A Brewing Lineup

Five years ago, Lubbock’s craft beer community looked nothing like it does today. 

The secret to success? Local brewers credit the West Texas hospitality and supportive community to the growth of the local industry. Lubbock offers both brewers and beer drinkers alike the opportunity to witness first-hand the support from the community and the collaborative nature among Lubbock’s brewers. Crack open a can of a perfectly crafted beer and taste for yourself what’s brewing in the “Hub City”. 

Located in the historic Tech Terrace neighborhood, Chris Troutman, alongside his Good Line co-founder Shawn Phillips, emphasizes what others attribute to the overall success of Lubbock’s up-and-coming brew industry: the support and engagement of the locals. 

“People embrace more local creativity in businesses here. I think that is what galvanized the thought of opening a brewery in Lubbock; that the community would embrace it and support it,” Chris said.

Originally from Austin, Texas, the long-time friends and craft beer enthusiasts had plans of opening a brewery together. Upon researching the Lubbock market in 2016 when only one craft brewery served the city – Triple J Chophouse and Brew Company – what they found here far exceeded expectations. Both “married to Lubbock” (as they say), Chris and Shawn followed their wives back to the “Hub City” and made their dream a reality. 

As the up-and-coming craft beer scene takes center stage in Lubbock’s downtown, it is only fitting that Two Docs Brewing Co. is housed in the Cultural Arts District. Whoever has sipped a well-crafted pint understands that brewing beer is a true work of art. What started as a hobby and love of beer for cousins Dr. Eric Cunningham and Dr. Tyson Purdy is now an urban production brewery located downtown. The two cousins began sharing their craft with the public in 2019 after years spent perfecting the variety of beers we enjoy on tap today. 

“Craft beer is a counterculture type movement that brings all types of people together, which is awesome,” Eric said. “I thought downtown should be a central location to do that.”

Down the street from the Cultural Arts District sits The Brewery LBK inside the historic Pioneer Building. Recognized as the Top Brewpub in the Nation by USA Today, no visit to the “Hub City” would be complete without an afternoon spent tasting the award-winning beer crafted by the head brewmaster, Sally Taylor. When asked how she got into the brewing work, Sally tells her story as creatively as she brews new flavors of adult beverages. As a frequent supporter of The Brewery LBK, an opportunity presented itself with the need for a head brewer. Today, Sally and Mike Nghiem, general manager, have taken the local beer community by storm.

Nestled in Cactus Alley, Daniel Badillo, owner of Mano Negra, first started brewing in his home in Puerto Rico. After deciding to move to Lubbock, the brewery came to be when the owner noticed an opportunity to connect the Lubbock community with craft beers through the first nano brewery in Lubbock.

“The support of the local people has kept me going,” Daniel said. “In big cities, you don’t get that type of close-knit community support like you do in Lubbock. Without that, we wouldn’t be here.”

In a city that boasts a robust arts community and burgeoning talent, renowned works take form in a variety of mediums, including craft beer. Taste for yourself what all the hype is about and experience the collaborative culture on a Lubbock, Texas beer crawl this fall.