Cheers, Y’all!
An antidote for thirst for heat-weary Texans, beer has been a staple of Lone Star libations since the 1840s, when German and Czech immigrants arrived in Texas and shared beer recipes with their new neighbors. Texans were grateful for the beverage that turned out to be much tastier than the beer they had been making from the only ingredients they had—potatoes and persimmons.
The newcomers brought recipes for lager beer, which was made from yeast that ferments near the bottom of the tank. Texans savored the cold-brewed drink in those early days and many brewers took to making their lager beer in the winter months then storing it in cellars and even caves to keep it from spoiling in the Texas climate.
According to the Texas Historical Commission, beer making in Texas grew from 19 homebrewers to 44 corporate breweries from 1840 to 1875. But things really took off in 1883, when German brewer Adolphus Busch collaborated with local businessmen in San Antonio to build the original Lone Star Brewery. His brewery was mechanized, large scale, and able to transport beer across the region in wagons, which brought down the price per serving everywhere.
“THE NATIONAL BEER OF TEXAS”
Even though Adolphus’ original brewery became a casualty of Prohibition, another brewer began producing under the Lone Star name in 1940 and carried on the brand so widely known and associated with Texas to this day.
TEXAS CRAFT BREWERS
Today Texas has a healthy brewing industry, with craft breweries making up more than half of the industry’s jobs in the state. The beer they produce puts Texas in the top 10 in terms of volume and results in a variety of tastes around the state—traditional German brew in the Hill Country or a mug of cold lager after hiking through Big Bend National Park.
Despite being relatively new in Texas, craft breweries are among the fastest growing sectors of the food and beverage industry and contribute billions to the state’s economy. Small beer breweries, tap-, and tasting rooms mean new experiences and big revenue for big cities and small towns as pandemic-weary travelers and daytrippers opt for staycations or close-to-home recreation that includes ingredients and tastes from local sources.
As well, the Texas legislature passed two bills in 2019 that allow craft brewers to sell a small amount of beer to go or deliver products directly to consumers. They later passed HB 1024 in response to the impact of and losses from COVID-era restrictions on the industry. That win for the industry means craft beer fans can also include their favorite beers in their to-go food orders or meals delivered to their homes.
The Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission reports there are now 157 active brewer’s licenses and 338 brewpubs in the state so stay thirsty, Texas, and tell them you’re doing it for the economy.