Editor's note: The bustling San Antonio beer scene is always changing — usually with openings and closures, but there are other twists along the way. Let's discuss it over a cold one.

Mad Pecker closes up shop

The owners of Mad Pecker Brewing officially shuttered their Northwest Side brewpub on March 31, right as they were celebrating their 10th year of business. Mad Pecker founders Jason and Erika Gonzales announced the closure via the company's social media in late March.

The move wasn't wholly unexpected. Last fall, the Gonzaleses encouraged community members to visit the brewpub, citing dwindling crowds, rising business costs, and changing beer drinkers' habits.

In its final days, the brewpub was packed with crowds saying goodbye to one of San Antonio's dwindling brewpubs. Despite the setback, the owners thanked Mad Pecker fans for their support.

"It will go down in our hearts as a reminder of how special small businesses are to the community," Jason Gonzales posted recently about Mad Pecker's final pint and trivia nights.

Pinthouse Pizza coming to San Antonio

While the closure of Mad Pecker Brewing continues a downward trend for San Antonio-area breweries, one Austin-based brewpub chain is going to expand to Alamo City, according to a recent news release. Pinthouse Pizza is developing its first San Antonio location on the Northwest Side — an 8,000-square-foot space at the busy intersection of Loop 1604 and I-10.

With four Austin-area locations, Pinthouse has made a name for itself with a popular beer portfolio that includes the Electric Jellyfish hazy IPA, Best Coast West Coast IPA, and Wolfhaus Pilsner. Each location's menu also boasts a variety of classic and signature pizzas, shareable appetizers, sandwiches, and salads.

"Our menu is a celebration of timeless classics and bold ideas. We're not here to reinvent the wheel, but to make it turn with a little more flavor and fun," said Philipp Norsetter, Pinthouse's vice president of culinary, in the press release. "We're a craft-first community, blending tradition and innovation to serve food and beer that's unpretentious, approachable, and full of character."

Pinthouse is the nation's largest brewpub by barrelage; the company is on track to produce 23,000 barrels in 2025. The brewpub is set to add to that haul when the newest location debuts in early 2026.

"We've been distributing beer in the San Antonio market for the last four years and really love the people, culture, and overall vibe of the city," said Tyler Norwood, company co-founder and president, in the release. "We're looking forward to becoming a part of the San Antonio indie beer and food scene."

Joe Mohrfeld, co-founder and vice president of brewery operations and sales, echoed Norwood's sentiment.

"The enthusiasm and excitement San Antonians have shown for our beers over the past four years made the decision to expand south an easy and exciting one," he added in the release.

Collaborative beer flowing at San Antonio resort

Ahead of their announced expansion to San Antonio, Pinthouse Pizza recently partnered with JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort and Spa to create a new beer. The Hill Country Kolsch, a blonde ale, is now available at the dining and drinking venues at the North Side resort and Pinthouse Pizza locations.

According to a news release, inspiration for the Hill Country Kolsch comes from a blend of traditional German brewing methods and the natural beauty of the surrounding edge of the Texas Hill Country. This collaboration mixes imported barley and Texas Pilsner malts with Hallertau Blanc and Tettnang hops. The yeast strain used in this beer has been Pinthouse's house yeast for 13 years.

Pinthouse sales director Grant Weckerly said his company has enjoyed previous collaborations with JW Marriott San Antonio, including tap takeovers, pop-up events, and other collaborative brews.

"Including this latest project, we worked with the JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country team to develop a new house beer that we hope represents both brands' commitment to providing world-class experiences and beers inspired by our home in Texas," Wecklerly said in the release.

JW Marriott general manager Doug Gennardo said resort guests and visitors will find the Hill Country Kolsch particularly refreshing and reflecting the Hill Country scenery.

"This partnership with Pinthouse is a wonderful opportunity for us to celebrate local flavors and provide a unique beer experience at our resort," Gennardo said.

In case you missed it

CultureMap celebrated San Antonio's brightest culinary stars on April 10 during our annual Tastemaker Awards ceremony and tasting event at Briscoe Museum. Roadmap Brewing Co. took home the trophy for Brewery of the Year. For a full list of winners, click here.