On November 16th, 2024, the Texas Craft Brewers Festival took over Fiesta Gardens, running from noon to 6:15 PM. VIPs enjoyed early access at 12:00 PM, while general admission folks like me entered at 2:00 PM. With live music, numerous food trucks, and a fantastic variety of craft beers, it was an event beer enthusiasts wouldn’t want to miss.
The wonderful beer blog Craft Beer Austin captured lots of good photos since I am not yet sure how to get pictures in here properly ;).
Getting There
Despite a less-than-perfect experience with the bus from the Airport when I got back from a recent trip to Seattle, I decided to give public transit another try. Leaving my house around 12:10 PM, I aimed to arrive at the festival by 1:30 PM, well before the 2:00 PM start for general admission. Navigation apps suggested leaving for the bus stop by 12:30 PM, so I figured I had just enough time to grab a quick bite from the taco shack nearby.
Plans changed when I reached the bus stop, taco in hand, only to find two buses parked with no drivers - apparently on their lunch breaks. I made the best of it, eating my food on one of the parked buses and waiting for the driver to return. Eventually, we got moving. After a 45 minute ride, I reached my transfer point, waited 20 minutes for the next bus, and finally arrived near the festival. It was easy to spot - crowds of festival goers and lively energy made it clear I was in the right place. The line was long, it was moving quickly. So I was in by 2:15pm. Kudos to CapMetro for a relatively smooth trip!
For the return trip, I opted for a Lyft, which cost $20 plus tip and got me home without any hassle.
The Festival Layout
If you’ve been to this festival before, the setup will feel familiar, but for newcomers, here’s a breakdown:
Each brewery occupies a tailgating-style tent, complete with uniform signage. The signs display the brewery’s name, their town, and the beers they’re serving, with special offerings highlighted. Breweries are line up in two giant concentric circles around a central pavillion, which hosts live music. Big sponsors like Celis Brewery, Austin Beer Works, Saint Arnold, and Pint House Pizza occupy prime spots close to the stage, while the experimental brewers, like Jester King, were more along the periphery. ( I haven’t figured out how to do photos with my posts using hugo yet. I hope I do by the next beer thing and I’ll post the photos. )
The food court anchors one end of the festival, offering plenty of sustenance between beer samplings. Just so you know the food trucks were
- Burro Cheese Kitchen
- Crave Hotdogs and BBQ
- Garbo’s Lobster
- Shawarma Point
- The Mighty Cone
- Yapa Artisan Empanadas
What sets this festival apart is the sheer variety of breweries representing Texas, from big players to smaller gems. It’s a reminder of the vibrant craft beer scene that extends well beyond Austin. You can checkout the full details on their site.
Beer Sampling: My Highlights
The festival operates on a ticket system: your entry includes 10 tickets for 10 beer samples, and you can buy more for $5 per set of 10. Each sample comes in a small 2–3 oz plastic cup. After each pour, rinse your cup at water stations to keep flavors distinct.
Here are some of the beers I tried, along with my thoughts:
Twin Peaks Brewing (Irving, TX): Drop Dead Red. A malty red ale that was enjoyable, but didn’t blow me away.
Prost Ale House (Pflugerville): Blitzbahn German Pilsner. Crisp with a pleasant hop profile. Prost is celebrating their anniversary on December 21st, so I might stop by for more.
Pecan Street Brewing (Johnson City): Tried both their Resin Project IPA and 13-Degree Czech Pilsner. The Pilsner stood out for its strong yeast flavor, making it one of my favorites.
Jester King Brewery: Their German Pilsner featured their signature yeast notes.
Bird Creek Brewing (Temple, TX): Ghost Beach Rice Lager. This was a surprise hit - sweet, refreshing, and easily my favorite rice-based beer to date.
Saint Arnold’s Brewing Company (Houston, TX): 2013 Pumpkinator. A high-ABV delight, full of rich flavors. It was delightful. I slammed it!
Live Oak Brewing (Austin, TX): Death Putt Cold IPA. A straightforward cold IPA that lived up to its name.
Ghost Note Brewing: Foeder-Aged Farmhouse Ale. A high-ABV beer with a balanced flavor - not too sour, not too heavy.
Southern Roots Brewing Company (Waco, TX): New Zealand Pilsner. Crisp, clean, and easily my favorite Pilsner of the day.
Brutarium: Confabulator Doppelbock. Sweet, malty, and dark - a classic Doppelbock at 8.3% ABV.
Vector Brewing: Tamave Pivo 13-Degree Czech Lager. A dark, malty lager with a smooth finish, reminiscent of earlier Czech-style beers I sampled.
Beer Notes and Brewing Insights
Chatting with fellow festival-goers and brewers, I picked up some interesting tidbits:
French hops, like Strisselspalt, have interesting unique flavor profiles.
Higher mash temperatures can leave residual sugars for sweetness, but cutting
fermentation too early can lead to diacetyl flavors.
Longer boiling times increase the starting gravity of the beer, impacting its
strength and flavor.
Wrapping It Up
After tons of samples, great conversations, and soaking in the lively atmosphere, I called it a day. This year’s Texas Craft Brewers Festival reminded me of how diverse and exciting the Texas craft beer scene is. From traditional Pilsners to experimental ales, there’s truly something for everyone.
If you’re a craft beer enthusiast or just curious about the Texas brewing scene, this festival should be on your radar. Here’s to next year!
Note I left out the names and stories around the people I met and hung out with along the way because I dont like putting people’s business out there. I had a great time. Thanks