My confidence in GPS navigation systems is not as strong as it should be. Far too often, GPS systems have led me astray or sent me on a roundabout path that wasn’t the shortest distance to my intended target. A visit to a country brewery not far from my house required the assistance of a GPS and I was certain as I drove to the brewery that the GPS was leading me in the wrong direction. The brewery couldn’t possibly be out here, I kept telling myself. But no sooner had my doubts become all but certain when all of a sudden, I reached my destination: Huff Brewing Company, a country brewery located near Bellville, Texas.
Green Acres is the Place to Be
Huff Brewing is a small brewery with an out- of- the- way presence. Driving to Huff Brewing sends you out to the country and down a lane, leading to the taproom and brewhouse. Having never seen pictures of Huff Brewing when I decided to visit, I had no idea what to expect. I didn’t even know it was located next to a farm and I wasn’t sure I was headed in the right direction until I saw the signs directing me and my vehicle to the parking area.
As you approach Huff Brewing, you will swear there cannot possibly be a brewery located anywhere near these grounds. Then, you see people gathered on wooden tables outside what looks like a large trailer. Closer inspection confirms that this “trailer” is actually the brewhouse and taproom. A quick parking job on the gravel area and you are on your way to meet new friends and try some brew.
Walking inside Huff Brewing reveals a small taproom area with a handful of tables and a bar with bar stools. The brewhouse itself is immediately to your left. They offer tours but if no tour is scheduled, just ask and if time is available, one of the employees will walk you through. It’s a small brewhouse, as you might imagine, but not as small I expected, at least based on the look of things from the exterior.
Huff Brewing doesn’t have a kitchen so there is no food, but they sometimes host food trucks so if you’re feeling hungry, be sure to check social media to find out if food will be served. To be on the safe side, I recommend bringing your own food. They have no problem with this and with the family- friendly setting, you can make a family picnic of sorts out of your visit, complete with the sights and sounds of farm animals and gentle, country breezes.
The Chores, The Stores..I Mean, the Beer
Stepping up to the bar at Huff Brewing, I noticed they have only 4 beers on tap, plus a shandy they will make for you, if that’s your thing. When I was there, I grabbed a flight sampler of the following four beers. I have listed them in alphabetical order by beer name, followed by the style and my Untappd rating on a five point scale:
- Huff’s Original Amber, Amber Lager 3.75
- Huffmeister, Helles Lager, 3.5
- Oaked IPA, English IPA, 4
- Wee Heavy, Scotch Ale, 3.75
These four beers were each respectable efforts and good representatives of their styles. Among them, my favorite was the Oaked IPA, a wood- enhanced IPA with a modest 5.5 percent alcohol by volume. I also liked the Wee Heavy. It features caramel and bread flavors with a hint of vanilla. At 7 percent alcohol by volume, it was also the strongest in the bunch. And among Huff Brewing beers I have tried at local festivals that were not available when I visited, I must make mention of the Orange Blossom Saison. This farmhouse ale is a crisp, flowery, citrus- enhanced and lightly spiced ale that matches perfectly with a hot Texas day.
Huff Brewing, We Are There!
Huff Brewing, located at 9805 Koehn Rd. due east of Bellville, is a nice place to get away from the concrete and steel that normally surrounds us at Great Beer Now. We are headquartered in the west Houston suburbs where there is an overabundance of humanity and very little in the way of nature. Our breweries are urban in design, full of delicious beer but also full of the concrete and noise that define most any establishment located in a large city.
Huff Brewing, in contrast, offers something distinctly different. I was taken aback as I approached the brewery because I didn’t know it was located on a farm. You see, when I visit a new brewery, I like to go in completely free from bias so for that reason, I normally don’t look up anything relating to the brewery online. I prefer each visit to be a surprise, free from any preconceived notions. And Huff Brewing was, indeed, a surprise. You can imagine, a city boy like me, driving onto the grounds of a working farm in search of a brewing establishment. As I made my way closer, I couldn’t help but start humming the tune to a 1960’s situation comedy starring Eva Gabor and Eddie Albert. I also couldn’t help but wander exactly what Huff Brewing was going to be like, as it is difficult to judge from the outside.
The taproom at Huff Brewing is small, but because this is a country brewery in a remote location, it probably won’t matter. Not enough people are aware of Huff Brewery and it’s a good distance away from any large population centers. Thus, you shouldn’t have any trouble finding a place to sit, either inside or outside. If you have kids, they can hang out and play games while you drink. Otherwise, I recommend bringing along food and, if you want to be completely safe, your own lawn chairs. You can then turn the visit into a country picnic.
With only four beers on tap, Huff Brewing doesn’t offer much variety, but this could easily change if the business continues to grow. The beers are good all- around and if nothing else, I recommend Huff Brewing as a great way to escape to the calmness of the country. I like it here and found it a welcome change from the city breweries that normally command my attention. I also have newfound respect for GPS navigation and would advise anyone who is looking for this outlying brewery to listen to what their GPS tells them. There really is a brewery out here, in spite of what your instincts may tell you.
Huff Brewing Company isn’t a well- known operation and few people outside of south Texas have likely ever heard of this small brewery and its products. But this family- friendly hideaway is a nice little place to visit if you get the chance. Just make your way toward Bellville, go east on 529, and follow the signs to Huff Brewing Company. And tell them Great Beer Now sent you.
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