Alamo Beer Company - San Antonio
We had an interesting first impression with the Alamo Beer Co. We planned a visit on a Tuesday, but once we arrived, it was completely empty. The website said it was open, but even if it was, we decided to pass up an empty brewery and ended up hanging out at The Pearl and later Blue Star Brewery (Read about why you should pass on Blue Star Brewery).
Our last full day in San Antonio was a busy one for all of us. I spent the day working downtown at a Starbucks, while Lauren and the kids found a great hiking spot at Friedrich City Park. By about 3pm, I was all coffee’d out and ready for new scenery. I did a quick search for breweries that were open, and Alamo Beer Co was the only one (all the others opened at 4pm). I found a Bird electric scooter (if you live or work in any major downtown, you know exactly what that is…I LOVE THEM) and drove the mile and a half to the brewery. I told Lauren and the kids to meet me there after their hike.
I arrived and, probably because it was 3:30pm on a Friday, it was empty again! Not as empty as before, there were 3 cars in the lot so I knew they were open.
The Brewery
I love the overall setup of the brewery. Great outdoor area, impressive overall decor. Even though there were very few people there, you could tell this was a fun place. I walked into the brewery was greeted right away by the bartender, and she told me all about their beer selection. I told her I wanted to try all of them and asked how big of a flight I could get.
Her response made me cry (on the inside). They didn’t serve flights!
Before giving her a hard time, I was told they were redesigning their flight paddles and just got their new sample glasses in that day, so it was temporary. She did offer their half pint option, so I picked the Holiday IPA and Horchata Porter, and found a table to setup my laptop and finish a few things.
I really enjoyed both beers, however I was a little disappointed that I didn’t taste a thing of horchata in the porter (I love horchata! That would have been a beer to remember).
Once I was done with my half pints and work, I went back to the bar to order another half pint. I ended up joining a fun conversation with a recently retired couple and the bartender. The couple had just started traveling full time three weeks prior, but instead of traveling in an RV, they were staying in AirBNBs! A few minutes later, Lauren and the kids arrived. The kids grabbed the corn hole bean bags and went outside, and Lauren ordered a pint of the Pale Ale (NOT their IPA! A first for her!) while I ordered another half pint of their Octoweizen (if you like Victory Golden Monkey, you would like this. Very similar).
New Friends
One of the reasons we love breweries is because of the people it tends to attract, either as fellow customers or the workers. They are usually up for a fun conversation!The five of us spent about an hour talking about future travel plans, past travel experiences, family, beer…it was a great time.
Our new friends are staying in San Antonio for an entire month, enjoying the city and the warm weather. The bartender is an army wife who just arrived the San Antonio a few weeks ago, is getting her nursing degree, and found a (great) job at Alamo Beer Co. We now have two new social media friends and a fun memory at Alamo Beer Co.
Overall Impression: Great brewery. I was a little hesitant to visit due to it being known more for their European style beers (meaning non-ipas and stouts, my two favorites). I am glad they were the only brewery open at 3pm on a Friday. The four beers we tried were very good, and they have done a great job with their brewery setup. As always, come with friends or come ready to meet new ones. It makes for a much better experience. But even if you want to drink in solitude as you finish your work day (they have free wifi), this is a great place to visit.