Some events in life tend to claim to be the biggest or the best of something and rarely live up to the hype.  But this weekend in Old Town Lewisville, there was a festival claiming to be the “best” and the “littlest,” and it did not disappoint.  As I perused the closed-off streets, the term “little” came up again and again as I noticed newly opened and not-even-opened breweries that are churning out some very impressive brews.  The Best Little Brewfest in Texas itself even had a small town feel with lesser-known bands playing either end of the streets and a very walkable and relaxing atmosphere.  I was able to talk to a few of these newer and soon-to-be breweries, to see what they’ve been up to and what they have planned for the future.

Up and Comers

Hop Fusion
Started by homebrewers Macy Moore and Matt Hill, Hop Fusion opened almost a year ago.  Look for their wide array of common styles with a unique twist, like their Feisty Blonde Honey Vanilla Blonde Ale or their Steampipe Black Rye IPA.
Try: Fur Slipper, Imperial Milk Stout, 8.6% abv

Intrinsic Smokehouse & Brewery
Located just off the Downtown Garland square, head brewer Chris Tidwell and Intrinsic Smokehouse & Brewery have been churning out some insanely delicious beers for almost two years now.  Their most recent run of juicy Northeast-style and hazy milkshake IPAs have been flying off the shelf, with 4-packs of cans selling out in a less than an hour.  Their barbecue is pretty spot-on too.
Try: Froot Tart Guava, Berliner Weiss with Guava, 6.5% abv

Pegasus City Brewing
Pegasus City Brewing is yet another brewery opening up in the Design District (now the Brewery District?), nestled between Peticolas and Noble Rey.  With five core beers already on tap, they are focused on creating malt-forward beers that are easy drinking.
Try: Cannoneer, Bold Amber Ale, 7.2% abv

TUPPS
That ‘other’ McKinney brewery, TUPPS has really begun to come into their own in the last few months.  Debuting their Imperial Saison at the Bluebonnet Brew Off in March and the recent success of their re-invented Imperial Stout, Full Grown Man, TUPPS is starting to become a brewing force north of the wall.
Try: Full Grown Hombre, Imperial Stout with Spices, 11.9% abv

Whistle Post Brewing Company
A branch off of the Western Sons Distillery, this Pilot Point brewery has been open for almost a year now and has a few new brews to show for it as well.
Try: Lizard Scorcher, IPA, 6.3% abv

Soon-To-Be Breweries

Denton County Brewing Company
Denton County Brewing currently operates a 24 beer taproom next door to the Bearded Monk in Denton.  This week, they begin to brew their own beers that will eventually replace the commercial brews on their wall.

Three Nails Brewery
Three Nails is another brewery in planning, hoping to open in August 2017 in the Roanoke area.  Planned beers include: a Stout, an IPA, possibly some Belgian-style beers, as well as a Hibiscus Ginger flavored beer.