12/8/2017 Texas Ale Project, 1001 N. Riverfront Blvd, Dallas, TX 75207 phone: 214-965-0606   website: TexasAleProject.com
Hours: Thursday & Friday 4:00 – 9:00 pm | Saturday 12:00 – 9:00 pm | Sunday 12:00 – 6:00pm

Free brewery tours every Saturday at 2 pm and 3 pm. Tours are first come, first serve, just sign up at the door.
Family & dog friendly facility (dogs on a leash in our outdoor area are cool).

Experience before you go . . .

Now this is when the record setting December 8th, 2017 Hoppin Brewery Tour Adventure kicks into high gear by ratcheting up a notch or two on the "What the heck just happened" scale! When I ordered up Uber Bob, I put in the address to our next stop.....which was Community Brewing on Inspiration Drive. Well Uber Bob did a great job getting us to Community. He pulled up, we jumped out, gave him a tip as he drove away. We notice three ladies setting up a Valet Parking service as I thought to myself, "Must be a busy place". We get to the door, it's locked, hand written sign says, "Closed for a private event". I knock, someone answers and says, "I'm sorry but we're having a private holiday party for 300 employees of Google". WHAT....not to be deterred, I hand her a HBT card and ask to talk with the manager....they do know this is the Hoppin Brewery Tour (LOL)! She comes back, Sorry Charlie you're out of luck....what the heck, my name's Clyde! For a brief moment I thought of the movie with Vince Vaughn & Owen Wilson, "Wedding Crashers"! Okay, long story longer! A sense of rejection, confusion of who set up this brewery tour anyway and the question on all our minds, "Now what"?

Chelsie to the rescue! I'm sure you've heard of random acts of kindness, paying it forward or how 'bout there's still some really nice people out there....God Bless America! Come to find out the Valet Service being set up for the 300 Google employees was none other than Pinky's and one of the ladies helping was Chelsie... the owner... PinkysValet.com. "Come on I'll give you a ride", as we all pile into Chelsies' big black SUV with custom wheels and Bing, Bang Boom we're cruising with Chelsie as she u-turns to avoid rush hour traffic, slightly over a curb and we're short cutting it to our next brewery stop....we don't know which one, but Chelsie does!! Short 5 minute ride and we pull up in front of the big and beautiful Texas Ale Project. I sense we were all a little sad the ride was over so soon, we could have driven to California with Chelsie....what a nice lady! Best of luck to you and Pinky's and keep on the right side of the road.

Out front selfie, the third of the day and in we go. What a place, expansive warehouse with production to the right and built out taproom to the left. One of the larger breweries I've been in. We make our way through the door to the taproom and shuffle up to the bar. No stools, just tappers, talkers and smiles. Matt's a big boy behind the bar and doesn't quite know what to make of us old guys but we start out ordering beers and I'm passing out HBT cards and it doesn't take us long to be right in the thick of our third tour of the day.....Hoppin Brewery Tour strikes again. Guy orders a Something Shady - Porter (5.5%, 28 IBU) coffee and chocolate with a sublime blend of malts...yeah buddy. Lar's riding a 50 Ft Jackrabbit - IPA ( 7.0%, 70 IBU) big taste & big aroma but with unexpected smoothness brewed with all American hops. Zac saddles up and gets his own Jackrabbit. Matt pours me a Texas Ale Project flight mixed with the Something Shady and of course the Jackrabbit. Also included we have Fire Ant Funeral - Amber Ale (6.0%, 32 IBU) traditional using 7 malts, American hops wonderfully rich without the bite and bringing up the rear we've got 100 Million Angels Singing - Double IPA (9.2%, 100 IBU) extremism at its best, double dry hopped, copious amounts of American hops, pine, resin and citrus...oh my!!

During this display of old guys drinking good beer, a very nice lady with the "I know the ins and outs of this place" look, had kind of joined in on the fun with interesting commentary and a couple hand shakes and some nice to meet ya's! Come to find out it's Shelley, the owner of this fine establishment. This is the first brewery built from the floor up in the city of Dallas since the late 1800's. Shelley was so kind, she gave us all tours even to the second level above the taproom where they warehoused all kinds of brewery goodies including shrink wrapped bulk of 10,000 aluminum cans. Fabulous space and then Shelley opened a door to an outside second floor balcony with views of downtown Dallas and also the beautiful and famous Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge...way cool!

It was closing in on 7:00, five hours, three breweries and no food. "Did somebody say food"? Conversation starts out with restaurants close by and what everyone had a hankering for. "I know a really good pizza restaurant" Shelley saids. Instant wide eyes and some salivating. "And I'm heading out so I'll give you a ride and drop you off". Could this be any more of a special night and one that we won't soon forget! We pile in Shelley's car, feeling like frat boys on a mission and we're on our way to Neo Olivella's.

Until next time and remember.........

Go get'cha one!!