MEET THE TASTEMAKERS
These 8 craft breweries have San Antonio over the barrel
Vista Brewing opened a new taproom in 2023.
While the national media frets about a brewer-pocalypse, San Antonio’s scene has barely been affected. The city has a long-running soft spot for beer dating back to its early German, Austrian and Czech immigrants.
Since then, ice houses and some very recognizable national brands carried the torch before the industry blossomed in the last decade. Despite voguish shifts in drinking together, the city still knows that knocking one back is an act of community.
The CultureMap Tastemakers Awards salute that fellowship in this year's batch of Brewery of the Year nominees, selected by a panel of judges including last year's winners. Meet them all below, plan an impromptu pub crawl, then join us at our Tastemaker Awards ceremony and signature tasting event April 4 at the Briscoe Museum.
You can see all of the Tastemaker Award nominees here and learn more about them in our special editorial series leading up to the big event.
A limited number of Early Bird tickets are on sale now at discounted rates of $60 for general admission and $99 for VIP (includes early access to the event, valet, and a dedicated bar). Prices will increase March 1. Grab your tickets now, because this party will sell out — just like it does every year.
Alamo Beer Company
Though not the first beer company to bear the name of San Antonio’s most famous landmark, Alamo is the first since Prohibition. It takes the spirit of its namesake seriously. There’s a maverick spirit in brewing whatever the hell they want — from golden ales to fruited sours. But its recent partnership with Viva proves it knows how to spot a fellow traveler.
Breakaway Brewing Company
Chris and Jean Pal-Freeman, the owners of this Government Hill gastropub, were reared in the beer and cycling culture of the Pacific Northwest. Turns out, that pairing works just as well in sunnier climes. Though Cascadia hops are well-represented in juicy pales like Maglia Rosa, San Antonio’s heat demands some more crushable concoctions. After a long ride, the Meyer lemon, sea salt, and coriander-brewed EPO gose sips like a Gatorade.
Cactus Land Brewing Company
Defying the contemporary insistence on using beer as an emblem of political division, this Adkins brewery holds dear the power it has to bring people together. Operating under the tagline “diverse beer for diverse people,” former homebrewers Dustin and Erica Teague provide a welcoming space for everyone. The beers reflect that wide range of personalities, from traditional hefeweizens to a salted pilsner refermented with mango.
Freetail Brewing Co.
Certain things are baked into San Antonio culture. Locals know that Big Red is the only acceptable pairing for barbacoa and that Kawhi Leonard is a more unspeakable name than Lord Voldemort. And locals know a real one when they see it. Since 2008, Freetail has been a staple of backyard pachangas and River Walk strolls, embedded in the culture of its home. It helps that its beers like the popular Bat Out of Helles uniformly earn their place in the fridge.
Idle Beer Hall & Brewery
A newcomer to the Alamo City scene, Idle comes from Los Angeles hospitality company Pouring With Heart. But don’t call them carpetbaggers. The spot is attuned to the rhythms of its adopted hometown, attuned to both its laidback attitude and its penchant for easy drinking IPAs and lagers.
Real Ale Brewing Co.
Real Ale is technically outside the city in Blanco, but no one should blame us for claiming them. One of the forebears of the Texas craft brewing scene, it has been crushing it since 1996. Since then, the outfit has stuck to its promise of using as little processing as possible, making its Fireman’s #4 a household name.
Vista Brewing
This Driftwood brewery has been in River City since 2021, but it really hit its stride in 2023. Already beloved for its barrel-aged brews and Belgian-style lambics, the company’s new East Side digs gave the proper setting for a brand that has always been entrenched in the idea of community.
Weathered Souls Brewing Co.
Bucking against the carefully curated branding of some of its competitors, Weathered Souls achieved a too rare quality — authenticity. Its social media feed isn’t afraid to get goofy with a meme or take a social justice stance. Advertising is eschewed in favor of word-of-mouth. The heart-on-the-sleeve values demand one gives the brand a try. The exacting brewing standards and local sourcing keep beer fans coming back.
