It's Pie Time this Happened

3 favorite Austin pizza restaurants come together for epic dough-down

Home Slice Pizza announces an epic, one-night only pizza partnership.

Photo courtesy of Home Slice Pizza

In a time where it seems the entire world is going down in a flaming ball of hellfire, it's nice when people come together to help others. On November 28, local pizza icons Home Slice Pizza, Via 313, and Pinthouse Pizza will be participating in Doughvember, the final installment in Home Slice's month-long charity event.

Held in the dine-in side of Home Slice's South Congress locale, the menu will feature Home Slice versions of Via 313's Detroit-style pies. Offerings include the 500 (natural casing pepperoni, jalapeno, and pineapple) or a classic cheese, both served on a New York-style crust.

In keeping with the pizza partnership, Via 313 will be making its version of Home Slice's Classic #5 (pepperoni and mushrooms) on a thick, Detroit-style crust, all of which can be washed down with Pinthouse Pizza’s Pinthouse Brewing Old Beluga Amber Ale.

In addition to the special pie-llaborations, Via will also be offering the classic version of its Detroiter pizza (smoked pepperoni under the cheese, natural casing pepperoni on top). For those who prefer the Home Slice staples, don't worry — the full menu will be available.

Twenty percent of proceeds from this fourth and final installment of Doughvember will be donated to No Kid Hungry. The event coincides with Giving Tuesday, the worldwide holiday that encourages folks to give back. Pizza patrons will be pleased to know that I Live Here, I Give Here, which is spearheading Giving Tuesday in Central Texas, will be including Home Slice's final donation as part of the big give. Now that's great news, anyway you slice it.

charity pizza

Fierce Competition

Austin distillery hosting bourbon cocktail showdown with $12,000 in awards

Photo by Preston O'Shea

Fierce Whiskers is looking for the perfect cocktail to show off its Texas Straight Bourbon.

With something as nuanced as bourbon, it might be impossible to nail down the definitive best way to showcase it. Austin's Fierce Whiskers Distillery is not deterred. It'll task a dozen local bartenders with creating the best cocktail for its Texas Straight Bourbon in the Third Annual Austin Bourbon Battle on October 26.

This is a serious competition with big prizes paid out by the distillery (which has hosting help from partners Liber & Co and Virtue Craft Spirits). A people's choice award will end in a $2,000 prize, and the expert judges will award $10,000 to their favorite creation. Stakes are higher this year; the people's choice prize is now doubled, and the grand prize is the biggest of any year so far. Fierce Whiskers is only four years old, making this third year of event organizing overachievement all the more impressive.

Of course, if the people are going to choose a cocktail, they have to taste it. And if 12 sample-sized sips are just a warm-up, there will also be full portions of "select cocktails" to purchase, according to a press release. Food trucks Tru Luv Empanadas and Midway Dogs will be on hand with snacks, and live music will complete the evening. Rivian Electric Vehicles, which recently opened an Austin showroom, will also be there showing off its latest model and offering test drives and VIP shutter service.

Guests can come to support their favorite bartenders or find somewhere new to hang out next time they've got a hankering for a great bourbon cocktail. The following mixologists will be representing their bars:

Fletcher Wright – UpRoot
Ben Robinette, Brian Bounds – Kinfolk Lounge & Library
Trenten Relles – Meanwhile Brewing
Matthew Owoseni – Stella San Jac
Jarad Crowell – Il Brutto
Zachary Moore – Hillside Farmacy
Trever Fehrenbach – Dumont’s Down Low
Kevan Ash – Roosevelt Room
Rick Routh – Higher Ground
Franceska Akel – Equipment Room
Jessy Rae – Taco Flats
Matthew Le – Nickel City

The judges also have some recognizable names: whiskey writer Gabby Pharms, OMG Squee owner Sarah Lim, and Foliepops owner and Top Chef finalist Kevin D'Andrea.

“The competition continues to get more and more fierce,” said Fierce Whiskers founder Tri Vo in the release. “We’ve seen some incredible creations come out of Bourbon Battle each year and are always blown away by the creativity of each mixologist. It’s a privilege to showcase their creativity to the Austin community and we just hope folks come out to see what they can do!”

The Austin Bourbon Battle will take place at 5333 Fleming Ct. on October 26 from 3-7 pm. Tickets ($40) are available on Tock.

cocktails bartenders competition whiskey bourbon food trucks