By: Carlos Cooper Photos by: Rachel Benavides
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There’s one thing most people can agreebron: sharing a beer can turn even the strangest of strangers into friends. Entirebrsocial groups have developed around this popular libation. People meet to sharebrtheir favorite brews or connect with people across the country to share theirbrregional offerings. However, it’s only the beer connoisseurs that makebrmicrobrewing special but the microbreweries themselves. They’re diverse,breclectic, and they support one another in hopes that not just one, but allbrmicrobreweries are successful.
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What would the world look like ifbrbusinesses cooperated with each other in attempt to grow their industry andbrhelp one another succeed, rather than drive each other out? Instead of fightingbragainst each other and staking out territory only for themselves, microbreweriesbrin the Coastal Bend have formed a community, which allows several breweries tobrthrive in the area. Each one adding a unique contribution to the city.
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In today’s American craft beer landscape,brmicrobreweries operate in a spirit of community and solidarity that is oftenbrunheard of in any other industry. They embody a spirit that capitalism hasbrattempted to squash out of existence. This cooperative spirit has caused thebrcraft beer craze to explode across the country and around the world. The samebrinter-business camaraderie can be witnessed in the microbreweries serving ourbrCorpus Christi community.
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Lazy Beach Brewing Co., located onbrSaratoga, provides an easily accessible spot for sharing a locally producedbrcraft beer with friends. Rebel Toad Brewing Co. brings attitude to theirbrbrewing methods, while serving the greater downtown area with bold, in-your-facebrales. With its large outdoor seating area, Flour Bluff’s Lorelei Brewing Co.brprovides a laid-back vibe while staying current with the latest brewing trends.brPsi Brewing, located inside Garrett’s BBQ on Ayers, and brings the Haze for Daze,bra unique approach of the Hazy (New England) IPA to the Coastal Bend. To roundbrout the list, B&J’s Pizza and Railroad Brewing Co. are our local brewpubs. Thebrrest of the microbrews can be found all over town and at local watering holes,brand chains like TGI Fridays. While each brewery has its own vibe, niche, andbrenergy, there is one thing that threads them all together: a love for beer andbra community that supports one other.
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All of the local microbreweries share abrsimilar beginning. Typically, the brewmaster began home brewing and eventuallybrdecided to branch out. Cory Mathews, founder and brewer at Lazy Beach BrewingbrCo. said “It started as a hobby and we said, ‘Why not start a brewery?’ Webrstarted in a few bars around town and now we’re in about 50 different bars andbrrestaurants.”
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But Lazy Beach isn’t the only brewerybrexperiencing success. Since opening, Lorelei, Rebel Toad, and Psi Brewing havebrall achieved great things. Lorelei expanded into canning and distributs to SanbrAntonio. Rebel Toad increased their capacity, and Psi sells out of new brewsbralmost instantly.
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However, with all this growth andbrexpansion, even the most knowledgeable and experienced of brewers need somebrhelp. Where there’s a problem there’s a solution. In a bold move that breaksbrwith the norm of everything the local Corpus Christi entrepreneur community,brthe band of brewers created a Brewers Meet-Up. The group gets together monthlybrto discuss the latest beer trends and to share tips and tricks with one another.
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“This is what everybody across thebrcountry does because, why do this alone? We should do this together, talk tobreach other about what works for everyone and grow as a community. We all jumpedbron it and have been doing the meet-ups for over a year now,” says VarianbrCriser, co-founder of Lorelei Brewing.
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But it’s not purely altruistic; therebrare clear-cut benefits to more breweries popping up and supporting one another.brIn regards to other cities that have experienced a craft beer boom, Varianbrsays, “Every city has seen that the more breweries that arrive, the better theybrall do. Most people don’t want to just sit at one brewery for the entire night,brthey want to go to several breweries.”
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Corpus Christi is well on its way tobrbeing a thriving place for this kind of culture, with it’s 7th brewery, NuecesbrBrewing Co., opening up in 2019.
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“We really want to focus on lagers andbrmake beer that you can drink and #GoPlayOutside,” says Cale Moore, co-founderbrof Nueces Brewing Co. The focus behind this newest craft beer purveyor is tobrseamlessly fit into the community they’re a part of. Being right by the Bayfront,brtheir brewing philosophy is centered on spending days outdoors and by the water.brIn regards to the sense of community in the craft beer scene, Cale says “Varianbrand everyone else doing what we aspire to do in Corpus have been verybrsupportive and have helped us out along the way.”
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A look at local microbrewery scenebrwouldn’t be complete without a special acknowledgment of B&J’s Pizza. Sincebrthe beginning, they have had a very dedicated following and a customer-base whichbris crazy for craft brews. Some customers have even logged thousands ofbrunique beers, earning themselves a special spot on the wall at the originalbrB&J’s location on SPID. B&J’s has been promoting the culture andbrknowledge of craft beer for years.
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It looks like that spirit will continuebrto boom in South Texas over the next decade, as long as microbreweries continuebrto support each other in hopes that they will all succeed. “That’s the goodbrthing about craft beer. Everyone has their own style, and there’s room forbreveryone to succeed,” says Hector Cavasos, co-founder and brewmaster of RebelbrToad Brewing Co.
