New Brews

This is poised to be the next Hill Country hot spot for craft beer and much more

The future entrance of Vista Brewing, opening in Driftwood in 2018.

Photo courtesy of Vista Brewing

A new brewery with big offerings is taking root just outside of Austin. On June 4, Vista Brewing broke ground on a 21-acre development in Driftwood. The Hill Country destination promises a brewery, tasting room, and much more when it opens in 2018.

"Vista Brewing is proud to join the vibrant craft beer community here in Austin by offering world-class beer and acres of beautiful beer garden to enjoy it in," says Karen Killough, co-founder of Vista Brewing along with husband, Kent.

"Craft consumers, and particularly those that live in and are visiting Central Texas, are increasingly looking for the local experience around craft products. The Vista destination is the embodiment of that local experience, where customers can sample a wide variety of styles of beer, see the production of onsite-sourced ingredients, and relax in the shade of centuries-old oak trees on a historic property."

Future plans call for a farm-to-table restaurant, event venue, eco-friendly tiny home accommodations, apiary, and later, a farm and orchard.

Vista Brewing will specialize in two genres of beer. There will be low-alcohol, dry, "beer garden" beers, as well as complex, wine-like brews aged in barrels from nearby Hill Country wineries and distilleries.

Like Jester King Brewery, Vista Brewing is committed to sourcing ingredients from the property. Local fruits, veggies, and honey will play a part in both the beer-making process and the menu of the upcoming restaurant.

"We spent many months searching for just the right property to create Vista as an escape from the hustle of day-to-day life, yet at the same time be very accessible to Austin and its suburbs. It was important to us to have enough land for visitors to spread out, relax, and take in the views," says Killough. "We are keeping the site as natural as possible (no paving) and landscaping will be low-water, native Texas plants."

The team is working with OPA Design Studio, LandDev Consulting, and Rand Construction to develop the heavily-wooded property, which includes massive oak and elm trees. A pre-existing stone wall that dates back to the 1800s will be carefully preserved, providing an enclosure for an outdoor beer garden.

Vista's first phase is expected to open in early 2018.

Cat's Out of the Bag

Classic Austin dive bar Mean Eyed Cat opens new Driftwood outpost

Photo courtesy of the Mean Eyed Cat

There ain't no grave can hold Austinites down when it's time to break in this new dive bar.

An Austin bar with a lot of personality has its eye on a new location. The Mean Eyed Cat is opening in Driftwood on Thursday, November 21.

This Johnny Cash-inspired bar has certainly always had the country aesthetic: the weathered wood, the live oak-shaded picnic tables, the black-and-white photos on the wall, and even the occasional taxidermy specimen. The same rustic vibes continue in Driftwood at 8750 W RR 150, Bldg. 100, according to a short press release.

Mean Eyed Cat Bar Driftwood interior This new bar already looks like it's been collecting antiques for decades.Photo courtesy of the Mean Eyed Cat

Good luck getting there on Google Maps. Right now, it drops a pin at the intersection of Ranch to Market Road 150 and Elder Hill Road. However, it appears to be next to Mad Rooster's Liquor Store — we can see the side of the building through the window and the same road signs. We've reached out to a spokesperson to get the proper directions.

The Austin original has been around since 2004, and this offshoot is only its second location. The promises "the same laid-back, offbeat charm that made the original bar an icon."

Mean Eyed Cat Bar Driftwood interior What's a dive bar without a pool table?Photo courtesy of the Mean Eyed Cat

Before the Austin location was a bar, it was a chainsaw repair shop that was aptly featured in The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2. Chris Marsh was who converted it to a watering hole and Christened it the Mean Eyed Cat, and he later sold it to current owners Matt Luckie, Max Moreland, and Jed Thompson, placing it in a lineage that also includes Lavaca Street Bar & Grill, Sign Bar, Lala’s Little Nugget, and more locally beloved staples and oddities.

All the proper references are there in Driftwood, including several saw blades on the wall, Johnny Cash memorabilia, and lyrics on every available surface, including a picnic table that ominously says "HURT." First and foremost on the menu are whiskeys and classic cocktails, keeping things as simple as anyone would expect at a dive bar.

Mean Eyed Cat Bar Driftwood patio A spacious patio takes advantage of the Hill Country surroundings.Photo courtesy of the Mean Eyed Cat

Despite the relatively remote location, commenters on Instagram have already spotted people inside and started chomping at the bit. It sounds like opening day will be a lively affair.

The Mean Eyed Cat in Driftwood will be open Mondays through Thursdays from 2 pm to 2 am, and Fridays through Sundays from noon to 2 am. Happy hour will be weekdays from 4-7 pm.

dive bars whiskey cocktails openings driftwood