A Tasting at The Brewery LBK

Anyone who enjoys a locally brewed craft beer knows and understands the cult following a craft brewery can acquire. At The Brewery LBK, located in the Historic Pioneer Building in downtown Lubbock, one sip of a unique and eclectic ale, IPA or stout explains the fanbase surrounding this local favorite. With a reputation that precedes itself, this brewpub has placed Lubbock’s up-and-coming craft beer scene on the map as it was recently named the No. 1 Brewpub in the Nation by USA Today. 

No visit to Lubbock, Texas 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, Taylor tells her story as creatively as she brews new flavors of adult beverages. As a Brewery LBK frequent, an opportunity presented itself when the need for a head brewer arose. Believing she could learn the equipment and put her natural beer tasting instinct to use, she, along with general manager Mike Nghiem, have taken the local beer community by storm.

With a vision for what The Brewery could become, today it serves as an integral part of Lubbock’s downtown revitalization. Not only has it drawn a significant crowd to the area, but it has also seen notable growth within its own business model as well. The COVID-19 pandemic was a difficult time from many small businesses. With shutdowns and other challenges, innovation and flexibility was necessary to begin serving beer to the community again. The creative visionaries that they are, Taylor and Nghiem along with their team, flipped The Brewery LBK on its head and began canning their beer, a process they hadn’t done before, as well other beverages and selling adult popsicles. 

Today, visitors can find cans of the infamous LBK brews in local grocery stores like the Lubbock H-E-B and on tap at restaurants across the city. Recently, The Brewery also announced a second location in south Lubbock. 

Every hour is happy hour here in the 806, and before you make your way to West Texas, we wanted to give you a preview tasting of what you can expect when visiting the nation’s top brewpub! Continue reading below for a small sip into each beer on tap at The Brewery LBK!

Starting light, the Pina Colada Sour is a great choice for those beginning to dip their toe into the world of beer. With an ABV of 5.2%, this is a sweet, light bodied beer with notes of coconut and pineapple. A perfect summer drink by the pool.

Taking it one step further, the Hurricane Goose is a show stopper. This sour brew boasts a 5.5% ABV and features hints of passionfruit, lime, coriander and salt. It is a fairly tart mix that makes for the ideal refresher under the heat of the West Texas sun. 

Moving up, the Broadway and K is a German-style Kolsch that is gluten-reduced. It’s specs include 5.5% ABV, IBU 20 and Tettnanger Hops, making for a fairly hoppy and bitter traditional German beer. You won’t want to forget this one when searching for a tailgating beverage on a Raiderland game day.

The Doc Chilton, a name paying homage to the cocktail, is a tart summer ale with 5.5% ABV, IBU 10 and Amarillo Lemon Drop hops. You will be surprised with it’s similar tasting notes to the Chilton cocktail, which is made up of soda water, vodka and lemon juice and is available at The West Table Kitchen & Bar across the lobby in the Pioneer Building. This is known as The Brewery’s take on the Chilton, and is one of their flagship beers. 

Moving along, The LBK IPA is a classic West Coast IPA with a 6.5% ABV, IBU 70, and Centennial Citra Amarillo Mosaic hops. It is a hoppy beer, giving it a more aromatic flavor on your palate. 

Getting darker, the Lead Farmer New England-style IPA has an ABV of 7.8%, IBU 30 and Zamba N2H 107 Mandarin Bavaria hops. This is a more hazy IPA with moderate hops that give off tropical notes like mango and pineapple with a touch of floral. Because this is a heavier IPA, we recommend it with a burger or Texas barbecue! 

The Breakfast Brown is a malty brown ale with 6.5% ABV, IBU 30 and Sequoia Chinook Cascade hops. Beer drinkers and chocolate lovers unite with each pint of this rich brew. Here in Lubbock, Texas we believe it’s always five o’clock somewhere, making it acceptable to call this a breakfast beer as it features coffee on the nose and is followed with chocolate to the tastebuds. 

Can’t get enough of the chocolate brews? The Champurrado is a cinnamon chocolate porter with 8% ABV, IBU 38 and Chinook Cascade hops. This drink replicates the Mexican chocolate drink and was introduced to the community on Dia de los Muertos. Beer tasters experience the notes of chocolate on the back of the throat and brown sugar cinnamon to complement the sweetness. This is a must-try!

The Social Justice Warrior is said to be Taylor’s favorite. It’s an Irish Whiskey stout and has a 7.5% ABV, IBU 47 and Galena hops. The strong vanilla essence and natural whiskey flavor give it a caramel taste, making for a great heavy beer for an experienced connoisseur. 

And, finally, the star of the show – The Unemployed Astronaut! This beer is The Brewery’s hard lemonade and is a crowd favorite. A gluten-free option with an ABV of 9% that showcases mango, pineapple and orange flavors, it is sure to sneak up on you. It’s been described as the sweet Tang orange drink, a fruity sherbet, and a great option for a non-beer drinker. It’s sippable and approachable, making it a perfect canned beverage for a night on the patio.

The Brewery LBK also features a new weekly brew on Small Batch Saturday. By testing with different flavor profiles, the next local favorite brew could be served during your visit! Follow The Brewery LBK on Facebook for a sneak peek into each weekly batch. Each brew is as delectable and delicious as the last. But don’t just take our word for it. Plan your trip to The Brewery LBK today to taste what all the hype is about!

We know it is hard to choose a favorite, but if you can, share your pick with us using #LiveLoveLubbock! and don’t forget to tag @visitlubbock and @thebrewerylbk on social media.