Craft Beer News
Creative new craft beer brewery fits right into Deep Ellum neighborhood
Deep Ellum's reputation as the brewery capital of Dallas continues with a new brewery in the neighborhood. Called Westlake Brewing Company, it tiptoed in, without announcement, opening on September 21.
The opening is long-waited: Westlake held the lease on the building for two years.
The brewery is housed in a renovated 1940s building at 2816 Commerce St., now painted bright yellow and blue. The taproom is open and airy, spanning 3,000 square feet. The patio is twice that size and includes a mid-block pathway connecting Commerce and Clover streets.
The neighborhood has become a haven for craft beer fans: Two blocks north is Braindead Brewing. Next door is Trinity Cider. Two blocks south is Deep Ellum Brewing Company. And the new Westlake pathway connects to Deep Ellum Distillery.
Westlake's founder is Art Harvey, who began brewing beer with his brother in college as a way to drink on the cheap. He's been brewing ever since, including the last 15 years in his Lakewood home.
"I’ve shared bottles of my home brews with friends and neighbors, always writing my street name on the bottle," he says. "That's how Westlake was born."
Brewmaster is Peter Hemmingsen, who previously worked at Manhattan Project and Bitter Sisters. He's been testing and perfecting recipes since January. They launched with 10 beers on tap. “That’s unheard of,” Harvey says.
There are four beers in the core lineup, all with less than 40 IBUs:
- Blonder Ale wheat beer
- Finish Line grisette
- Leg Day scotch ale
- Rainout Hazy IPA
There will also be at least five small-batch brews available every day, with a barleywine, biere de garde, farmhouse ale, oatmeal stout, and a saison on the list.
They already have packaged beer to go available in bottles and crowlers (or 32-ounce cans) filled directly from the brewhouse. In coming months, they'll launch a series of sours in bottles.
"Brewing in general excites me, and I enjoy bringing a new take on tradition styles," Harvey says. "There are hundreds of types of beers we are going to bring forward. We're going to be brewing interesting batches once or twice a week, and when it's gone, it's gone."
