04 Jan Texas Out of State Brewery List

The out-of-towners beer list has been brewed! 

In August of 2020, we covered how breweries make their way into town, and we wanted to put a list of those breweries together for you. This is the officially unofficial list of non-Texas breweries that are available in Texas grocery stores, liquor stores, and specialty bottle shops.

Next time somebody calls you a “Homer,” you can grab something from this list and prove them wrong-ish.

Here are some of my faves from the list in no particular order (who am I kidding? We’re nerds; it’s in alphabetical order.):

Bruery (California)
Bruery is at the top of my list for when I’m seeking barrel-aged, funky wild ales & sours. These guys were the first out-of-state brewery to ever send us beer. They’ll forever have a piece of our hearts for that small gesture.

Dogfish (Delaware)
Do a flight of the IPA “minute” series.. 60 minute, 90 minute & 120 minute. Invite me over when you crack the 120 minute (15-20% ABV!)

SweetWater (Georgia)
If you ain’t scared of some hoppy, dank IPAs go for the 420 strain IPAs…pairs well with Funyuns, Cheetos, and a couple of Slim Jims.

Upland (Indiana)
Amazing, complex sours – there’s bound to be one you like in the batch. Their Champagne Velvet Pilsner is pretty damn good too!

Boulevard (Kansas)
Josh’s recent trip with the No Label team left him with lust in his eyes for this longtime national treasure in Missouri City. Their Pale Ale stole his heart, but Tank 7 is a close second for Josh, and everybody else on the team echoed his sentiment.

Parish (Louisana)
The other Chris on the team thinks these guys are overhyped, but the rest of us think he’s wrong, so there’s that. Ghost in the Machine is a legend, but these guys don’t make a single beer that’s less than great. Abita, Tin Roof, and NOLA all get a lot of airtime in our fridges as well. Something about the sister city…

Rogue (Oregon)
Outstanding Maibock style ale, the Dead Guy Ale featuring their slightly creepy skeleton mascot. The hazelnut brown nectar is delicious (no creepy skeleton on the can).

Untitled Art (Wisconsin)
The Dry Hop Peach Sour (like a Sour IPA) and the Cherry Sour A La Mode are OMG delicious! Anthony really digged the Rocket Popsicle for how well-executed it was.

The Officially Unofficial Texas Out of State Brewery List

We’re still working on the name.

Thumbing through this list may give you some nostalgia. You probably have vivid memories of grabbing one or two of these breweries off the shelf when they first arrived and the feeling of immense satisfaction that they were now available here in Texas.

Others may leave you scratching your head thinking, “I didn’t know they were from there!” Others still will have you even more confused. “Wait. Wut. I’ve never seen them on the shelves!”

*Some of these are “crafty” AKA they’ve been bought out by a big corporate brewery, so if you’re a seeker of the seal, you probably already know which are which.

As all things beer go, this list could change from week to week. Be it someone selling to another entity, moving into Texas distribution, or even moving out (God forbid)!

If you see something on the list that needs to be added, removed, or otherwise, just drop us a comment below!

Beers to you, Houston

Chris B is from a lot of places (military brat) but has settled home in Houston since 1999. He’s an Army veteran, gadget nerd, foodie, woodworker, poker player, computer geek and old school hip-hop DJ. You can spot him at a brewery or taproom sheepishly asking for samples of everything.