Courtesy of Fort Brewery
Fort Brewery's outdoor patio features lawn games, a live music stage, and a retractable roof.
Fort Brewery was growing out of its space on Magnolia Avenue, and in searching for new digs, happened upon the former Parker Candy factory just north of the West Seventh and Foundry districts. The location's expansive footprint and industrial vibe made it a perfect fit, and now, the popular brewpub is going from approximately 7,000 square feet to a whopping 25,000 square feet, with plenty of room to eat, drink, play — and perhaps offer a few more surprises.
Fort Brewery — owned by Corrie Watson and Will Churchill, the twin great-grandchildren of iconic Fort Worth car dealer Frank Kent — is now open at 2737 Tillar St., debuting a multifaceted space that comprises a brewery, restaurant, and outdoor patio decked out with a live music stage, lawn games, and a retractable roof to boot.
"It's the Disneyland of breweries — that's how I see it," general manager Dusty Wood says.
Courtesy of Fort Brewery
The Cadillac sign is a homage to Frank Kent Motor Company — the other enterprise of Fort Brewery owners Corrie Watson and Will Churchill. Frank Kent is their great grandfather.
Of course, Fort Brewery functions primarily as, well, a brewery. Wood says the makeup of the former candy factory allowed the space to easily transition into a beer-making facility: "All the floors are sloped, which is a big deal in a brewery, because when you're brewing, if your floors aren't sloped properly, beer gets everywhere. Everything here was well-insulated as well, so we were able to turn one of the rooms into a giant, walk-in cooler for our beer kegs and cans, so that was an added plus."
Along with cans, Fort Brewery offers 15 beers on tap, including Clara, a blonde ale named after the first child born in Fort Worth; Ocho, a West Coast IPA; and Los Muertos, a Mexican-style lager.
The food menu has also expanded significantly since its previous iteration, featuring wings, burgers and sandwiches, Bratwurst, salads, and Detroit-style pizzas. Among those pies, Wood recommends Holding Down the Fort, topped with spicy calabrese, whipped feta cheese, crushed red pepper, minced garlic, olive oil, and arugula. He says Fort Brewery is also looking to become a "brunch hotspot" on weekends, serving items like biscuit sandwiches, a breakfast burger, and mimosas.
The menu is also notably inclusive, with gluten-free options and a dedicated grill cooking vegetarian offerings separately from other items. Churchill, who has a child with a severe nut allergy, also made sure to keep Fort Brewery's facility completely nut-free.
Courtesy of Fort Brewery
Seating is available both indoors and on the pet-friendly outdoor patio, lined with sugar skull murals by Fort Worth-based Tilt Vision Art.
Seating is available both indoors and on the pet-friendly outdoor patio, lined with sugar skull murals by Fort Worth-based Tilt Vision Art. Patrons can play games like cornhole and giant Connect 4 on the artificial turf while a live band plays onstage. Wood says he hopes to book both local and national acts, along with a jazz quartet to play for brunch on Sundays.
And there's more on tap for Fort Brewery. Watson says a wine room is in the works, hearkening back to the twins' former Kent & Co. concept on Magnolia Avenue (it's since changed hands and is now The Magnolia Wine Bar). Fort Brewery's wine room, which will seat roughly 20 – 30 people, will take design inspiration from The Beekman hotel in New York City and offer over 160 wines to try.
"We've tried to create some fun spaces that are comfortable, where you want to sit, hang out, and have a cold beer; lots of TVs to watch sports or whatever's going on ... we just tried to create an environment that's great for families, friend get-togethers, or just hanging out and having a beer and a glass of wine," Watson says.
They're also adding a drive-thru window, so patrons can take food, beer, and wine to-go.
Fort Brewery
The Fort Brewery party bus features a full functioning kitchen on the first level and 1960s-style diner above.
The restaurant is hitting the road, too — the Fort Brewery food truck is already in operation, and Wood says the brand will also add a "party bus" to its event offerings. The 1967 British double decker bus is still waiting on a health inspection, but when ready, the vehicle will feature a full functioning kitchen on the first level and 1960s-inspired diner on top.
Those looking to book either the food truck or party bus can contact event coordinator BryLee Beall ([email protected]). More information is available at fortbrewery.com.
