Austin Brewpubs

Bar with large selection of beers.

(BP)The Bitter End - 311 Colorado 78701; 512-478-2337

Once they got around to their third head-brewer, Bitter End finally got it right. The beers are uniformly good, a trend that has continued under the reign of current brewer Tim Schwarz. Particulary excellent on my visit was a special IPA which was rich and hoppy. Regular beers include a pedestrian but well made American Wheat, a pleasantly bitter Pale Ale, a decent Bitter (could use a wood-aspect), a malty and balanced ESB, and a porter or stout (presumably they alternate, it was a porter on my visit). While the porter could have used more aroma, it was still quite nice. Shockingly, another special that was available for my visit was a mead, which was of the dry, carbonated variety and was pleasant with a big honey taste. Overall, the brewing side of this operation has undergone a rennaisance and is now in a league with the better brewpubs in the state; but still not quite as good overall as Waterloo. The food is still quite excellent, but the beer is finally reason enough on its own to go.

(BP)The Copper Tank - 504 Trinity (at 5th); (512)478-8444

My opinion falls somewhere in between the two reviews below, in that the beer isn't bad, but I don't think it's uniformly great either. The Copper Tank does serve _some_ quality beer, and Thursday is $2 pint night.
Rand Cottle(cottle@candor.stanford.edu) says:The Copper Tank serves lame, whimpy water, which accounts for it's popularity.
Mike McNally (m5@tivoli.com) says: Copper Tank is, in my experience (which as far as brewpubs are concerned is at least non-trivial; I've been to at least 50 throughout the country, and I spend a lot of time with a beer at my side :-), one of the best brewpubs around anywhere. All of their beers are very professionally produced and quite consistent: from the week they opened, all the beer's been excellent.
Stephen Brown (brownium@aol.com) reports:The beer is quite good. Sometimes. While they do brew up some nice beers, it just isn't consistant. If you are looking for a real Buffy and Biff/yuppy/sports bar crowd, this is your place.
$1 drafts on Wed.

Bar near the university. Nice atmosphere, lots of microbrewed beer on draught at good prices by the glass or pitcher! wardrb@cs.utexas.edu reports: "I think the nice atmosphere comment is out of line. They have a typical college bar atmosphere(fairly grungy). They are owned by the same people who own the Dog and Duck. Reduced prices on pints on Sundays ($2.25?). Good, cheap food. They had about 5 microbrewed beers on tap the last time I was there."

Pub with 29 beers on tap including the local Celis line. Has a very nice, english pub atmosphere.The Austin beer club and homebrewing club both meet there. They also have a few dozen bottled beers to choose from. Mondays, bottles are $1 off. Tuesdays, pints (20 oz.) are $2.50. They also sell all of their draft beers to-go in collapsible plastic containers (ala brewpubs). Food is standard english pub stuff.
Listed in Michael Jackson's "Beer Companion" as one of his favorite bars in the US. I would have to agree with MJ that Dog & Duck is about as good as it gets.

One of my favorite bars anywhere, the Draught Horse (now called "The Draught House" for no apparent reason) has a large (all good, no megabrew) beer selection, plus they have their own beer now. Also have installed several beer engines. The 'homebrews' have been an assortment of styles, including IPA, Alt, steam ale, ESB, American Amber, and English Pale. While the IPA was underhopped for my tastes and the steam ale a little too pineappley, Vanilla Porter a bit too ephemeral, but other stlyes have been very well brewed, including the ultra bitter "Alimony Ale." Great atmosphere overall. Features an Irish Music jam session each Monday, starting around 9:30pm.
bruce.wright@cpa.state.tx.us (bruce) says: This has really become my fave beer hangout in Austin. Nice selection of micros, but more importantly, a quiet, civil atmosphere and you can actually get a table most evenings, which is more than I can say about the 6th St. hangouts.
basile@tivoli.com (Steve Basile) says: Their cask-conditioned "Scimitar IPA" was hand-pumped and creamy smooth, nicely hopped and closer to the beer I miss from my days in London than any I've had in Austin. The "White Horse Steam" was light and easy to drink, some hidden fruity notes, and a good mouth-feel. Brewmeister Dan Moran let me taste a couple up-and-comers: "Numbskull" and a very young Brown Ale, as yet unnamed. The Numbskull was porter-like, but not as rich, seemed potent, like a winter beer, but lighter in overall feel. The brown was quite new, butstill tasted pretty good, reminiscent of a slightly heavier Newcastle Brown--it has potential.
Nice place, great atmosphere (try it on a Sunday), beer by the pitcher or the pint, specials (like "red" titled beers at 1.50 ea) a fine draft selection, two craft-brewed specialties--what more can one ask for?
Stephen Brown (brownium@aol.com) reports:The stuff they brew at the Draught Horse (pronounced "draft horse", by the way) can be decent to bad. I've never had anything that blew me away. The atmosphere is pretty good there, though, (dark brittish pub), and they have enough commercial beer on tap that everyone can find something they like.

An Irish pub with a sort of deconstructionist interior. Pours a superior pint of Guinness in big Irish tulip glasses. Also feature some other good beers, notably Live Oak on occasion. Just a block down from the superb Gingerman.

Chain bar replacing the late, great Waterloo brewpub in this location. Generally serving somewhat uninspired choices on tap with same beers offered in bottle. Infinitely superior Gingerman next door is a far better use of your time.

(P)The Gingerman - 304 W. 4th (512)473-8801 (78701)

Another branch of a Houston and Dallas bar empire, this version is located very near (actually right next door to) the Waterloo Brewing Co. Serves loads of tap beer, and lots of bottles to boot.
Michael Jackson, in his fine tome "The Beer Companion," hails the Gingerman as one of the best beer bars in the world. That gives Austin two Michael Jackson hangouts (see Dog&Duck).
Overall, I think this branch of the Gingerman is the biggest, and in some ways the best. Houston's feels homier, but this branch is also very comfortable place to hang out in during the afternoon hours, although a bit crowded at night (but which G-man isn't?). Does very well in my book by supporting local breweries: all Live Oak and Celis beers are always on tap, Cask Conditioned Saint Arnold's is usually available, and many Yellow Rose beers (from San Antonio) are usually available. This fine local lineup is always backed up with the best of the best from everywhere else, including Rogue, Anchor Old Foghorn, and other tap delights. The beers always taste right, and the bar staff generally knows their beer. Simply one of the finest bars you can hope to visit.

Brewery to producing a Hefe Weizen, a Pale Ale, Big Bark Vienna, a Czech style Pilsener, and a seasonal Oktoberfest. Check the official page for more info, or get my opinion on the brew.

Pub with around twenty beers on tap, including the ever popular Live Oak beers, and many other fine regional brews, as well as a number of quasi-rare imports on tap. Very laid back atmosphere, and every night most pints are only $2.00. Perhaps the only bar in Austin which features a coffin for a table. Also a brewpub serving varying numbers of house beers. Quality usually pretty good.
George West (gswest@usa.net) reports: Special Ale (cask conditioned) and the Dennis Hopper IPA - were great (and only $2 during happy hour and all day Sunday- only $2.50 normally, even for the cask!)

Large beer selection, $1 draft on Sunday

Fairly unspectacular pub loosely in the Irish vein. Mediocre selection emblematic of what has become the generic "exotica" Guinness, Bass and Harp.

Brews predominantly classic German styles. Three regulars include a light, amber and black ale.

Bar occupying what was formerly The Stonehouse brewery. Layout seems much the same, just no brewing (I think the old equipment ended up in New Zealand somewhere). Reasonably good selection, porch for lounging when the weather agrees and plenty of pub grub.

Pub with around 25 draft and 100 bottle varieties. Periodic $2 pint nights are the norm.
Also brew their own with varying results.