Dia De La Muerta and related excursions

Freetail brewpub held the release of La Muerta Imperial Stout on November 6. A few lucky Austinites were able to get the alloted 4 bottles apiece. This is their epic story.



John, Luke, and I arrived at about 9:00AM to find that the bottle share on the patio was already in full swing. Scott(the proprietor of Freetail) was on the patio to stick our numbered labels to our shirts. (I was number 39). In the freezing cold (alright, it wasn't THAT cold...but it's Texas) I shivered as I poured myself the first few samples of the day. There were tons of beer that I had never tried before and many that I have, including: Bell's Batch 9000, Surly Furious, Wet, and Darkness, Chocolate Yeti, Oak-Aged IPA, Weyerbacher Insanity and Heresy, Samurai IPA, New Glarus Belgian Red, New Glarus Pilsner, 09 and 10 Palo Santo Marron, a growler of Real Ale Coffee Porter, Cuvee Delphine, Pliny the Elder, Founder's Backwoods Bastard, Divine Reserve 09 and 10, Hoppin' Frog B.O.R.I.S., World Wide Stout, some great homebrew including a wee heavy, an irish red, and a milk stout, and one of my personal favorites: Duchesse De Bourgogne and many others that I have a hard time remembering for obvious reasons.






Scott and his crew were especially helpful, bringing out pitchers of their Cherry Ananke, Ate, and Dubl Octoberfiesta for everyone. Thanks especially for the bottles of 09 La Muerta and 09 Barrel Aged La Muerta. the BA version was sour as hell and delicious!

At 11:30 it had begun to warm up a little. We all lined up in numbered order to recieve our allotment of beer. Everybody in my group got the 4 beers and we carried the case proudly to the car where we took pictures and reveled in our own awesomeness.

The party was dying down, and patrons were ordering food inside, or otherwise heading back to Dallas, Houston, Austin, and every other corner of Tejas. Yea, there were a good number of people from San Antonio but I was amazed at the folks that woke up at 6AM or earlier to drive in from around the state. Kudos to you!


I helped myself to the half or mostly-empty bottles still on the table, while I listened to Scott and Silas (brewer of Darkside Fermentation) chat about labels, beer, and general brewer comraderie ensued. Somehow we agreed to visit Darkside in San Marcos at 5, I'm not really sure how as I was busy stumbling around the patio mumbling at the other patrons.

Next stop was the Ranger Creek Brewery and Distillery, where we got to walk among the equipment, watch a demonstration of brewing beer, and got to try the
Oatmeal Pale Ale, which was pretty damn good.
















We left San Antonio and headed for San Marcos for The Root Cellar/Darkside Fermentation, where brewer Silas played excellent host and popped bottle after bottle of his old, new, and experimental brews including the Pale 2, the Pale 3, Mark of the Yeast Quad, Lambic, Dubbel, and Tripel. Good times were had by all and our group wiped out Silas' stock. We even got a few unreleased beers. Many of these will be shipped elsewhere in the country, namely California and Florida.


We ended the night with some Jester King Commercial Suicide and Draugthouse's Malt Ball. Luke got a growler of Live Oak Hefe and we called it a night.


Overall I think everyone at Freetail, Ranger Creek, and Root Cellar had a great time enjoying Texas beer. Thanks especially to Scott, Silas, Nathan from Ranger Creek, and John and Luke for the great time! I hope to see you all again next year!