American Craft Beer Week may have come and gone in May, but you certainly don't need to limit your suds satisfaction to only one week, especially if you're in Boerne.
The Hill Country city has a rapidly expanding brewery scene, and you can easily devote a day — or even a week — to exploring them all. Many are located along the Hill Country Mile, a stretch of Main Street in the heart of downtown Boerne. Here's your guide:
Cibolo Creek Brewing Co.
Hang out on the front porch swing or grab a table under an umbrella, or head out back for oversized games and maybe catch some live music. Cibolo Creek is also known for its amazing farm-to-table menu and buys sustainable Texas-raised beef, goat, lamb, quail, pork, eggs, dairy, and produce.
A fan favorite here is the Boerne Blonde, and easy-to-drink, balanced beer, while the Creekside IPA is CCBC’s hoppiest beer with notes of citrus, stone fruit, and a touch of pine. There is also always a selection of small-batch brews as well, ranging from whiskey stouts to double IPAs and far-out saisons.
Tusculum Brewing Co.
This newer brewery boasts a great menu, including a very Instagrammable charcuterie board. Roomy inside and with a great patio in the back, the brewery offers plenty of room to gather with friends.
Its top-selling beer is Big Tex, a Belgian blonde with flavors of a hefeweizen, making it a nice and light warm-weather choice. Additionally, patrons love their Lion Slide Kolsch, another easy-drinking summer option.
Dodging Duck Brewhaus
The Dodging Duck’s fresh craft beer is brewed on-site in a 10-barrel copper-clad brewery, and piped directly to the taps mounted inside a cool wrap-around bar. Sit outside on the large patio, where there is often live music along with an impressive menu serving lunch and dinner seven days a week.
Favorites at the Duck include its Pico de Pato Mexican lager, Boerne Farmhouse saison, and of course there is always an IPA or two on tap.
Extra sips
Other breweries in the area include Boerne Brewery, Barrelman Brewing Co., and Kinematic Brewing Co. Favorites from Boerne Brewery include the Hopstrasse IPA, which is pleasantly bitter without being harsh, and Denim-Hosen, a traditional German Kolsch-styled brew with a Texas twist.
Criminally good
On Saturday, May 15, The Old Jail Museum is celebrating its grand opening from 3-9 pm with live music, Old West re-enactors, a silent auction, Birds of Prey show, tours, and more.
Get in on the fun with the Old Jail Pale Ale Tour. Cibolo Creek, Tusculum, and Dodging Duck will each have a brewed pale ale on tap with $1 from each pint sold going to the museum. Get a stamp from each brewery on a special card and bring it back to the jail to earn a cool commemorative badge.
Take some time to visit Boerne and add its amazing shops, restaurants, and more to your brewery tour.
