By Annabeth Reeb
For such a small country town, College Station has a surprisingly great beer scene, whether from College Station breweries or from a couple of miles out on the shelves of HEB. We tasted a few from New Republic, Blackwater Draw, and Karbach to create a beginners profile to the local brews in Aggieland.
Intensity Scale
New Republic Brews
Dammit Jim
American Amber
5.2% ABV
Dammit Jim is perfect for those just getting into craft beer. It’s heavy enough that you can really appreciate the craft, yet it’s still easy enough to drink for those new to beer with hops. Dammit Jim has a great amber taste with a sharp finish.
Skylight
Dunkelweizen
5.6% ABV
Skylight is a beautiful dark colored beer with a light and crisp taste. This bubbly beer goes down easy and features a variety of flavors like vanilla, banana, and wheat.
Kadigan
Complicated Blonde
5.8% ABV
The Kadign has a delicious champagne color with a light and crisp profile. This blonde has a nice yeast taste that is subtle enough to still feel like a lighter beer.
Whipsaw
Third Coast Double IPA
8% ABV
This beer is thick and citrusy with a good amount of hops. If you’re a fan of Karbach’s Weekend Warrior, you’ll love Whipsaw.
Whiplass
Sweet Potato Porter
6.6 ABV
This is another really dark colored beer that takes your tongue off guard. It has a unique, spicy taste from the sweet potato that leaves a coffee-like finish.
Senioritis
English Bitter
2.5 ABV
This beer is a really light, crisp, and an easy-to-drink brew. It’s reminiscent of a beachy, more sophisticated bud light.
Blackwater Draw
Mulligan
Kölsch
5.25 ABV
This is one of our favorite beers because it is perfect for people new to craft beers as well as those who have been around them. It has a great yeasty taste with a smooth taste that goes down easy.
Border Town
Mexican Style Lager
4.8 ABV
This beer has the same great yeasty taste as the Mulligan but with a little more of a bite. It has a great mix of hops and malt to make it extra crisp.
Contract Killer
Coffee Porter
6.4 ABV
This is another great coffee brew in College Station. Blackwater was spot on with this one—it tastes like it came straight out of a Keurig. This beer has a beautiful coffee brown color with a tasty caramel and wheat flavor. The coffee is subtle enough in the after taste that it still feels like beer.
Timber Snake
American IPA
6.8 ABV
This is a great beer for anyone who loves hops and malts. Timber Snake has the same great bitter crispness as Karbach’s Weekend Warrior and New Republic’s Whipsaw.
Extra Pale Ale
American Pale Ale
6.4 ABV
This one is a little heavier on the malt than the hops. The Extra Pale Ale features a strong malt taste with a caramel finish.
Brewjeria
American Brown Ale
6.9 ABV
The Brewjeria is like the Extra Pale Ale, but much more amplified. This beer features an intense blend of malt and spice.
Ciaran
Scotch Ale
6.2 ABV
This beer is an impressive blend of chocolate, dark fruit, and malt sweetness. The dark color has you expecting something similar to Brewjeria, when in reality this beer tastes much lighter and crispier.
Rauch Bock
Rachbock
6.7 ABV
This brew is smoky and smooth with a savory bit of hops. The yeasty base makes it easy to drink with just the right amount of bitterness.
Karbach
Zee German Pills
German Pilsner
4.9 ABV
This beer is crisp and light, leaving you happy with not too much bloat. It features a nice amber color with a wheat base and a little bit of a bite.
Love Street
Kölsch
4.9
This crisp beer is perfect for a summer day by the pool. It is light enough to not slow you down but delicious enough to still carry the craft feel. This is a great choice for novice drinkers–with a clean malt base mixed with the perfect, subtle amount of hops.
Weekend Warrior
Pale Ale
5.5 ABV
Weekend Warrior pairs caramel, malt, and citrus to create a pointed blend that is perfect for craft beer drinkers.
Hopadillo
American IPA
6.6% ABV
Hopadillo takes the bitterness from Weekend Warrior and turns it up two notches. This crisp beer goes down surprisingly easy for such a hop forward brew.
Weisse Versa
Witbier
5.3 ABV
Weisse Versa takes the best of both worlds: Karbach combined the great yeast taste from both the hefeweizen and Belgian white to create this liquid bread gold mine.
