Go To Jester King Brewery

By Eric Sturniolo

Photos by Annie Shustrin and Eric Sturniolo

When in Austin, eat tacos, eat breakfast tacos, eat BBQ, and go to Jester King Brewery. About a 30 minute drive southwest of Downtown Austin, into the Texas Hill Country, sits Jester King. Founded in 2010, Jester King focuses on mixed culture and spontaneous fermentation. Sitting on a 200 acre ranch/farm, it’s the epitome of a classic farmhouse brewery.

Open Friday through Sunday, the taproom offers extensive options of draft and bottle pours, including some outside brews. They have a gigantic to-go bottle list as well. Tours of their brew house and barrel-aging facility (including a coolship!) are sometimes led by the owner/brewer himself, Jeffrey Stuffings.

bubbles

barrels

dry bubbles

coolship

The space is impressive. A small taproom is surrounded by huge open fields dotted with picnic tables. A gigantic barn with a dirt floor is filled with communal tables is found next to a pizza shack, Stanley’s Farmhouse Pizza, the only food option on premise. Get the Willie (topped with brisket and jalapenos).

brewery grounds

brewery grounds

pizza!

the barn

brewery grounds

brewery grounds

While their more classic spontaneously fermented farmhouse ales are certainly world class, they do insanely cool things with local and interesting ingredients. Some standouts  included:

Super Ultramega Hyperforce – farmhouse ale with ginger, salt, tarragon, and cantaloup

Fantome Del Ray- farmhouse ale with truffle honey, black peppercorns, and coriander

Fair Voyage-brewed with fireweed, one of the first plants to grow after a forest fire

Figlet- brewed with smoked figs

El Cedro- aged on Spanish cedar spirals

the beer

For you home brewers, check out some recipes they’ve released on their blog.

Jester King is located at:

13187 Fitzhugh Rd, Austin, TX 78736

and is open:

Fridays 4-10

Saturdays 12-10

Sundays 12-9