July, Drink Craft Beer! A TASTE OF TEXAS FOR AMERICAN BEER MONTH
By Chip Walton If you haven’t already noticed, July is American Beer Month. A time to celebrate, educate and, of course, partake of brews golden, amber, red, dark, stout, creamy, hoppy, malty, subtle, intense, aromatic and just plain good. Central Texans have a particularly plentiful reason to celebrate. We are surrounded by breweries, microbreweries and brewpubs creating craft beers to please any palate. Now is a great time to be a beer geek in Texas. Although the state’s craft brew movement is still fairly young compared to states like Washington, California and Colorado [It was only 12 years ago the state legislature passed the laws that allow microbreweries and brewpubs to even exist in the Lone Star State.], we are in an extremely curious and experimental stage. With that in mind, we at INsite Austin decided to look at three micros with a lot going on. Independence Brewing Company: A Family Affair Year-round: Independence Brewing Company may be the new kid among Austin’s microbreweries, but in a span of less than two years, they have already proven themselves worthy of many a beer fanatic’s fancy. In kegs since October 2004 and bottles since July 2005, IBC puts out about 1,800 barrels a year. You’ll find their three mainstays on tap in bars and restaurants all over Austin, and their 6-pack bottles are carried in neighborhood stores like Whip-In, Wheatsville Co-op and two HEB locations in South Austin. IBC is basically a mom and pop operation (minus the kids, plus two employees… and a dog). On any given day, you’ll find the husband and wife team — Brewer Rob Cartwright and President Amy Cartwright — in their brewery off Todd Lane in Southeast Austin, handling all aspects of brewing, business and deliveries. They call it their home away from home. When you enter, you feel at home too — nearly a dozen wooden picnic tables, a kitchen/serving area, grill, futon and a cold room for those 110-plus degree days around the kettles and tanks. Named for and inspired by the couple’s personal journeys and favorite stories and folklore from Texas history, the Cartwrights intend for their beers to embody the independent nature of Texans. “Beer fans in Texas are still discovering new beers and styles,” says Amy Cartwright. “They revel in the joy of discovering new beers to taste. It seems that some beer fans in other parts of the country can come across as beer snobs, commenting ad nauseum about their beer knowledge. While people in Texas seem to kick back and just enjoy what they’re tasting.” Rob Cartwright says it’s not just the ideas and attitudes of Texas that shape IBC’s recipes, but also the weather. “This isn’t Colorado. We aren’t sitting around drinking beer in the snow. This is Texas and it’s hot here! We brew full-flavored beers, bodied down for the Texas climate. That way you don’t feel so weighed down. We like to say we’re making beers that are ‘drinkable.’” The brewery plans to unveil a new beer at their 2nd Anniversary Party in October. “We’re keeping it under wraps for now,” Amy tells me, “but we’ve done quite a bit of taste testing and think people will really like the new brew.” The mystery concoction is the next step of a long-term plan that includes new brews, new markets, and the hope of passing the tradition to a new generation. Amy explains: “Rob and I want to keep brewing great beers for Texas and, ultimately, build a brewery that we’d be proud to leave to our children, when we have them someday.” Brewery tours are held on the first Saturday of every month. And, of course, everyone is invited to IBC’s 2nd Anniversary Party at the brewery on Saturday, October 7th. |
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