Photo by Joe Olivieri

Co-founder Jeff Stuffings said Jester King beers are aged in oak.

Jester King Brewery has become a brewpub, brewers confirmed Aug. 15.

The Southwest Austin brewers changed their permits to make the most of new state legislation allowing breweries to sell beers on-site.

"As holders of a brewer's permit, the law change only allowed us to sell our beer for people to drink at our brewery," the brewers wrote in an Aug. 15 blog post. "We want visitors to Jester King to have the same experience they would visiting a Texas winery, or [a] brewery in another state.

"We want them to be able to tour our brewery, drink small pours or full glasses of our beer while at the brewery, and should they so desire, purchase bottles of our beer to take home with them," they continued.

Co-owner Jeff Stuffings said the brewery was excited to be on equal footing with Texas' wineries, as well as with breweries in other states.

The legislation will have a direct effect on Jester King's business, Stuffings said. The brewery plans to expand hours to five days a week and hire more staff for its tasting room.

"We've talked with [brewers in other states] and they've talked about how the revenue from their taprooms have led to their brewery expansion," he said. "We expect the same thing. As a result, we will be hiring more brewers with time."

Brewery partner Ron Extract agreed, calling the brewpub shift "another revenue stream that will help facilitate future growth and development [and] a missing element that is in place now."

The brewers announced that they will begin releasing new and limited-edition beers at the brewery, beginning with Viking Metal, a "Swedish-inspired farmhouse ale" aged in gin barrels with wild yeast.