This past Saturday was Texas Independence Day, but it was also the day that Houston welcomed a new brewery into the fold, Astral Brewing. I was fortunate enough to be able to attend their Opening party on Saturday (even though they did a surprise early open on Wednesday).
The brewery, located at 4816 N. Shepherd Drive, consisted of a small warehouse that had a bar and some tables for indoor seating. One wall featured a large mural of their logo and other wall art could be found on the opposite side of the bar. There was a ping pong table and cornhole at the back or the brewery along with bowls of snacks and a self-service water station at the bar.
An outdoor patio could be found in the front, with lights strung up over the area and a food truck nearby. The brewery was dog-friendly inside and out and many people brought their pups to enjoy the atmosphere.
Now, on to the important part, the beer!
There were four brews on tap that day: a Kolsch, an IPA, a pale ale, and a porter. I had the pleasure of sampling all of them and my thoughts about each one are below.
Kraftwerk (Kolsch) – I immediately fell in love with the color of this beer. It was a beautiful, clear amber that looked like honey. The flavor did not disappoint either, being rich and malty but with a crisp, clean finish.
Start-up (West Coast IPA) – While I love a good, hoppy brew, the citrus notes of this IPA really toned down the bitterness of this beer. It was smooth and easy to drink without losing the essence of an IPA.
Nebulous (Hazy Pale Ale) – Staying true to the New England style pale ale, this beer was the most opaque of the four brews. While this style typically boasts of a more juicy flavor and mouthfeel, this one was surprisingly more hoppy to me and tasted more of an IPA than the West Coast IPA I had tried previously.
Darkness Falls (Porter) – This porter was black as night, so the name was extremely fitting. Dark style beers are usually my favorite and this one was no exception. The roasted malts brought out a flavor like that of espresso but with a delightfully smooth finish.
Overall, this brewery is a delightful new addition to the Houston craft beer scene and I look forward to sampling any and all new beers as they develop.
Cheers!
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