Last Saturday, over 400 craft beer lovers descended on San Antonio’s newest microbrewery to celebrate the Grand Opening of the Branchline Brewing Company. Being so new, one might be surprised just how delicious their beers already taste. Serving three full-time beers, Branchline is indeed branching out with quality craft beers, some of which include local, Texas ingredients.
The menu at the Grand Opening included six varieties of beers. Shady Oak Honey Blonde, Evil Owl Amber and Woodcutter’s Rye IPA are brewed year round, while Blonde’s Evil Twin Sister, Knotty Oyster Stout and NightSky Eggnog Stout are seasonal and were available for the opening.
A key ingredient in Shady Oak Honey Blonde is Texas wildflower honey. This beer is absolutely delicious. Full of flavor, medium-bodied, with notes of yummy sweetness, this blonde will make you cry tears of joy and leave you completely satisfied. This beer can be enjoyed anytime (or maybe all the time), regardless of the season!
The Evil Owl Amber is the easiest to find on tap in San Antonio. This amber ale is medium-bodied and medium-hopped. It has a perfect balance of caramel taste that many seem to love. Brewed with Texas Gulf Coast oysters, Knotty Oyster Stout ends up having some chocolate smoothness and is fuller-bodied and richer compared to the lighter-bodied Eggnog Stout. Don’t let the oyster ingredient scare you because the Knotty Oyster Stout is downright fantastic.
Finally, for fans of hoppy beers, Branchline offers a Rye IPA that has a sturdy, malty backbone. If you are a beer drinker who is turned off by hops, the Rye IPA has the potential to help you develop an appreciation for all that hops have to offer.
With the opening of Branchline Brewing Company, San Antonio can be proud of its second microbrewery and the delightful beers produced there. Branchline can be found at various places in the Alamo City like The Friendly Spot, Flying Saucer and Boneshakers. Eventually, we may be able to buy them in the can and crack some open at home. But in the meantime, be sure to support this local brewery and enjoy all that it has to offer the city of San Antonio, the state of Texas and the larger craft brewing movement. Cheers!
This post was contributed by local blogger and beer fan Wesley Craig of Wes’ Cravin’s a San Antonio blogger who is on a journey to find, enjoy and share his own experiences and opinions about the delicious food and drink he comes across in the Alamo City. As much as he loves this, what he loves most is fulfilling his calling as a Christian minister and also spending time with his wife Susan and daughter Meadow. Read more articles that Wes contributed to SA Flavor.
Sign up for the SA Flavor Newsletter for all the best of SA without the spam! And be sure to shop the SA Flavor Store for the best Fiesta Medals, stickers, shirts and more!