I made a trip up I-35E to Denton, Tx and found quite a gem of a brewery. Sitting just off the square, in a somewhat hidden, non-descript building is Denton County Brewing Company.
It seems to be a common theme with breweries, but there is very little parking. Once you walk in, you get that old college dive bar type of feeling with the decor they chose. It’s very retro and random in wall decor, while still having the normal brewing decor like whiskey barrels. Instead of the regular tables and chairs, they chose vintage and retro furniture to create small sitting areas for groups. Immediately when you walk in you’ll come to a good sized bar with a digital menu and merch behind. The bathrooms are in the back and are nice and clean. My only complaints are that the brewing equipment is not really visible unless you’re walking towards the back to the restrooms, and there are not many TV’s. They’ve got a nice patio on the side, and a good looking food menu, but I didn’t sample any of it.
I’m going to start off with a brew I’ve very rarely seen done. The Ranchero Rojo is a 6.0% ABV amber Mexican lager. Mexican lagers are known for a light, clean, slightly sweet taste(because of the corn used during brewing)and clean finish. Add in the rich, caramel notes and smooth taste that ambers are known for, and you get a Mexican amber lager. It was a fantastic brew that I really enjoyed.
Next up is one of my favorite types of beer, a 5.0% ABV Hefeweizen, known as the Triple Play. Known for their light taste and hints of banana, this Hef was no different. It was a very nice version, and is a great, flavorful beer to sip on. I did catch a hint of bitterness in the aftertaste that’s not common. Still it was a very nice brew.
My favorite brew of the day was the London Fog, a New England style hazy milkshake IPA brewed with hibiscus tea(that’s a handful of a description). Milkshake IPA’s are a fairly new style of brewing, they add lactose and sugar during the brewing process to create a sweet, creamy mouth feel and a soft, silky texture. Hibiscus tea is generally known for it’s raspberry flavor, and I didn’t catch a lot of that. But it had a slightly fruity and vanilla flavor along with the soft silky feel it, and the low bitterness that is known for milkshake IPA’s. A very surprising and delicious brew.
Overall I loved Denton County Brewing Company. They really know what they’re doing in creating craft beer. The vibe is very relaxed and it’s a nice place to hang out. Because of the severe lack of parking and a couple of the brews being just average, Denton County Brewing is getting 8 🍺. I’ll definitely be stopping in any time I’m in Denton though. And Always Drink Local!
