On most weeks, TABC releases label and brewery approvals that have been approved for sale in Texas. Every beer that is sold in Texas has to go through this process before you can see it on store shelves. It is a way to see what beer will be coming into the Texas market before it shows up at your local bottle shop. The time frame between showing up on the label approval list and hitting the shelves could be anywhere from a day to a couple of months out.
The same can be said for breweries. The brewery approvals tend to be even further out. Every brewery sold in Texas has to go through the same process to get approved by the TABC. Once they do this, they can then get labels approved.
I only include craft beer labels that have been approved.
After each label, I have indicated what they have been approved to sell in. They are as follows:
K = Keg
B = Large format bottle
b = Small format bottle
c = Small format (12oz) can
C = Larger format cans
Here are this week’s releases:
5 Stones – Fracking Blackstrap Imperial Stout (B)
5 Stones – Spanish Monk Belgian Ale (B)
Alltech – Pico de Orizaba Clara (b)
B-52 – Breakfast (K)
Bearded Eel – Bent Rut Imperial Wildflower Honey Red Ale (K)
Boston Beer – Forbidden Traveler Apple Ale (b, K)
Boston Beer – Illusive Traveler Grapefruit Ale (b, K)
Boston Beer – Curious Traveler Lemon Shandy (b, K)
Branchline – 2nd Anniversary (B, K)
Buffalo Bayou – Black Raz (K)
Busted Sandal – Alfalfa Desperado Farmhouse (K)
Busted Sandal – Ice Bucket Ale (K)
Cobra – Donut Dunker Ale Brewed with Coffee, Hazelnut, Ginger and Other Spices (K)
Cobra – The Kitchen Sink Imperial Stout (K)
Double Horn – 1855 Pale Ale (K)
Double Horn – Guero Blonde Ale (K)
Double Horn – Over/Under Amber Ale (K)
Double Horn – Sum Dat IPA (K)
Einstok – Icelandic Pale Ale (b)
Einstok – Icelandic Toasted Porter (b, K)
Franconia – Pilsner (b)
Funkwerks – Deceit Belgian Style Golden Ale (B)
Funkwerks – Saison Ale (b. B)
Funkwerks – Tropic King Imperial Saison (b. B)
Galveston Bay – Hammerhead Ale (K)
Galveston Bay – Sunny Day IPA (K)
Galveston Bay – Tart Cherry Brown Ale (K)
Jester King – Biere de Blanc du Bois (B)
Jester King – World’s Worst Twin (B)
Lakewood – Hopochondria Session IPA (c)
Lakewood – Lager (c)
Lakewood – Raspberry Temptress (B)
Lakewood – Rock Ryder American Rye Wheat (c)
Middleton – Easy Rider Blonde Ale (b, B, K)
Mission – Shipwrecked Double IPA (K)
New Belgium – Lips of Faith Cocoa Mole Spiced Chocolate Porter (B, K)
New Belgian – Rampant Imperial IPA (c)
New Holland – Full Circle Kolsch (b, K)
Rahr & Sons – Bucking Bock (c)
Rahr & Sons – Hell’s Half Acre – Iron Joe (b)
Redhook – KCCO White Wheat Ale (c)
Save the World – Apocalypse Quadrupel Ale (B)
Save the World – Bonus Pastor (K)
Shipyard – Imperial Stout (B. K)
Southern Tier – Cascade Single Varietal Ale (b)
Southern Tier – Centennial Single Varietal Ale (b)
Southern Tier – Columbus Single Varietal Ale (b)
Stone – Enjoy After Brett IPA (B)
Twisted Pine – Agaveras IPA (K)
TABC Brewery Approvals:
SweetWater Brewing – Georgia
A couple things to take from these releases:
1) Sweetwater Brewing – This brewery out of Georgia announced over a year ago that they would be entering the Texas market. Well, they made it official by receiving TABC approval to do so. Look for them to show up around summer time.
2) Funkwerks – For those in Austin, you are out of luck for now. For those in DFW, well, you are in in luck. Funkwerks is starting to get their approvals for Texas. They were originally planning to have release parties in DFW this week for their beers, but tey apparently got caught up in TABC approvals. So, kegs still have not been approved but some bottles have. Hopefully this will eventually make it down to the Austin market. For now, there are no plans for it to.
3) 5 Stones is continuing with releasing new bottles this week. Last week, they had a tequila barrel aged beer, and this week, two new labels for them. I feel that all of their beers have been solid up until now and look forward to trying these.
4) Middleton – This the first time that I have seen them approve a 12oz bottle of their beers. For those who do not know, Middleton is based in between Wimberley and San Marcos. They make mostly Belgian style beers but do not limit themselves to that style. With them getting approvals for more bottles, hopefully we will start seeing them on the shelves in Austin soon.
5) Stone – Enjoy After – This one has been long awaited for in the Texas market. It is a variant off of their Enjoy By series that is a Brett IPA (hence the ability for it to be aged and not drunk fresh).
