WhichCraft Beer Store owner Jody Reyes said he plans to grow the store’s brand after opening a bottle shop on South Lamar Boulevard in 2014 and a pub in Mueller in 2016.[/caption]
In 2013, state lawmakers passed an overhaul of brewery regulations that opened the door to more craft brewers to operate in Texas.
Jody Reyes moved to Texas in 2013.
The longtime resident of the Seattle area, whose craft beer scene is one of the oldest in the country, saw a business opportunity frothing as an increasing number of Austinites began getting their brews from smaller, local breweries.
“I knew that there would be a boom of new breweries opening, so I just knew that there would be more and more focus on craft beer in the state as a whole,” Reyes said.
That is when he decided to open the city’s first craft-only bottle shop, WhichCraft Beer Store, on South Lamar Boulevard, he said.
Opened in 2014, the store keeps about 1,000 different beers in its inventory and a selection of single cans and bottles than can either be purchased individually or in six-packs.
These days, even supermarkets such as H-E-B are carrying an array of craft brews, but what separates WhichCraft from its big-box competitors, Reyes said, is its staff members who take an exam testing their beer knowledge before they are hired.
The success of its South Lamar bottle shop justified an additional location in the new Aldrich Street end of the Mueller development. The new store opened in November with additional features: a taproom featuring 30 rotating draft beers as well as coffee and snacks.
And if the company can keep its momentum going, Reyes said he expects to open more locations offering the neighborhood pub feel of the Mueller location.
“We think this model can be replicated,” he said. “I don’t want to say we are actively looking for real estate, but we certainly want to grow the brand.”
Education is a major component of WhichCraft’s mission, Reyes said. Its weekly style nights offer patrons a chance to learn the differences between lagers, pale ales and India Pale Ales by tasting products of that particular style.
South Lamar store General Manager Tim Vela said the “consultative process” helps customers overcome the intimidation of shopping for craft beer.
“We are able to set people on a journey that they never thought possible,” Vela said.
END-OF-SUMMER SIX-PACK
ABV = alcohol by volume, or what percentage of a beer is alcohol IBU = International Bitterness Units gauge the bitterness of a beer (0 means no bitterness)
1. River Beer Brewery: Hops & Grain Brewing Style: lager Profile: light German malt with clean finish ABV: 5.2% IBU: 20
2. Berliner Weisse Brewery: Live Oak Style: Berliner weisse Profile: malt character, low bitterness with lemony tartness ABV: 3.2% IBU: 6
3. Noisy Cricket Brewery: Friends & Allies Brewing Style: session IPA Profile: light to moderate body with citrus and honey flavors ABV: 4.7% IBU: 100+
4. Redbud with Cucumber Brewery: Independence Brewing Co. Style: Berliner weisse Profile: tart and lemony with a cucumber finish ABV: 4.5% IBU: 0
5. You May All Go To Helles, I Will Go To Texas Brewery: Oasis Texas Brewing Co. Style: helles lager Profile: Malt build with a hoppy, floral finish ABV: 4.5% IBU: 18
6. Parks & Rec Brewery: Zilker Brewing Co. Style: pale ale Profile: crisp and citrusy ABV: 5.6% IBU: 40
WhichCraft Beer Store
South Lamar 2110 S. Lamar Blvd., Ste. F, Austin 512-600-1088 www.whichcraft.com Hours: Mon.-Thu. 11 a.m.-9 p.m., Fri.-Sat. 11 a.m.- 10 p.m., Sun. noon-6 p.m.
Mueller 1900 Simond Ave., Ste. 200, Austin 512-655-2899 www.whichcraft.com Hours: Mon.-Thu. 7 a.m.-10 p.m., Fri. 7 a.m.-midnight, Sat. 8 a.m.-midnight, Sun. 8 a.m.-9 p.m.
