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You want to get a real sense of place? Find a brewpub or taproom.
Owned by townies and supported by the area populace, local breweries and brewpubs often mirror the flavor and spirit of a community. With house-made suds, honest fare and entertainment on tap, breweries offer both locals and visitors a welcoming, egalitarian place to congregate. Here are some pitcher perfect places to make friends over a cold one.
Round Top Brewing: Local owners Paul and Broke Michie run the town’s only nano-brewery/taproom/brew pub that is also a restaurant and a live music venue. The Michies turned their passion for beer into a business that has become a lively, easygoing community hub. Their house brews run the gamut: IPAs, pilsners, brown ales, light and dark lagers, and hefeweizen. Enjoy these special brews and a selection of wine with menu selections from the scratch kitchen (burgers, salads, sandwiches, tacos and daily specials). 101 W. Austin St., Round Top; roundtopbrewing.com
Brazos Valley Brewing Company: With 24 taps (the largest tap selection in Washington County), this brewery and taproom is a local treasure offering a food menu, live music, trivia nights, a kiddie playground, and free brewery tours on Saturday (on request). The brewery names its beers after favorite songs: Mama Tried (an IPA and Merle Haggard tune), Gring Honeymoon (a amber lager named for Robert Earl Keen song and album), 7 Spanish Angels (a coffee ale that’s a shout out to the Ray Charles and Willie Nelson duet), and Killin’ Time (a blonde ale that maybe Clint Black would favor). There’s plenty more, but you get the drift. 206 S. Jackson St., Brenham; brazosvalleybeer.com
La Grange Brewing Company: Calling itself “the best little brewery in Texas” (a familiar slogan in La Grange), this brewery and taproom is part of the sprawling Blissful Folly Farm enterprise that includes a winery and meadery set on a working family farm. The brewery produces IPAs, ales, pilsner, hefeweizen, Belgian sour and Bavarian lager. Their taproom is open Wednesday through Sunday; a menu offers pizza, charcuterie board, salads and assorted sharables. 6002 FM 2981, La Grange; lagrangebrewingco.com
Huff Brewing Co.: Brewmaster Ryan “Mickey” Huff began brewing beer when he was a student at Bellville High School. Today he and wife Christine (they met while attending A&M) own the craft brewery and taproom where the proprietary Huffmeister Lager remains the local favorite. Come for the food (a rotating lineup of food trucks) and entertainment (live music, trivia nights, karaoke, comedy) but stay for the beer. Have it all and have a good time. 11 E. Main St., Bellville; huffbrewing.com
Hound Song Brewing Co.: Colorado County’s first and only craft brewery, Hound Song is full-service restaurant (inviting pub fare menu) and taproom where visitors can sample a variety of beer with a focus on traditional German and Czech styles. Live music and a variety of special events make this brewery a lively, engaging option for a night out on the town in Columbus (it’s also family friendly and dog friendly). 535 Walnut St., Columbus; houndsongbrewing.com
You want to get a real sense of place? Find a brewpub or taproom.
Owned by townies and supported by the area populace, local breweries and brewpubs often mirror the flavor and spirit of a community. With house-made suds, honest fare and entertainment on tap, breweries offer both locals and visitors a welcoming, egalitarian place to congregate. Here are some pitcher perfect places to make friends over a cold one.
Round Top Brewing: Local owners Paul and Broke Michie run the town’s only nano-brewery/taproom/brew pub that is also a restaurant and a live music venue. The Michies turned their passion for beer into a business that has become a lively, easygoing community hub. Their house brews run the gamut: IPAs, pilsners, brown ales, light and dark lagers, and hefeweizen. Enjoy these special brews and a selection of wine with menu selections from the scratch kitchen (burgers, salads, sandwiches, tacos and daily specials). 101 W. Austin St., Round Top; roundtopbrewing.com
Brazos Valley Brewing Company: With 24 taps (the largest tap selection in Washington County), this brewery and taproom is a local treasure offering a food menu, live music, trivia nights, a kiddie playground, and free brewery tours on Saturday (on request). The brewery names its beers after favorite songs: Mama Tried (an IPA and Merle Haggard tune), Gring Honeymoon (a amber lager named for Robert Earl Keen song and album), 7 Spanish Angels (a coffee ale that’s a shout out to the Ray Charles and Willie Nelson duet), and Killin’ Time (a blonde ale that maybe Clint Black would favor). There’s plenty more, but you get the drift. 206 S. Jackson St., Brenham; brazosvalleybeer.com
La Grange Brewing Company: Calling itself “the best little brewery in Texas” (a familiar slogan in La Grange), this brewery and taproom is part of the sprawling Blissful Folly Farm enterprise that includes a winery and meadery set on a working family farm. The brewery produces IPAs, ales, pilsner, hefeweizen, Belgian sour and Bavarian lager. Their taproom is open Wednesday through Sunday; a menu offers pizza, charcuterie board, salads and assorted sharables. 6002 FM 2981, La Grange; lagrangebrewingco.com
Huff Brewing Co.: Brewmaster Ryan “Mickey” Huff began brewing beer when he was a student at Bellville High School. Today he and wife Christine (they met while attending A&M) own the craft brewery and taproom where the proprietary Huffmeister Lager remains the local favorite. Come for the food (a rotating lineup of food trucks) and entertainment (live music, trivia nights, karaoke, comedy) but stay for the beer. Have it all and have a good time. 11 E. Main St., Bellville; huffbrewing.com
Hound Song Brewing Co.: Colorado County’s first and only craft brewery, Hound Song is full-service restaurant (inviting pub fare menu) and taproom where visitors can sample a variety of beer with a focus on traditional German and Czech styles. Live music and a variety of special events make this brewery a lively, engaging option for a night out on the town in Columbus (it’s also family friendly and dog friendly). 535 Walnut St., Columbus; houndsongbrewing.com
