Local Craft Breweries in Kendall County, TX (5)

Boerne, Texas is a town rich in German history, but until the Boerne Brewery was established, the town didn’t have a beer to call its very own. That situation changed in January 2014. Established by husband and wife Fred and Jennifer Castillo, Boerne Brewery aims to produce “beer brewed in Boerne, for Boerne”. Both engineers, Fred got hooked on home brewing when Jennifer gave him a Mr. Beer Kit. Eventually, Jennifer kicked him out of the kitchen and garage, and started searching for a property in the area that could house a brewery. The rest, as they say, is history. Housed in a 6,000 square foot facility, the brewery currently has four main brews and two seasonal offerings. To honor the town’s German roots, their beers are named after a significant piece of Boerne history. The label for each beer is made by local artists, and strengthens their ties to the Boerne community.

Cibolo Creek Brewing Co. owned by the Mazour and Wolosin family is a family-owned and operated neighborhood brewpub in Boerne. The casual, family-friendly atmosphere serves as a backdrop to the family’s delicious beers and food. The brewery maintains about 5 year-round and seasonal beers brewed at their “large batch” 7-barrel system. These mainstays include the Boerne Blonde, their number one seller. They also have the Weiss Hefeweizen, named after the original owners of the house where Cibolo Creek is located. Their “small batch” 1-barrel system, meanwhile, rotates the available beers every three to four weeks. At CCB (how the owners refer to the brewery), the beers are not the only things on the menu. They also feature seasonal farm-fresh food sourced from sustainable, local farms. That means visitors are assured that the chicken, beef, eggs, etc., prepared at the restaurant is humanely raised and free from antibiotics and hormones.

Dodging Duck Brewhaus is a restaurant and pub in Boerne, Texas. Open since August 2002, it introduced Boerne to the world of craft beer. The restaurant features “an eclectic menu of international and local favorites”. Thai, Korean, Mexican, American, or German food – there’s something for everyone. There’s a kids’ menu, too. Aside from the delicious meals, however, Dodging Duck is also popular for the alcoholic beverages they serve. Their craft beers have won medals – six so far – at the World Beer Championships. They brew onsite, which makes them a real brewhaus. They have a large selection of wine, too! And then, there’s the ducks and geese milling about the premises. Should they have called it the Dodging Duck and Geese Brewhaus? No one’s sure, but it’s definitely pet-friendly.  Come during Ducky Hour from 3pm to 6pm, and you get discounts on the beers, wines, and appetizer specials.

Kinematic Brewing is a “locally owned and operated nano-brewery” with a tap room/bottle shop located in the Texas hill country. The company started out of an all consuming passion to not only brew great beer, but to drink great beer. It is all about quality, community and above all else, passion. Their goal is to produce “hand crafted artisan beers” with a deep respect for the land upon which the brewery was founded. This craft brewery serves pale ale, IPA, a rye saison and amber saison, a dubbel, stout, and they also offer some oak aged beers. It is an absolute must try if you are in the Boerne or San Antonio area. Make sure to sit at the bar to get all the scoop on what is coming next!

The owners of Tusculum Brewing are helping turn Boerne into “a destination beer community”. The name Tusculum was, until 1852, Boerne’s original name. The brewery just opened in October 2019, making it one of the newest additions in the scene. Tripp Matthews, his wife Paige, and five other owners established the brewery at the historic H.O. Adler Building at the heart of downtown Boerne, which used to house a lumber company for six decades. The spacious building houses the brew house, a front tasting room, a second bar area at the back, and a beer garden. For a start, they’re only open three days a week with plans to operate on other days. There’s only a cold kitchen for now, but plans are also in place to add hot food options.