We had to go to penalty shootouts (hand-counting paper ballots!) to determine a winner after full time resulted in a “Best Brewery in Austin” draw. The fans decreed that a fair result was indeed a stalemate between the two beer giants: Jester King and Meanwhile Brewing. Each represents the current climate of Austin’s beer scene, respectively: in Jester King, an old world farmhouse brewery/playland devoted to mixed culture, spontaneous fermentation, and families; and in Meanwhile, a new-skool urban brewery/playland devoted to diverse IPAs, hoppy lagers, and, well, families.
Finalists: Austin Beerworks, Hi Sign Brewing, St. Elmo Brewing Co.
