Zio Carlo Under New Management

FORT WORTH - Zio Carlo Magnolia Brew Pub is now under new management as owner Carlo Galotto has agreed to new partners to help complete his brewpub south of downtown.

Former Rahr & Sons brewer Austin Jones has been hired to oversee the brewing operations with Adam Gonzales hired as the general manager.


Brewing is expected to start within a month or two after repairs to the existing system, with a possible rebranding of the restaurant and brewpub at some point in the future.

Namaste Brewing Opens

AUSTIN - Namaste Brewing debuted this week with the release of their first beer at Austin's Whip In.

Namaste Brewing is the brewing arm of the Whip In market and café, owned and run by the same Topiwala family. The opening of brewing operations essentially changes the Whip In craft beer bar and bottle shop into Austin's newest small-batch brewpub.

Their first beer is the Brahmale "Post Colonial" IPA brewed with local honey, orange peel and lemongrass.

Cedar Creek Brewery Opens

SEVEN POINTS - Cedar Creek Brewery opened this week with a launch party at The Common Table in Uptown Dallas.

Although located southeast of Dallas near the Cedar Creek Reservoir, Cedar Creek beers will be distributed by Duff with North Texas one of their primary markets after their local area.

Cedar Creek has three beers initially available: Scruffy's Smoked Alt, Elliott's Phoned Home American Pale Ale and the Lawn Ranger Cream Ale.

TABC Amends Labeling Rules

AUSTIN - The Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC) formally changed their labeling rules on July 24th following a lawsuit challenging the restrictive rules in December of last year.

Austin's Jester King Craft Brewery sued the TABC in 2011 in civil court, claiming the rules infringed on their business' First Amendment rights to represent their products.

The old rules included arbitrary definitions for "beer," "ale" and "malt liquor" based on alcohol content that were required to appear on beer labels to meet agency approval, with many submissions disallowed for no reason other than not including the specified terminology.

The new rules place no restrictions on the commercial naming or description printed on beer labels, as long as the alcohol content is included.

Jester King Bonnie the Rare

AUSTIN - Jester King Craft Brewery has received label approval for their latest limited release beer, the Bonnie the Rare Berliner Weisse.

Bonnie the Rare is a 3.7% ABV unfiltered and unpasteurized Berliner weisse style that has undergone a long maturation in the bottle following a no-boil method of brewing. The first 750-ml bottles soon to be released are from a batch brewed in May of 2011.

Lovejoys Closes

AUSTIN - Long-time brewpub and music venue Lovejoys Tap Room & Brewery closed this week, with a farewell celebration on their last day of operation, August 5th.

After 18 years in their downtown location just off Austin's Sixth Street, owner Eric Wolf cited financial pressures as the reason for the closure in a Facebook message: "After struggling for the last few years with rising costs and decreasing revenues, we can no longer afford to keep the doors open."

Lakewood Brewing Opens

GARLAND - Lakewood Brewing Company opened this week with a launch party on Saturday held at the East Dallas restaurant and craft beer bar, Goodfriend Beer Garden & Burger House.

Two Lakewood beers were initially available, the Rock Ryder American rye/wheat ale and the Hop Trapp Belgian-inspired IPA.

Two New Deep Ellum Beers

DALLAS - Deep Ellum Brewing released two new beers this week at two different venues around Dallas' Uptown area.

The first beer is the summer seasonal Wealth & Taste, a 9.5% ABV Belgian strong golden ale aged in Chardonnay barrels. The second is a new year-round offering named Dallas Blonde, a light blonde or extra pale ale.