Local Craft Breweries near Merit, TX (5)

Husband and wife Terry and Catherine Gordon are first time commercial brewers who opened Thirsty Bro Brewing in Royse City. Calling their guests “bros and bro-ettes”, they aim to be that neighborhood taproom where everybody can say "cheers!" to one another and not be a stranger. Opened in March 2017, Thirsty Bro Brewing is the city's first brewery. The brewery uses “the finest hops, grains, and other ingredients”. For extra thirsty bros and bro-ettes, there’s a 17oz Tankards Club. Members get access to a wide variety of beers and gluten-reduced selections”. Located at the historic downtown area of the city, the brewery invites guests to order from a local restaurant or go BYOF (bring your own food).

Founded by Brewmaster Dennis Wehrmann, Franconia Brewing Co. is a company in McKinney that started operations in 2008. Dennis comes from a long family line of brewmasters. He traces his family’s involvement in beer to a great great grandfather. Grandfather Schaubert owned and operated a brewery in Germany in the 1800s. Dennis also got his start in traditional German brewing practices in Germany until his move to the U.S. in 1999. Under his guidance, Franconia strictly follows the Reinheitsgebot or German Purity Law. They only stray from tradition for special releases. The brewery is also equally known for their “green” brewing practices. The brewery’s eco-friendly facilities include an on-site mini-power plant that works on renewable fuels such as solar and natural gas. 100% of the plant's power requirement comes from these renewable sources. They use 100% natural ingredients and also donate spent mash for conversion to cattle feed by local farmers.

The “Tupps” in TUPPS Brewery is Tupper Patnode, its co-founder, head brewer, and half of a two-man partnership. Its other half is co-founder Keith Lewis, a sales and marketing guy. Together, they blend art and science, and sprinkle in some business savvy to run a successful brewery. They start with great beer, which accounts for the artistic side, and use the senses to create, validate, and refine the beers. The scientific side comes in “to ensure quality and consistency in the brewing process”. A brewery is a business, however, and needs business smarts. For TUPPS, that means using management tools to streamline operations or taking in an excellent distribution partner. It seems Keith and Tupper perfected beer brewing. They opened in 2015, and a year later, production grew by 400 percent in total volume. Visit TUPPS at McKinney’s historic Cotton Mill complex and see for yourself. They have free tours every Saturday at 12:30pm.

Woodcreek Brewing Company is Rockwall’s first brewery – and also its oldest brewery to date. Established in 2014 and operated starting May 2015, owners Noah Cutshall and Brad Bramblett were active members of a local homebrewing group. Like most homebrewers, they started in their own garage. They eventually named their brewery in honor of their Woodcreek neighborhood in Fate, Texas. "These folks are awesome! Lots of great beers, and plenty to choose from". Also, "would also highly recommend their IPA, Bock, Vanilla Porter, and Strawberry Rhubarb beer". Finally, Noah and Brad initially applied their licenses for Longhorn Brewing Company. They decided to change the name in remembrance of where they started.

Hemisphere Brewing Company opened in 2017 and creates “handcrafted, traditional and not-so-traditional beers” at their brewery in Rockwall. Its owners are Brandon Mullins and Ruben Garcia and both trace their friendship back to 1998, when both were playing together for a band. Both have a passion for good quality beers, and the first-time business owners eventually established the company in 2012. The road to opening the taproom was long and bumpy, but they finally opened on St. Patrick’s Day 2017. They currently have a lineup of 13 beers including the well-received Black Sacrament (an American Imperial Stout). With more beers planned for launch, the duo invites fans to join The Breakfast Club. It’s a members-only club that, among others, gets you access to private beer tastings and brewery merchandise.