Category Archives: Brian Wall

Touring Firewheel Brewing Company

firewheelby Brian Wall

There are tons of craft beers and more importantly, and lucky for us, there has been an increase in craft breweries in the DFW since 2011. The range of beers, from bitter IPA’s to strong, robust Porters gives the discerning palate options that most commercial breweries cannot match. That’s not even mentioning the flavor creations that spring forth to just slap you right in the taste buds. Fortunately, local breweries offer tours for the tasting and socializing with fellow beer lovers. These tours allow a participant to pay a moderate fee, normally around ten dollars. You receive a glass and a specific amount of tickets for samples, normally three.

One such tour was experienced this past week at a hidden jewel known as Firewheel Brewing Company in Rowlett. The brewery is smaller than most but what it lacks in size it makes up for in flavor and offerings. The atmosphere is very relaxed and easygoing. An inside area greets guests with comfortable couches and stools. In the rear of the brewery, there is a beer garden if you prefer the outdoors. The owner/brewer is very easy to engage in conversation and answers any questions a patron may have. Live music and food trucks are present but not every week. Have no fear though, there are food places nearby or you can bring your own. Parking is also relatively easy to find.    Continue reading

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A Look At Armadillo Ale Works

armadillioby Brian Wall

It’s not easy to start a business. Many of you that have understand how difficult it can be. If it isn’t the financial aspect, it can be the location or the legality of the business. Craft beer breweries hit these problems frequently. If it is not all the bureaucratic red tape of the liquor laws then it may just be the financial downside of equipment and ingredients to make that liquid ambrosia we enjoy tasting so much. Ask any home brewing enthusiast if they would enjoy making beer for a living and the answer would probably be unanimously “YES!”. Armadillo Ale Works knows this knowledge firsthand.  Continue reading

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Labor of Love at Deep Ellum Brewing Co

DSCN0050by Brian Wall

Being a craft beer lover means that there are plenty of opportunities to find a festival for sampling a multitude of different beers. Some of these fests are designed specifically around beer and allow one to try a one to three ounce sample with the ability to buy more sample cards. This past Sunday was another beer fest with minor exception- it featured home brewers’ creations.

Labor of Love, as it is known, celebrated its second year at Deep Ellum Brewing Company. Young, old, male, female, it didn’t really who they were because they all shared the same desire to try beers that are not on the market. It is amazing to see what home brewers can develop, create and make into a brew that would knock anyone’s taste buds into a beer frenzy. Names are created for these “breweries” just as the name of the beers offered- to add a special zing. All the beers that were tasted were without a doubt exceptional.    Continue reading

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Great Divide And The Yeti Surprise

yeti1by Brian Wall

Great Divide Brewing Company is situated in downtown Denver, Colorado and started brewing in 1994. During that time, they have come up with some very serious beers for the discerning taste.  A total of twenty-four beers are available for the beer enthusiast to sample. Of these twenty-four; nine are available year round, three are barrel aged and the other twelve are available seasonally.

The one series of Great Divide that really stands out for dark, heavy beer lovers is the Yeti series.  Whether it is the Espresso Oak Aged, Chocolate Oak Aged or the regular Yeti, these beers do not disappoint.  Continue reading

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Beer Me: Deep Ellum Brewing Company

deep ellum brew1by Brian Wall

It’s not often that a brewery opens with little fanfare. This might be because of our love of beer or may be because of the flavors blending together from the genius mind of the brewer. When you hear about this new brewery, your heart flutters slightly, your pupils may dilate and your mouth may water in the anticipation of finding where this beer. If you’re lucky, the beer happens to surface at your local watering hole or maybe the restaurant you got dragged to friends or a significant other. When the brewery bottles or cans its beer, you search everywhere for its location.

The only downside to all this is that the full beer experience will be limited. What if you were able to sip the golden nectar from its birthplace? Sniff the grains that offered their sugars, touch the tanks that coaxed those sugars out and met the people responsible for imparting this little taste nirvana upon you? It might be time for a local brewery tour if this sounds exciting.   Continue reading

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