A look at Waco’s growing craft beer scene

Waco and Central Texas has been experiencing growth like the rest of Texas. Today we’ll look at 5 breweries in Waco and I’ll also give you a handful of suggestions on places to eat with a really good local craft beer selection too. 

1. Bare Arms Brewing - Waco, TX 

Bare Arms opened in 2015 and was the first brewery to open its doors in Waco since the former Bosque Brewing opened in 1995 and closed in 1997.  They have engrained themselves in Waco and do have a good following locally. They were one of the first breweries in Texas that went with crowlers before crowlers became popular.  They were purchased by Two Rivers Brewing Company late last year and new CEO Kevin Yackley has added a few new beers to their standard lineup. Located near Waco’s traffic circle east of 35, they have an inviting taproom and is worth a visit to check these guys out

2. Brotherwell Brewing - Waco, TX

Brotherwell opened in 2018, near downtown just off of Martin Luther King Jr boulevard just north of the Brazos. Their popular “Bridge St Wit” and “Act of Faith” Tripel are a couple of their mainstays. They have recently started canning and have beer to go now. Worth it to check them out while in Waco.

3. Waco Ale Company - Waco, TX

Waco Ale company opened in August of last year on Austin Avenue right in the heart of downtown Waco. With a great location, Waco Ale Company brews very solid beers and have a friendly tap room with TVs to watch sports and hang out with friends. They have their “Pearly Gates Pale Ale” and many other staples and are often releasing new beers. They usually have food trucks parked outside so you can grab something to eat while you’re there. 

4. Southern Roots Brewing Company - Waco, TX

Southern Roots opened in October of last year and is also in downtown right around the corner from Waco Ale Company. They offer great pizzas, wings and have a menu of starters as well. They  strive to produce drinkable, fresh beer.  Their “Smokin Aces IPA” and “Heart of Texas Blonde” are a couple of their most popular beers. 

5. Balcones Distilling & Brewing

Known for their award-winning whiskies, Balcones started brewing in February of this year and started with a New England Pale Ale, an English Mild Ale and an English Bitter. They are brewing new beers and plan to produce many other types of beers. They are currently doing Growler fills only. Obviously, many people are hoping they will brew some barrel-aged beers that will blend well with their whiskey. 

Beer bars and good grub in Waco

1. Dancing Bear Pub - just a stones throw from Baylor’s campus, Dancing Bear has its own food truck and always has a great selection of the latest and best craft beer available in Waco. They’re a local favorite and everyone there is really friendly. 

2. Shorty’s Pizza Shack - around the corner from Dancing Bear, good Pizza, Calzones and hot dogs along with good craft beer on tap at Shorty’s, a local favorite. 

3. Barnett’s Public House - Pub in downtown Waco with American fare and usually a good craft beer tap list. 

4.  Slow Rise Slice House - Pizza place with pizza by the slice and a solid craft beer tap list. 

Clint Doherty

Twitter - @DFWBeer

DFWBEERSCENE 

Untappd- Cldaggie

5 beer documentaries to watch while on Covid Lockdown

Since some of us are experiencing no-sports sadness, I thought I’d help with giving you 5 beer documentaries worth giving a shot. Best watched with a cold craft beer in your hand. Cheers 🍻 

5.  Beer Wars - 1 hr 29 min - YouTube, ITunes, Amazon Prime, Google Play

Released in 2009, this is an older film that documents the struggle smaller breweries have in fighting AB-InBev both in government and shelf space. Things have definitely changed since this was released but this helped expose AB-InBev. Still a worthy watch. 

4.   Beerocracy - 1 hr 16 min - Amazon Prime

This is a documentary about the craft brewing industry in New Brunswick, Canada - a small province vying to be a national beer destination. It tells the stories of brewers both big and small, drinkers, and the regulations that shape, help and hinder the popular craft alcohol industry.

3.  Beers of Joy - 1 hr 58 min - YouTube, Amazon Prime, Hulu

Released just last year and funded by AB-InBev, this documentary has a few different storylines. It follows a few guys who are taking the test to get their Master Cicerone designation (there are only 13 in the world). It also follows a female brewer who goes to Germany to learn how to brew her favorite Berliner weisse. This was a fun and enjoyable watch.  

2.  Craft: The California Beer Documentary - 1 hr 28 min - YouTube, Google Play, Amazon Prime, iTunes 

Released in 2015, this film features the history and popular California craft beer scene. It shows the struggle California faces with government regulation and the history of beer in California. Sierra Nevada, Russian River, and Anchor are heavily featured. They also have interviews with 80 other breweries in California. Does also feature the birth of the west coast IPA. This is a well done documentary. 

1.  The Irish Pub - 1 hr 16 min - Amazon Prime

Released in 2013, this show interviews Pub owners from all over Ireland. It shows how important the Irish pub is in Ireland and how it’s part of the fabric of everyday life there. It really gets into the details of the heart of what makes the “Irish Pub” the institution that it is. This doc is less beer based but is more camaraderie based. Rotten Tomatoes gave this a 100% rating. I truly enjoyed this film. 

Now, get to watching!! 

Thanks, 

Clint Doherty

DFWBEERSCENE 

@DFWBeer

Untappd- Cldaggie