The Drinking Diaries

New documentary about Deep Ellum Brewing Company puts you in the mood for a Dallas Blonde

It’s no secret that we’re fond of local breweries, and with good reason: There are great new brews popping up all over North Texas. But Deep Ellum Brewing Company was the first craft brewer in Dallas and a big player in the beer renaissance of late.

True, Franconia and Rahr have been around for a while, but this latest wave started when Deep Ellum Brewing opened its doors in November 2011. If you’ve ever wondered what goes on down on St. Louis Street, the crew recently released a short documentary that chronicles its growth from an idea in founder John Reardon’s mind to its current success in Dallas and throughout the state.

The video features interviews with employees, including Reardon, Zack Fickey, Tait Lifto and chief brewer Drew Huerter. The guys discuss brewing techniques, growth plans and the community Deep Ellum Brewing helps foster within the neighborhood. There are also interviews with Ernest Belmore of Buzzbrews, John Williams of Oak St. Drafthouse and Wes Waters of Whole Foods Lakewood. Michael Peticolas has a cameo in the credits.

Be sure to stick around until the 10:20 mark, when Reardon sums up the North Texas craft beer scene. There’s still a long way to go, but there’s a lot of hope and room for good beer to thrive.

If nothing else, the video gets you in the mood for a Dallas Blonde or one of the many seasonal and small-batch brews available around town.

The Darkest Hour is DEBC's seriously dark specialty Rye Imperial Stout that will put hair on your chest.

Deep Ellum Brewing Company's Darkest Hour

Deep Ellum Brewing Company Facebook

The Darkest Hour is DEBC's seriously dark specialty Rye Imperial Stout that will put hair on your chest.

Smoothie News

Healthy smoothie chain from the Northeast makes Dallas-area debut

Fresh Monkee

Fresh Monkee

Fresh Monkee smoothies

A smoothie chain from the Northeast has landed in Dallas-Fort Worth: Called Fresh Monkee, it's a chain from Connecticut that made its DFW debut in Richardson at 3501 Custer Pkwy. #119, in the Custer Creek shopping center, where it opened July 1.

Fresh Monkee was founded by entrepreneur Judy Flynn in Wethersfield, Connecticut in 2014. It has since expanded to 20 locations across 15 states. Four locations are planned for Texas, including Austin and Houston. The Richardson location is from franchisees Anam and Omer Nawab.

In a release, Flynn notes that many smoothie places rely on sugary fruit blends and "strange" powders.

"Most juice bars strip away the fiber from fruits and veggies, which is essential for a healthy gut and feeling satisfied," Flynn says in a press release. "I was convinced we could do better."

Their menu includes 30 varieties: fruit smoothies, green smoothies, chocolate smoothies, and coffee smoothies, with seasonal flavors such as the summer-ready watermelon strawberry limeade shake.

Notable options include:

Chunkee Monkee — milk, chocolate or vanilla protein powder, banana, and peanut butter
Filthy Monkee — milk, chocolate protein powder, brownie protein bar, and peanut butter
Coffee Buzz — milk, a splash of cream, chocolate protein powder, coffee cubes, vanilla extract, and Stevia
Orange Cream — milk, orange juice, vanilla protein, and a whole orange
Maui Colada — coconut milk, orange juice, vanilla protein, unsweetened coconut shreds, pineapple, and mango

They also carry a protein ball snack with peanut butter, oat flour, chocolate whey protein, and maple syrup, rolled in coconut oil and chocolate chips.

Each location has indoor seating, including couches and tables, but they're mainly a to-go concept.

Another pair of franchisees, Clarence Gadapati and Karuna Annavajjala, are opening a location in Arlington, at 5904 S. Cooper St. #120, in the Sublett Corners center, where it will open in August.

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