Beers From Texas | 5 Popular Texas Beers

Beers from Texas, 5 popular Texas Beers is just the beginning. Texans love beer, barbeque, and well, Texas. We even like to combine the three. Imagine a smoked porter craft beer, with hints of beer and barbecue. Texans love life in general and all the things that come with it. Very little can compete with beers from Texas.

The official beer of Texas is “Lone Star Beer” from the Lone Star Brewing Company. Other beers from Texas include Shiner Bock Beer, Saint Arnold, and Real Ale. In 2005 there were roughly 20 breweries in Texas, today there are over 300.

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In the 1990s, due to the passage of a new law, allowing restaurants and bars to produce and sell their own beers on their premises, the brewpub phenomenon was born. 

They quickly acquired a cult-like following, which eventually led to a huge surge in popularity. In the year 2019, Texas craft breweries produced approximately 1,180,393 barrels of craft beer.

Check out our Gift ideas from Texas here.

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5 Most Popular Beers From Texas

When it comes to beers from Texas, five Texas beers stick out to me the most. This list is current, and may not include beers that were popular in the past. We have selected a beer for each style and price range.

Most popular beers in Texas:

  1. Lone Star
  2. Shiner
  3. Real Ale
  4. Independence
  5. Saint Arnold

This list is from the cheapest price, and quality, to the highest. Lonestar Beer, is, of course, the “official beer of Texas.” They are cheap, and usually will be on special at most Texas bars. Shiner is next up, being a good beer, at a good price.

Real Ale and Independence Brewing Company, both make very good craft beers. They range in quality and price, from not too expensive, to higher alcohol content, at a slightly higher price. 

Saint Arnold, is a long-running, Texas craft brewery, that offers a range of delicious beers. Their “Fancy Lawnmower” is a lower alcohol content beer, that allows you to day drink for hours. Their Endeavor double IPA is my favorite strong beer from Saint Arnold. Saint Arnold is the oldest craft brewery in Texas.

More Beers From Texas

It’s Beer Time in Texas

The state of Texas has more than 300 craft beer breweries. We are including our favorite top 5 up-and-coming craft beers from Texas.

  • Peticolas Brewery is located in Dallas, Texas. This brewery is located in the popular Design District and showcases a 3-level taproom, they offer tours of the brewery at designated times. Their beers are distributed locally within approximately 40 miles of their location at 1301 Pace St, Dallas, TX 75207. Our recommendation is a Velvet Hammer an imperial red ale. Go here for more information.
  • Jester Hill Brewery is located on a 165-acre ranch in the Texas Hill Country. They have a brewery, bar, and food. They also offer a goat tour and a brewery tour. Their fermented beer process has grown in popularity. They are a 5-star craft brewery in a beautiful farmhouse setting, in the rolling hills of Central Texas. They have recently introduced a full barbecue menu. Their location and amenities make it a great day trip located at 13187 Fitzhugh Rd, Austin, TX 78736. Our recommendation if available is German-style Kölsch on draft. Go here for more information. Jester offers some of the strongest beers in Texas
  • Pinthouse Brewing was established in Austin Texas. A popular brew is called Electric Jellyfish. Pinthouse Brewing has four locations in the Texas Hill Country that include both pizza and craft beer. Our recommendation is the Green Battles IPA. Go here for more information.
  • Austin Beerworks is located in Austin Texas at 3001 Industrial Ter Austin, Tx 78758. They have a taproom for imbibing, and you can take some home with you by ordering their beer to go. Our recommendation is a Peacemaker. Go here for more information.
  • Southern Star Brewing Company is located in Conroe, Texas. They are a regional brewer of seasonal craft beer. Founded in 2008 they have weekly tours and a taproom with both inside and outside seating. Our recommendation is a Blonde Bombshell. Go here for more information.

Find craft beers from Amarillo, Dallas, Fort Worth, Austin, Houston, and San Antonio to Brownsville at the tip of Texas, just to name a few. There are many Texas beer brands to choose from. Finely crafted beers of Texas are as diverse as our people and terrain.

If you are lucky enough to have a local HEB grocery store in your area they carry beers from many of our top Texas beer producers and breweries.

The Brewing Industry in Texas

The brewing industry in Texas is hard to track since there were few records of local industries before the civil war. One alcoholic beverage that they used to drink a lot in the state of Texas was ale, which has been around since the period of the ancient Egyptians.  

The oldest beer in America was founded in 1829 by German immigrant David G Yuengling. Yuengling was originally called Eagle Beer, and has recently partnered with Molson Coors Beverage Company in Fort Worth to brew the beer within the state before shipping it to multiple Texas retailers. With many tried and true fans, this is a welcome addition to our Texas Brews.

Around the year 1840, German immigrants to Texas began making known their preference for lager beer. The breweries that were in operation during this period, were home breweries or small local operations, that brewed mostly lager beer. In 1883 a German brewer by the name of Adolphus Busch, and a group of local businessmen, built the original Lone Star Brewery in San Antonio, Texas.  

In 1883, a group of San Antonio businessmen purchased a small brewery named J. B Behloradsky Brewery and began producing Pearl Beer. In 1916 Pearl was the largest brewery in Texas. 

The Shiner Brewing Association in Shiner, Texas was started in 1909 and owned by the Spoetzi family. These three have remained the strongest Texas-owned breweries and despite changing owners multiple times they remain today. 

Many other small operations, came and went, during this time with the very first commercial brewery, William A Menger’s Western Brewery, in 1855. 

TX beer mug

Texas Microbreweries, Beers From Texas

In 1982, the first microbrewery in Texas, the Reinheitsgebot Brewing Company, opened in Plano, Texas. Since then, microbreweries and craft beer have catapulted into the mainstream, and into Texas culture.

A microbrewery sells 75% or more of its beer, off-site, typically to distributors, or distributes directly to retailers, with the remaining 25% to the consumer through carryout and on-site taprooms, or on-site restaurant sales. A brewpub sells its beer on-site, or to go, with some distribution to off-site vendors, if allowed by state law.

There are many awesome microbreweries and restaurants in Texas today. You can get authentic food, as well as craft beer, designed by the restaurants themselves.

Old Texas Beer Brands

Some of the beers of Texas were founded over a hundred years ago. Many large breweries have been in operation in different Texas cities, such as the Anheuser-Busch Brewery, in Houston, and MillerCoors Brewery, in Dallas, both coming to Texas in 1966.

Pearl beer, is one of the oldest beers that was produced in Texas. It was founded in San Antonio, in 1883, and ran until 2001. The Pearl Brewing Company ended up buying Pabst Blue Ribbon and took on their products. Just recently, Pearl is back for a limited time. Available only in Texas.

Spoetzl Brewery was founded in Shiner, Texas in 1909. Shiner Bock beer is one of the best, lower costing beers, that you can get in Texas. Shiner Bock is the Spoetzl Breweries’ flagship beer, however, they also have a large number of seasonal beers and premium beers.

Ziegenbock is an alternative to Shiner Bock, a German amber lager, made by Anheuser-Busch. This has been a long-time Texas favorite and has a similar quality to Shiner Bock beer.

Texas Ales Vs Lagers

Now the big debate, ales or lager? With microbrewing techniques, come many more choices.

Mexican LagerAmerican Pale Ale
American LagerIndia Pale Ale
Dark LagersBlonde Ale
Vienna LagerFarmhouse Ale
Red LagersDark Ale

Who wins? Everybody wins. All of these Texas beers have their places on the shelves, along with many other craft beers and specialty beers. With a melody of flavors on both sides, you can find something that fits your personal preference. Both lagers and ales can be a great day drinker or a high alcoholic beer, that is full of flavor, such as an IPA.

Texas Homebrewing

In 1983, the homebrewing law was passed, allowing Texans to produce up to 200 gallons per year of wine, ale, malt liquor, or beer, with no license or permit needed.

I started my journey into homebrewing, around 2008, in Austin, Texas. I formed a small group, that brewed two batches of beer every month, for around 2 years. We experimented with different flavors, and with different yeasts and recipes.

We eventually came up with our own Pale Ale, where we used local yeast from the green belt. To this day, this is still one of my favorite brews to make.

The hobby of homebrewing beers has grown to huge proportions. You can now participate in large groups, or clubs, that bring friends and family together, around homebrewing in Texas. This reduces out-of-pocket costs and increases innovations in beer brewing ideas. More on homebrewing in Texas here.

Does Texas Allow Alcohol Delivery?

Beer to go law passed in 2019, allowing Texans to leave craft brewery taprooms, with a case of beer, and orders of wine and beer for delivery to their homes. Read more about Texas alcoholic beverage regulations here.

Texas does not have a state law that forbids you to walk down the street with an open container, however, individual counties, and cities, have their own codes, rules, and regulations.

Many delivery companies have popped up in Texas in recent years, that are allowed to deliver alcohol right to your home, with the press of a button on the app.

In Conclusion, Beers From Texas

In conclusion, beers from Texas include over 300 craft beer breweries so your taste buds are in for a treat!

Not Drunk is he who from the floor can rise and drink once
more – but Drunk is he who prostrate lies, and can neither
drink, nor rise.

Saloon at Luckenbach, Texas

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is Texas beer alcohol content?

Texas beer’s alcohol content is ABV 6.759. Each state has a percentage of alcohol for beers, that they allow being sold in grocery stores and gas stations.

Can I buy beer on Sunday in Texas?

You can buy beer anywhere except for liquor stores, in Texas, on Sundays. You can still buy beer from gas stations, and grocery stores, but not until noon on Sundays.

Can you drink at midnight on your 21st birthday in Texas?

Texas law defines the legal drinking age to be 21 years old. You turn 21 years old on the day of your birthday. You can legally be served at midnight, but every bar or server has the right to deny you if they want to.

Can you drink in your front yard in Texas?

Texas has no state law that says you cannot drink on your own lawn. However, each county, and city, has different codes and rules that may regulate this.

BEERS OF TEXAS
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Chad Fox

Chad Fox is a writer and researcher from Austin, Texas. He is passionate about Texas and the lone star lifestyle.

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