Two breweries are better than one

On Saturday a group of Austin homebrewers invaded two Austin-area microbreweries: Thirsty Planet Brewing Company and Jester King Craft Brewery, both of which were having open houses/tours for eager beer lovers like ourselves.

The day was quite an adventure as we tried out all kinds of beers from very light wheat beers to sour stout ales and everything in between. My favorites were: Thirsty Goat Amber as well as Jester King’s Gotlandsdricka, an ale with juniper berries that was just outstanding, and Weasel Rodeo, an oatmeal stout with coffee and just a pinch of chipotle pepper, with just the tiniest bite to it.

I was really excited to check both breweries out, having discovered Jester King beer a year ago when a friend had a bunch at a party, and stumbling across Thirsty Goat Amber at a restaurant and immediately falling in love with it.

On the tour, Thirsty Planet’s head brewmeister Jake explained everything about their company and the brewing process, including how he smokes the malt for the Franklin Smoked Porter, all while drinking beer and wearing a gorilla suit. It doesn’t get much better than that!

Thirsty Planet

Jester King

2 responses to “Two breweries are better than one”

  1. Jason Baker Avatar

    Sounds interesting. Ill have to try those. Any other good local breweries you would recommend? I love a good stout or a semi light amber bear.

    1. Jackie Dana Avatar

      I’m rather fond of some of the Black Star Co-op brews, ABGB has some good stuff, and I like Hops and Grains. However, I have to console myself regularly that Adelberts (Belgians, and the closest to where I live) has such poor and inconsistent beer. At a tasting last year I actually had to ask them to dump one of my samples because it was undrinkable…. and I *never* do that even if it’s a style I don’t care for.

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