E-Malt.com News article: USA, TX: Boerne Brewery gets fully operational

Home to the Dodging Duck Brewhaus since the early 2000s, the town of Boerne now has a new kid brewing traditional ales. Led by founder and head brewer Fred Hernandez, Boerne Brewery looks to honor the area’s German roots but with a Texas twist, San Antonio Current reported on March 5.

The 6,000-square-foot Boerne Brewery broke ground in 2011 on property formerly owned by longtime residents Edgar Voges and his wife Anna, who had lived in the Boerne area since the early 1900s. Hernandez and his marketing/sales manager Roger Castillo did much of the interior build out, often using pieces of the original farmstead, like rock from the farmhouse’s original façade and corrugated metal from the nearby sheds.

Though the equipment arrived in 2012, it wasn’t until the summer of 2013 that they were able to start brewing. “Our equipment was manufactured in China,” said Hernandez. “Not surprisingly, it was built to design specifications and not standard engineering. The parts are not inter-changeable.” With the kinks worked out, the brewing began.

Boerne Brewery will start off with four year-round offerings, of which three are already available: Denim-Hosen, a traditional Kölsch-style wheat ale that has a clean, crisp finish (perfect for Texas summers); Willy’s ESB, a hybrid of an extra special bitter and a pale ale, boasting a heavy malt profile but light mouthfeel; and Old Courthouse Ale, an English old ale with notes of roasted barley and nuts. On the horizon is Hopstrasse, an American IPA that balances the malt and hops equally.

Distribution began January 6 with sixers available in Boerne area liquor stores and bars, as well as in Gabriel’s Super Store at 1604 and Blanco in San Antonio. “We’re close to a deal with H-E-B,” said Hernandez “which would bring our beers to stores in Boerne, Kerville and a slow roll out in San Antonio.”


05 March, 2014