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Field Trip: Wimberley Brewing Company

If you've ever wondered about Wimberley Brewing Company but know nothing of it, or have just never heard of it, keep reading. This down-home gem of a joint is a must stop on your drive through the hill country.

Wimberley Brewing Company doesn't have a sign, copper tanks, or a fancy bar or tasting room. Instead, you'll find this brewery masquerading as Brewster's Pizza at the corner of Ranch Road 12 and Ranch-to-Market Road 32, just at the split on the drive from San Marcos to Wimberley.

The restaurant is a neat family owned and operated place, and you can tell not only from the atmosphere and friendly staff (the family), but the quality of what they make. Oh, and they have a great porch, too. Gluten-free gourmet pizzas, classic rock, and all-natural brews... how can you go wrong?

They had four house beers on tap, just enough to fill one of their flight paddles. The also had a number of other craft beers on tap, including Real Ale Phoenixx Double ESB and Dogfish Head 60-Minute IPA. We placed our orders at the counter, grabbed a high chair, and took a seat inside to wait for our beer and 12" gluten-free BBQ chicken pizza. By the way, slightly wobbly table + happy baby = take a few quick sips off the samples before the table gets wet!

Ana was in the mood for hops, so partook of a Dogfish Head 60-Minute IPA. I had their flight, which included their Hefeweizen ("Hefe-weissen"), Transition Ale, Red Bitter, and Porter. The beers all have something in common, and it's obvious before you even take a whiff of them. They're not only all-natural, but they're also unfiltered and almost reminiscent of cask-conditioned pub ales. Oh and their tap handles: they're homemade, too.

Not only do they put some love into their beers, but they put some serious love into their food. Our pizza was phenomenal, and the best gluten-free crust that either of us have ever had. The key: they insist on making their crusts from scratch. Oh, and the chicken on our pizza actually tasted like they just lathered up some fresh chicken with some homemade barbecue sauce and threw it on the grill. This was a nice treat for us... and what a great Saturday afternoon it was.

While we enjoyed our beers and pizza, we overheard someone at the table next to us talk about how the owners had thirteen children. It's not every day that you meet a family with that many kiddos. Ana pointed out the newspapers framed on the wall behind me: published insights from the Austin American Statesman on the lives of Bruce and Holly Collie, the owners. So happens that Bruce, the brewer, was a "former offensive lineman for the San Francisco 49ers and the Philadelphia Eagles. He played and won in Super Bowls XXIII and XXIV." Wow. But that's only half of it. Before they met, Holly was a "former jewelry model on the QVC Network with Joan Rivers". You know, you just never know who's going to be making the beer you're drinking... could be absolutely anyone!

How they managed to have so many kids, I have no idea (well, I kinda do), let alone start a brewery and a pizza joint. Then again, maybe the kids help. You can see where all of their children get their manners from, as they were both incredibly friendly and charming, and took time to talk with us about business and beer. Bruce is a real tinkerer when it comes to beer and isn't afraid to experiment. Holly said he was entertaining the idea of adding a gluten-free beer to their repertoire. Not an easy thing to do.

Did I mention the hand-grind their own flour for their pizzas? Refusing to use run-of-the-mill products, and putting an incredible amount of effort into their products, this is not a place to be missed. Ana suggested that we make an effort to dine/drink there once a month... I think I'd really enjoy that.