I visited 100 breweries in 2022

      As a traveling salesman, I get to travel quite a bit to the southwest and southeastern part of the country. I like to map out breweries I’d like to visit while traveling. This year, I got to visit 100 different breweries in a calendar year. Not all breweries were new breweries for me but the majority were. 72 of the 100 breweries were ones that I had never visited before. Traveled to 6 states and Belize across this year. For a list of all the breweries visited, those are posted at the end of this blog.  Here’s my favorites and most notable ones visited. 

Favorite brewery in Illinois 

Crystal Lake Brewing  - Crystal Lake, IL

A large space with lots of different beers in the heart of Crystal Lake, northwest of Chicago. Favorite beer was - Hoptopus hazy IPA.

Favorite brewery in New Mexico 

Bow and Arrow Brewing - Albuquerque, NM 

Huge place with lots of indoor and outdoor space.  A white marble bar is accentuated in this southwestern decor. Bow and Arrow is also Native-American owned. Favorite beer was Scenic West hazy IPA. 

Favorite Las Vegas brewery

Trustworthy Brewing - Las Vegas, NV

Claiming to be the only brewery on the Las Vegas strip, Trustworthy is located inside the Palazzo shopping center attached to the Venetian Resort. It’s a large area with a restaurant too. Staff was very friendly. Their sister location is in Burbank, California. Favorite beer was “T-shirt weather” Czech Pilsner. 

Favorite Houston (area) brewery 

Fass Brewing - Conroe, TX

In a world of Hazy/NewEngland, milkshake and west coast IPAs, Fass harkens back to the days of classic European styles. With 4 different Pilsners, a kellerbier, a kolsch, and an altbier on tap, you can tell where their brewing emphasis lies. This downtown brewery is located in a historic former bank building that is now the oldest building in Conroe. Favorite beer was Texas Corn Lager. 

Favorite Austin (area) brewery

Roughhouse Brewing - San Marcos, TX

Roughhouse features a huge outdoor area with a farmhouse feel. The most intriguing Roughhouse point of interest is its underground cave on the property where they have beers that are “100 % Cave-aged”. They release those as special release beers through the year. Favorite beer was Treeform Farmhouse IPA

Favorite food at brewery 

Pivovar - Waco, TX

I’m a sucker for a good schnitzel and Pivovar Brewery and Hotel has nailed this classic. Served with mashed potatoes and the lemon to squeeze.  I’ve had it multiple times and it’s always consistently great. Favorite beer was their Vienna lager. 

Most scenic brewery visited 

Riff Raff on the Rio - Pagosa Springs, CO

Located on the scenic San Juan River in southern Colorado, this brewery features a covered outdoor patio to enjoy a beer while watching kayakers, paddle boarders and tubers come down the river in the summertime. Riff Raff’s other location is in downtown Pagosa Springs just down the road.  Favorite beer was Stolen Roses wheat  

Favorite recently opened Texas brewery 

Tanglefoot Brewing - Temple, TX

Tanglefoot opened a few months ago and has nailed down their czech lagers.  Owner and brewer Andy Martinec (formerly of Austin’s Black Star Co-Op) is focusing on czech lagers in this former BBQ restaurant. He’s already got a good local following and his beers are true czech lagers. Favorite beer was 12 degree pale lager. 

Favorite brewery promotion 

Peticolas Brewing Company - Dallas, TX

In March, Peticolas ran a “Kitchen sink” special that included 16 Peticolas cans for $44. And since I’m a fan of most everything they brew, I thought it was a steal. Favorite beer was Its Always Something Belgian Dark Ale. 

Underlined breweries were breweries never visited before. Not underlined were re-visits. 

1.Southern Roots Brewing Co- Waxahachie, TX

2.Cowtown Brewing - Southlake, TX

3.Braided River Brewing- Mobile, AL

4.Oyster City Brewing - Mobile, AL

5.Pondaseta Brewing -Amarillo,TX

6.Auld Brewing - Lubbock, TX

7.Brewery LBK - Lubbock, TX

8.Tall City Brewing - Midland, TX

9.Edgewise Eight Brewing - Weatherford, TX

10.Johnson County Distillery - Cleburne, TX

11.By the Horns Brewery - Mansfield,TX

12.Community Beer Co - Dallas,TX

13.Bendt Distilling - Lewisville, TX

14.Revolver Brewing Co - Granbury, TX

15.Flying Heart Brewing - Bossier City, LA

16.Ravinia Brewing Co. - Highland Park, IL

17.Cary Alehouse & Restaurant - Cary,IL

18.Spirit Water - Cary,IL

19.Crystal Lake Brewing - Crystal Lake, IL

20.Holzlager Brewing - Woodstock,IL

21.ShadowView Brewing - Woodstock,IL

22.Kishwaukee Brewing - Woodstock,IL

23.Sew Hop’d Brewery - Huntley,IL

24.Hobbs Brewing Company - Placencia, Belize 

25.Rickhouse Brewing - Mineral Wells, TX

26.Alien Brewpub - Albuquerque, NM

27.Nexus Brewery & Restaurant - Albuquerque, NM

28.Enchanted Circle Brewhouse - Albuquerque, NM

29.Lizard Trail Brewing - Albuquerque, NM

30.La Reforma Brewing - Albuquerque, NM

31.Rumor Brewing Company - Cedar Crest, NM

32.Beer Creek Brewing Company - Santa Fe, NM

33.Hidden Mountain Brewing Company - Santa Fe, NM

34.Black Mesa Winery & Cider - Velarde, NM

35.Break Room Brewing Company - Pagosa Springs, CO

36.Steamworks Brewing Company- Durango, CO

37.Anarchy Brewing Company - Durango, CO

38.Railport Brewing Company - Waxahachie, TX

39.Wild Acre Brewing Camp Bowie - Fort Worth, TX

40.On Rotation Brewery & Kitchen - Dallas, TX

41.Four Bullets Brewery - Richardson, TX

42.False Idol Brewing - North Richland Hills, TX

43.Buffalo Bayou Brewing Company - Houston, TX

44.Division Brewing - Arlington, TX

45.Manhattan Project Brewing - Dallas, TX

46.Riff Raff On the Rio Brewery - Pagosa Springs, CO

47.High Trestle Brewing Co - Durango, CO

48.Peticolas Brewing Company - Dallas, TX

49.Chambers Creek Brewing Company - Maypearl, TX

50.Acopon Brewing Company - Dripping Springs, TX  

51.Twisted X Brewing Company - Dripping Springs, TX

52.Middleton Brewing Company - San Marcos, TX

53.Roughhouse Brewing Company - San Marcos, TX

54.Dodging Duck Brewhaus - Boerne, TX 

55.Cibolo Creek Brewing Company- Boerne, TX 

56.Free Roam Brewing Company - Boerne, TX

57.Bandera Ale Company - Bandera, TX

58.Flix Brewhouse - San Antonio, TX

59.Maverick Whiskey - San Antonio, TX

60.Man Overboard Brewing Company - San Antonio, TX 

61.Koko’s Bavarian - Austin, TX 

62.Central Machine BeerWorks - Austin, TX

63.Oakfire Pizza and Brewing - Belton, TX

64.Siren Rock Brewing Company - Rockwall, TX 

65.Southern Roots Brewing Company - Waco, TX

66.Ash and Ember Brewing - Cedar Hill, TX

67.Turkey Forrest Brewing - Houston, TX 

68.Elder Son Brewing - Houston, TX

69.New Magnolia Brewing - Houston, TX

70.Great Heights Brewing Company - Houston, TX

71.Ingenious Brewing Company - Humble, TX

72.Southern Yankee Brewing Company- Houston

73.Fass Brewing - Conroe, TX

74.Funky Picnic Brewery & Café - Fort Worth, TX

75.Maple Branch Craft Brewery - Fort Worth, TX

76.Autonomous Society Brewpub- Dallas, TX

77.Hopfusion Ale Works - Fort Worth, TX

78.Bourbon-n-Branch Brewing Company.- Hudson Oaks, TX 

79.Parker County Brewing Company - Hudson Oaks

80.Brew Aleworks - Granbury, TX

81.Ellis Island Casino and Brewery - Las Vegas, NV

82.Trustworthy Brewing - Las Vegas, NV

83.Chicago Brewing Company - Las Vegas, NV

84.The Underground Speakeasy (Mob Museum) - Las Vegas, NV

85.Triple 7 Restaurant & Brewery - Las Vegas, NV. 

86.Sierra Blanca Brewery - Moriarity, NM

87.Bombs Away Brewing - Albuquerque, NM

88.Bosque Brewing - Albuquerque, NM

89.Boxing Bear Brewing Company- Albuquerque, NM

90.Gravity Bound Brewing - Albuquerque, NM

91.Juno - Albuquerque, NM

92.Rio Bravo Brewing Company - Albuquerque, NM

93.Bow and Arrow Brewing Company - Albuquerque, NM

94.Tractor Brewing Company - Albuquerque, NM

95.Ralvin Ciders - Alvord, TX

96.Pivovar Brewery, Restaurant & Hotel - Waco, TX

97.Tanglefoot Brewery - Temple, TX

98.Intrinsic Smokehouse & Brewery - Garland, TX

99.Hop & Sting Brewing - Grapevine, TX

100. Santa Fe Brewing - Santa Fe, NM

Clint Doherty

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