Bike and Brew Showcase: Uncle Billy’s Brewery and Smokehouse
Not many people think about pairing food and beer together. Sure, it’s always good with pizza and most people enjoy a beer whenever they want, whether there’s food involved or not. However, some brewers take great pride in creating certain beers that pair well with certain foods. Uncle Billy’s Brewery and Smokehouse in downtown Austin is no stranger to this fact.
Uncle Billy’s Brewery and Smokehouse
Within walking distance of beautiful Zilker Park on Barton Springs Road sits a laid back, friendly barbecue joint that locals adore. Uncle Billy’s Brewery and Smokehouse has been hosting regulars for the last 10 years. Serving delicious barbecue and appropriate sides, the brewpub is definitely more known for their beer. You can find cans of their three most famous beers at HEB: Barton Springs Pale Ale, Lazy Day Lager and Green Room IPA.
While the brewery at Uncle Billy’s has created some tasty staple beers, they aren’t afraid to think outside the box. One of their popular seasonals is a hibiscus lager appropriately named Schizo Petal. Two current creations are the Boxing T-Rex, a grapefruit IPA, and the Berdoll Candy Pecan Ale, an English-style nut brown ale. If you like interesting beer, we suggest tasting these while they’re still around.
Photo by Jeff Kramer
Last year, the crew made their way to Colorado to enter the Great American Beer Festival. With them, they brought the Schutzenfest, a Berliner Weisse. Being previous winners, they were confident that they could take home a medal and if it were up to the attendees of the festival, they would have. This beer was made for barbecue. The Schutzenfest is brewed with house-smoked malt to give it a slightly sour flavor with hints of Post Oak smoke coming on the back end. The smoky back-end surprises people and they always say it makes them want ribs, so it’s lucky for them Uncle Billy’s sells some of the best ones in town! This beer is also on tap right now, but it’s selling out quickly.
If you’ve never been to this low-key patio brewpub, there’s still time! Just book the Heart of Austin Loop tour and get your hands on some of that smoked, Texas barbecue!
