Houston is known for a lot of things - its population, its diversity, its traffic. And in recent years, locally-owned breweries have surged into the Houston area, adding to social and drink options for visitors, urban residents and commuters from the greater Houston area. This is a guide to breweries within the 610 Loop, part one of a two-part series that will also explore breweries farther out of town.
Saint Arnold Brewing Company
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/IMG_1758-b29aa3bb3a8444b7919a90bbf0561436.jpg)
Open since 1994, Saint Arnold Brewing Company north of Downtown totes itself as the oldest craft brewer in Texas. Known for brews like Weedwacker and Santo, this brewery has 11 year-round pours. On Saturdays, a souvenir glass and four samples can be purchased for $10 - all other days beers are one-off purchases. Reminiscent of a retro cafeteria, there are long tables lining the beer hall. If you’re not in the mood to talk over the crowd, for an extra fee there is a smaller, quieter room with couches and dart boards. The main seating area has a view through glass windows of the brewing facilities, which you can tour at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. on weekdays and 12 p.m., 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. on Saturdays. Saint Arnold has its own kitchen, with food ranging from snacks to two-course meals.
Details
2000 Lyons Avenue
Houston, TX 77020
Hours
Monday - Thursday | 11 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Friday | 11 a.m. - 10 p.m.
Saturday | 11 a.m. - 3 p.m.
8th Wonder Brew
8th Wonder Brew is an ode to the Astrodome and all things Houston retro. Housed in a domed warehouse in the EaDo (East of Downtown) area, the brewery has both outdoor and indoor seating options and boasts both year-round and seasonal brews — one of which throws credence to the Astrodome, a cream ale called “Dome Faux’m.” The taproom operates on a token system, with sets of souvenir glasses and beer token options ranging from $4 to $15. Another option is to buy a flight of four testers for $8 — this includes one full refill.
Sit inside with your drink, and you can lounge on Astrodome seats amid wood-paneled decor; sit outside and you can enjoy string lights and picnic tables (shade is minimal). Tours of the place take place weekdays at 7 p.m. No food is available at 8th Wonder, but the Eatsie Boys food truck is often found nearby. A couple of unique offerings at 8th Wonder: a brew called Free Kick, which is blended with kombucha, and yoga classes are often held on Wednesdays at 7 p.m. for the more coordinated drinkers.
Details
2202 Dallas Street
Houston, Texas, 77003
Hours
Monday - Saturday | 11a.m. - 10 p.m.
Sunday | 11 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Under the Radar Brewer
Opened in the second half of 2016, the new kid on the brewers' block is Under the Radar Brewer, located near the south edge of Midtown. Self-described as “the poorly told tale of three guys who liked to brew beer,” this brewery offers five beers and ample shade to its customers. A glass and three tokens can be purchased for $15. There is both indoor and outdoor seating, nearly all with views of the brew facilities, which share the small space (an expansion is heard to be in the works).
Details
1506 Truxillo Street
Houston, TX 77004
Hours
Saturday | 10 a.m. - 8 p.m.
Sunday | 12 p.m. - 6 p.m.
The Buffalo Bayou
The Buffalo Bayou brewers focus on creativity and small-batch beer while tucked away in a residential area. The pour list is long and adventurous at their brewery east of Memorial Park. Trade $10 for a mason jar-style glass and three pours. Hours are limited, which can make for crowds, so it's best to use the reservation website. Seating is plentiful, but people are encouraged to bring their own chairs just in case.
Details
5301 Nolda Street
Houston, TX 77007
Hours
Friday | 5 p.m. - 9 p.m. for happy hour
Saturday | 12 p.m. - 3 p.m. for tours
Town in City Brewing
The brewers at Town in City do their work at a blue metal building in the Heights.They weave unique kinds of creativity into their beers, naming batches after friends and introducing a “Farm-to-Market” series where each beer has three stages. A club called Townie with a membership fee of just over $200 per year includes discussions, forums and access to test batches for drinkers with a more defined and serious palette. Regardless of whether you choose to shell out the extra cash, you’ll have access to the indoor and outdoor spaces and menu.
Details
1125 W Cavalcade Street
Houston Texas 77009
Hours
Wednesday - Thursday | 3 p.m. - 10 p.m.
Friday | 3 p.m. - 12 a.m.
Saturday | 10 a.m. - 12 a.m.
Sunday | 10 a.m. - 10 p.m.
Platypus Brewing
Platypus Brewing is the newly opened lovechild of Houstonians and Australians who started brewing with a home kit more than a decade ago. Located on Washington Avenue near Houston Avenue, Platypus offers indoor and outdoor seating, along with a balcony (the Mezzanine) available for special events. This brewery offers a food menu that changes according to local ingredients, and specialty wines are also offered. It also has a membership option; for $99, you can become a “Platypi” and enjoy company swag, early-release tastings and Q&A sessions with the brewers.
Details
1902 Washington Avenue, Suite E
Houston, Texas 77007
Hours
Monday | 3 p.m. - 10 p.m.
Tuesday | Closed
Wednesday - Thursday | 3 p.m. - 10 p.m.
Friday - Saturday | 12 p.m. - 12 a.m.
Sunday | 12 p.m. - 9 p.m.
Holler Brewing
Little is yet known about this warehouse-housed brewer near the Silver Street Studios complex. The doors opened softly in November 2016 and so far the pair of brewers offer eight beers and a cold-brew coffee. No menu is currently offered, and on days that no food trucks are nearby, bring-your-own or delivery are welcomed. The venue is polished, though the website is little-developed so check the brewery’s Facebook page for updates on when they’re open.
Details
2206 Edwards Street
Houston, Texas 77007
Sigma Brewing
This East Downtown brewery opened in October 2016 and might appeal to the less mellow drinkers. Music is played loud and cult classic movies are shown on Mondays. Beers are $5 and flights are $7. A small handful of beers are offered so far at the spacious venue. Food truck availability is off-and-on but the venue’s Facebook page is updated often with what will be available and when.
Details
3118 Harrisburg Boulevard
Houston, Texas 77003
Hours
Monday | 3 p.m. - 10 p.m.
Tuesday - Wednesday | Closed
Thursday | 3 p.m. - 10 p.m.
Friday | 3 p.m. - 12 a.m.
Saturday | 12 p.m. - 12 a.m.
Sunday | 12 p.m. - 10 p.m.
