Crystal Wise
Whether it’s 5 o’clock or not, the happy hour stays constant during regular business hours at the Cowtown Brewing Company. Attendees at this local watering hole have 16 taps from which to choose and two areas in which to enjoy their libations. Patrons can enjoy a beverage inside the 5,000-square-foot, air-conditioned taproom or get some fresh air out on the expansive deck. Either way, you’ll get what you really came for — beer.
This nearly 5-year-old brewery is in part the brainchild of co-founder/owner Shawn Kidwell, who says he started out like many brewers in the industry — in his own kitchen.
“I got obsessed with brewing beer back in 2011 while I was living in Austin,” Kidwell says. “From there I moved here to the Fort Worth area and began volunteering at the Peticolas Brewing Company in Dallas.”
Crystal Wise
Thanks to this experience, Kidwell found his calling: working in the brewing industry. A few years later, Kidwell verifies that he and his business partner, Billy Avila, began paying rent on the building that would eventually become Cowtown Brewing Company.
“We had possession of this place long before we opened our doors, which gave me a chance to set up our pilot system in here and just brew pilot batches like crazy,” he opined. “When I wasn’t volunteering or working at the Grapevine Craft Brewery, I was here.”
Kidwell says by the time Cowtown Brewing Company opened, he and his team had eight beers on tap. With his dream finally realized, Kidwell says the business was just hitting its stride when the global pandemic put everything and almost everyone on the sidelines.
“We had to completely reimagine our entire business model. We were actually closed down for a total of four months in 2020.”
But Kidwell says he wasn’t going to give up. Instead, he, along with his limited staff, found a way to package the beer they were brewing to keep the product moving out the door.
Currently, patrons can experience a wide range of styles that complement another Texas staple — barbecue. Favorites include Rhinestone Cowboy, a crisp and refreshing Kölsch; Sim City, a juicy, double-dry hopped IPA; Canvas, a velvety smooth milk stout with loads of raspberries; and Altbier, a crisp, clean, full-bodied beer with a malty, bittersweet finish. Add this to an updated seasonal roster of beers, and you’ll get what all the rage is about.
“We are always looking to make our beers better,” Kidwell verifies. “We are pleased with what we’ve done so far, but we are never done learning in this type of industry.”
