7th June 2018
This was our second visit to the Independence taproom, which, like many ATX breweries, is located on an industrial estate, this one in SE Austin, not too far from the centre of town. The taproom space spills happily out of the brewing area into the sunshine, and includes picnic tables, sofas and a stage for live music, all of which were newly installed since our first visit and signal Independence upping their game as the ATX beer scene continues to grow.
Independence is one of many ATX venues to host the Geeks Who Drink trivia night, which moves around the city attracting a fair crowd, and it was pretty busy throughout our visit with your typical brewery-visiting young professionals, although this is also normal for a Thursday night in Austin! As it had been a while since our last visit, we got through two flights (4 beers, $10) including several seasonals and taproom-only specials. While the outstanding Stash IPA is Independence’s signature beer for good reason, and is widely available around the city, their output remains varied and we tried a range of styles including Helles, Saisons, and a DIPA. We found the quality to be bit mixed overall. The Saisons were a bit light for my taste and needed more flavour, and the DIPA lacked the sophisticated smooth, layered hops that characterise the Stash IPA. The Brown Ale and Pilsner were both more successful, and I’m always a big fan of breweries holding a few things back to serve in their taprooms, makes you feel a little special for making the visit! Independence is a well-established part of the ATX beer scene for good reason, and I’d definitely recommend checking them out for a gig or quiz night, and will be keeping an eye out for future releases. Also, don’t leave ATX without trying some Stash IPA, and take some home if you can!
http://independencebrewing.com/
Craft Beer Amethyst 