Brew News

Grapevine Craft Brewery celebrates groundbreaking with taste of upcoming beers

The next brewery in North Texas is one step closer to being fully operational. Grapevine Craft Brewery announced plans to break ground on its facilities this week.

The newest local craft brewer has been building steam since announcing its formation last November, but Grapevine Craft Brewery officially received its brewing license in late April. The city gave its blessing for the brewery to break ground in downtown Grapevine this month.

In the meantime, founder and CEO Gary Humble and head brewer Caton Orrell have been doing small batches in what they refer to as the "GCB Batcave." Even though the local outfit isn't brewing at the level it would prefer right now, Grapevine Craft Brewery is stockpiling what it does have for the Main Street Days festival in Grapevine May 17-19.

In a new bit of social media involvement, Grapevine Craft Brewery has asked people to stop by the construction site and upload pictures of it to the brewery's Facebook page. Whoever's picture gets the most shares by May 31 will win every type of GCB merchandise known to man.

GCB has also announced its first four brews out of the gate: Sir William’s, Night Watch, Monarch and Lakefire. There are plans for release next fall — ideally in September — after the brewery is completed this summer.

Sir William’s is a English brown ale, with 4.9 percent ABV; Night Watch is a dry oatmeal stout, with 6.3 percent; Monarch is described as a “classic American wheat,” with 5.1 percent ABV; and Lakefire is a rye pale ale, with 6.4 percent.

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Quonset Hut News

Familiar names take over Quonset hut for new Far-Out Dallas bar

Yelp

Wriggly Tin is now Far-Out Dallas

There's a new Dallas restaurant and bar coming to everyone's favorite Quonset hut: Called Far-Out, it'll take over the space at 1906 E. Haskell Ave. in East Dallas that was previously home to Wriggly Tin, with a grand opening slated for 2025.

Founders Caroline and James Lee are calling it Far-Out & La Hermana Cerveceria and promise that a culinary adventure awaits.

"After months of creative brainstorming and a bit of furniture rearranging, we are thrilled to announce an exciting new pioneering concept that will open its doors in 2025," the duo says. "Introducing Far-Out & La Hermana Cerveceria, a dynamic new restaurant and brewery born from the collaboration of industry veterans."

The team includes some beloved East Dallas names:

Marc Cassel of The Green Room and 20 Feet Seafood Joint
Christopher Jeffers of Bolsa and Smoke
Stephanie Houston, the trailblazing first Latina Production distillery owner in America

Also joining the team is Bar Director Adam Mercado, whose resume includes stints at Billy Can Can and Brass Ram.

Marcado will crafting a unique beverage program, with support from mixologist Brian McCullough. Together, they will create what the founders call "unforgettable drink experiences to complement our delicious culinary offerings."

Wriggly Tin opened in November 2023 as an ultra-hip pizza and craft beer spot inside a renovated Quonset hut near Dallas' Fair Park — a former Cajun fried turkey place which they gave doting makeover with custom plaster walls and art objects from around the world. They replaced one whole side of the hut with glass for sunsets and created a spacious outdoor patio in front.

They earned two nomination in CultureMap's 2024 Tastemaker Awards, one for Best Bar and another for Best Patio.

Alas, the original founders, who'd previously owned Small Brewpub in Oak Cliff, parted ways shortly after it opened. And the bar closed down in September 2024, for what they called "internal changes."

Now the hut is back: The new Far-Out bar is already up and running a few days a week. In the coming days, they will offer updates and sneak peeks as they gear up for the opening of their kitchen.

openings