My second day of the Winter Tour took me about an hour south of Austin to San Antonio, for a late-afternoon shindig at the Alamo Beer Company.
Located just a half mile from the historic Texas landmark that bears the same name, near the city's riverside, Alamo is in a quite unique location... with their three buildings (the brewing facility, and a separate stand alone taproom, both fronted almost entirely by glass) forming a U shape with a sizable beer garden in the middle, a foot bridge crossing the river overhead on one side, and active railroad tracks on another. Under the bridge is a green area with picnic tables, spread out far enough to give a little privacy, but close enough to hear the live music comfortably. A proper stage is in front of the brewing facility, facing the beer garden and bridge, and with the brewing building's glass frontage reflecting the bridge, decorative lights, etc.
Alamo Beer Company - San Antonio, TX
Alamo beers are available throughout Texas.
Played: 1/11/20
The Alamo name was tied to beer prior to prohibition, and then was resurrected in 1997, originally contracted out, and the the current brewing and taproom facilities were open in 2015. Inside the taproom offers TVs and a wide variety of games, and there are also various games outdoors (cornhole, etc.). I don't recall how extensive the food menu was, but I remember people what looked like pretty tasty giant soft pretzels. On this January Saturday afternoon it was a sunny 70F, with a cool breeze. Lots of people were out and about on the river, and looking down from the overhead bridge as I played. There was a decent crowd in the taptoom, and a good sized crowd in the beer garden while I was playing. The locals spanned all (legal) ages, some with dogs, and I do reall seeing some younger children, but not many. The crowd was very friendly and attentive, frequently dancing and singing enthusiastically along with the music, which of course is always nice. The beer the brewery is most known for, and has been brewing since '97, is its Original Golden Ale (4.7%) which is highly refreshing, crisp and clear <wait for it....> golden ale that would be good for any any occasion. I could see enjoying this one poolside, on a boat, and a ballgame, or after cutting the grass. Smooth and easy to drink, it had a little more umpf and flavor than your mass-market alternatives, but mild, refreshing, and easy enough to drink for your friend who only drinks Bud or Miller Lite. My next selection was the Horchata Porter (7.2%), which is a fairly dark brown pour, with hints of cinnamon and vanilla. Nice and crisp on the pallet, the spicing is most notable in the aroma just before your sip, and is well balanced so as not to be too much (which could easily happen with cinnamon and vanilla, separate or together). A rather bold drink, especially for a porter, it makes for a nice sipper, but I'm not sure that I'd be able to do more than one or maybe two in a row. My night cap (yeah, yeah... I don't usually wear them...) was the Bourbon Barrel Aged Russian Imperial Coffee Milk Stout (10%). At 10% it's a pretty muscular drink, almost black in color with a tan foamy head, a smooth creamy body like you would expect in a milk stout, but with a pretty upfront coffee flavor. The bourbon barrel flavor manifested in more of a sweetness than a woody barrel or bourbon flavor, it made for a rather rich dessert brew. I'd heard a lot about San Antonio's riverwalk, but it was well after dark when the show was over, so rather than check out the rest of the city I headed back to Austin for dinner plans, and another show the next night at Infamous Brewing Company
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