We always love to visit the local breweries that win brewing awards, and that’s exactly where we headed today. Having only been open for about 5 years, it was surprising to find out they’ve already have 14 different brews that have brought home awards. But that should tell you all you need to know about Maple Branch Craft Brewery. Sitting in the Foundry District of Ft Worth, it’s definitely worth checking out.
They have their own parking lot, which is a plus, but it’s not nearly big enough for the crowds they attract, and way too many EV spots. As you enter Maple Branch, you’ll walk through a beautiful beer garden and outdoor area with plenty of seating, and their food truck is also in the back. When you walk inside, you’ll be met with long rows of community tables, resembling a lot of German style pubs and breweries. The inside definitely has a German feel, along with kegs and whiskey barrels all around. Maple Branch actually has its own coffee house inside to the left as well, and they use some of the beans in brew recipes. The very nice, modern bathrooms also sit to the left and the bar sits to the right of the entry behind the tables. The to-go fridge is along the right wall, and the merch area is farther back to the right. The only sitting area that shows the brewing equipment is kind of closed off, far to the right, and seems to be the most popular and coveted area inside. I always hope for the brewing equipment to be visible, but more so here since it’s a very German style of brewery. There’s plenty of TV’s to catch a game if you’re looking for that. The aesthetic is really unique compared to all the other breweries we’ve been to, but it feels like they didn’t quite go all in on the German feel, if that’s what they were going for.
The first one we really took notice to was the War of Roses, a 6.2% ABV English Brown Ale. English Brown Ale’s traditionally have toasty, nutty, and chocolatey characteristics with low bitterness and a slight sweetness to them. This is exactly that, they absolutely nailed this brown ale. It’s not hard to see why War of Roses is one of their award winning brews.
I don’t believe I’ve ever talked about a Helles Bock, but this one is definitely worth mentioning. The Yodeler is an 8.5% ABV Helles Bock, and it’s a great example of what the German style of beer is supposed to be. They traditionally have a strong grainy, malty flavor with some sweetness and a clean finish. They did a great job with this brew.
My favorite of the day was the Bavarian Classic, an award winning 4.7% ABV Munich Dunkel. Munich Dunkel’s are traditionally dark and rich because of the malts used, with notes of caramel, nuts, or toast, and a hint of sweetness. This one drinks super smooth with all the flavors you’d expect. It’s a great representation of the classic German brew, and it’s easy to see why it won so many awards.
We had a great time at Maple Branch Brewing, and they happened to have a fill your own stein promotion going, which was even better. Their beer is top notch, some of the best classic styles of beer we’ve ever tried. The environment was good, but we felt like they could have gone further into the German style of decor to truly make it feel traditional. Also, the to-go fridge was a little barren and didn’t have the brews we wanted to take home. Overall we loved our visit to Maple Branch and we’re giving them 9 🍺. Absolutely stop in if you’re in the area, and Always Drink Local!
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