Austin has perhaps led the charge in craft beer for the Lone Star State, if only in sheer quantity of breweries. The state’s best brewery is subjective, the oldest less so, but regardless, our wayward capital city has certainly fostered a thriving artisanal atmosphere. When beer nerds talk about Austin breweries, they’re probably talking about 1 or 2 individual places, but there are so many others to explore. So it was one rainy afternoon when the prospect of a drive out to Fitzhugh Rd. was a daunting one.
Usually a successful brewery will spawn an accompanying beer garden, but the Austin Beer Garden Brewing Co. (the ABGB) worked in reverse, planning the beer garden right into the name. Almost 3 years ago now, a few brewers left their posts at Uncle Billy’s to launch an “Armadillo World Headquarters vibe with New York-style pizza like Home Slice,” according to brewer Brian Peters. Just off S. Lamar by the railroad tracks and not far from Barton Springs, the ABGB has carved out a little oasis under a sprawling canopy of oak and elm, replete with picnic tables and perfect for live music both inside and out. The cavernous brewhouse boasts ample seating and an enviable kitchen.
The chalkboard tap list features a number of “Always” beers, pretty straightforward and broadly palatable offerings, and a roughly equal number of “Sometimes” beers, those rarae aves skewing higher in ABV, IBU, or pure creativity. On the permanent side, Superliner is an excellent Simcoe-hopped IPA, Big Mama Red is a surprisingly high ABV (7.9%), hoppy red ale, and Hell Yes is a deftly executed Helles Lager, refreshingly crisp and the inspiration behind some of ABGB’s philanthropic work, promoting volunteer and environmental efforts. From the temprorary lineup, I had to try the Figgie Smalls for the name alone, but the beer followed through, a lactobacillus-fermented sour ale brewed with black mission figs. There’s more than one sour beer to seek out in Austin, to be sure. If you’ve made your way through a number of ABGB brews already, the 10% ABV wallop packed by the Capt. Ivan Drago RIS will most certainly break you, rich and dark yet lithe enough to go 12 rounds.
While going up against some of those heavy hitters, you certainly need to peruse the food menu, and I needed look no further than “arugula.” The bill of fare centers on crispy wood-fired pizzas, with artisanal sandwiches and salads composed of locally sourced ingredients, and the table numbers aren’t actually numbers, but rather pictures of iconic characters from the 80’s and 90’s, such as Alf or Fire Marshall Bill. To quote Anthony Bourdain: “I’m an absolute slut for deviled eggs.” So I couldn’t forgo the ABGB’s crumbled bacon rendition along with a meat and cheese board while we were waiting for the pie to be brought out to our Scott Baio. Under the specialty pizzas is a white pizza – a tomato-sauceless style I’ve had a crush on since Houston’s Piola – with prosciutto, caramelized onions, fontina, smoked olive oil, and arugula. Though I do love certain varieties of olive in particular applications, their addition here struck a false note for me in an otherwise harmonious symphony. I don’t care what fad diet you’re on, there is something elemental, something eternal in the pairing of pizza and beer. If that sounds like your freshman dorm room, I suggest you finish up that last term paper and graduate from Domino’s and Natty Light. You’re an adult now. Enjoy the finer things. Like arugula on your pizza and a crisp craft lager.
“In the summertime, when the weather is hot…” grab a seat under the generous shade provided by the languid boughs swaying overhead, grab a cold one and a seasonal salad, chill out to some live music – certainly Austin’s forte, and a torch the ABGB carries from its Armadillo inspiration. “When the winter’s here, yeah it’s party time…” ensconce yourself in the spacious brewpub over pizza and a rich stout. While a relatively small number of Austin’s many breweries gets most of the press, for both food and beer, if the ABGB is under your radar, you should get that thing recalibrated.