Written by Paul Higthtower for Examiner.com
Dallas has never been kind to craft breweries. The last one packed up around 2006 (bonus points if you can name who that was) and Dallas has remained for years the largest Texas city without a home-grown production brewery. But a new place is setting up shop right now down in the Deep Ellum district named none other than Deep Ellum Brewing Company.
Spearheaded by local craft beer enthusiast John Reardon, the enterprise is well under way with shiny new equipment being installed as we speak. Not without some troubles and setbacks recently, Reardon finally acquired industrial space for his microbrewery on the south end of the Deep Ellum district, including room to expand and empty lots nearby for outdoor events.
Deep Ellum has slowly been introducing its brand to Dallas with some local beer-centric events (as well as online), most recently last month at a “Brew-B-Q†featuring catered ‘cue and free samples of beer. With the hiring of head brewer Drew Huerter earlier this year—who brings experience from St. Louis-area production breweries and taprooms, including Schlafly—everything is finally coming together as a real brewery takes shape.
With Reardon and Huerter both creative craft-beer fans, the beers made by Deep Ellum Brewing should follow suit. Keeping with the artistic nature the Deep Ellum community is known for, the brewery lineup should be a mix of traditional commercial styles and some signature twists on others. Preview beers on essentially a homebrew setup have shown some real unique and popular ideas, and I’m looking forward to what can be done with professional-grade equipment.
No definite dates yet for opening, and bottling capacity will be months behind the availability of beers on draft. However, there was talk of a possible “Rocktoberfest†as a grand opening celebration, so we expect beer to flow in just the next few months. And with two other breweries hot on their heels (more about those later), here’s welcoming craft beer back to Dallas.
Recommended Pint: Can’t review it ‘till they brew it.
2821 St Louis Street
Dallas, Texas
Cheers!