Corpus Christi breweries: Your guide to handcrafted beer
Since 2008, International Beer Day has been celebrated every first Friday of August.
The purpose of the holiday is for participants to gather with friends and enjoy beer, recognize the people who brew and serve beer, and celebrate beers of all nations and cultures.
In Corpus Christi, there are plenty of bars, clubs and restaurants that serve beer on tap and in bottles or cans. However, there are also six breweries in the Sparkling City by the Sea, including one set to open this fall.
For those beer connoisseurs, consider trading in your Miller Lite or Pabst Blue Ribbon and tasting the handcrafted beer at these breweries.
B&J's Pizza — Brewpub
6662 S. Staples St.
B&J’s Pizza started in the 1970s in the Habeeb shopping center as a small party/takeout pizza store. It was started by a couple from Michigan named Betty & Jerry, hence the name. Later in the ’70s, it was purchased and turned into a pizza restaurant/computer store.
Jack and Kathy Baker bought the pizza restaurant in 1987 and, 20 years later, opened its second location on Corpus Christi's Southside.
B&J's started to brew its own beer in 2012, according to restaurant manager Jonathan Merritt.
"Our brewers communicate with managers, regulars and our beer club that consists of a couple hundred people" when it comes to brewing new beer, Merritt said. "It's a general consensus with our community. It takes a lot of brain power to come out with new beers. If you want to add flavor or a twist, you need more than one person calling the shots."
Some handcrafted ales include Left Handed Knives, Vanilla Harry Porter, Sauvignon Blanc IPL and Chocolate Orange Stout.
Website: bandjspizza.com
Hours: 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 11 a.m. to midnight Friday and Saturday; and noon to 10 p.m. Sunday
Lazy Beach Brewing and Cafe
7522 Bichon Drive
In 2010, Cory Mathews and a group of friends started to homebrew beer in his apartment. A couple of weeks later, Mathews' cousin Drew Burkhardt joined the Tuesday ritual.
About a year later, their beers started to taste better and they eventually joined BASH, the Bay Area Society of Homebrewers. The Corpus Christi homebrew club provided them information about homebrewing, equipment knowledge and training opportunities.
In 2014, Lazy Beach Brewing opened its doors and began distributing beer locally while serving customers in its taproom.
"Beertender" Marcela Montemayor said Lazy Beach is a "chill spot" that does not have plans of becoming a large corporation.
"If we're going to get big, we're going to get big here," Montemayor said. "We stay away from that sports bar vibe with TVs. We did have them at one time, but Cory took them away because he wanted people to mingle and get to know each other and build a community here."
What makes Lazy Beach different from other local breweries is that it releases a new brew every week. That makes it difficult for the staff members to think of a type of beer they want to create that they haven't already.
"We haven't done a whole lot of lagers," Burkhardt said. "Lagers take more time, but brewing a darker lager would be something we could do that would be cool soon."
Some handcrafted ales include Corpus Christi Blonde, Choppy Waters, hard root beer and Chai Boocha.
Website: lazybeachbrewing.com
Hours: 5-10 p.m. Wednesday through Friday; 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday; and 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday
Lorelei Brewing
520 Naval Air Station Drive
Located in Flour Bluff, Lorelei Brewing started creating beer in February 2016.
Trevor Belicek, co-owner and former Atlanta Brave, said the brewery is all about giving back to the community.
"Our newest project we've done is the Shaka Blonde with TAMU-CC," Belicek said. "Proceeds of that beer go to a scholarship for a future athlete. We're always trying to give back to the community. Whenever we have a chance, we try to give back."
More:TAMU-CC celebrates National Beer Day with two beers created by Corpus Christi breweries
The brewery got its name from the Rhine River near Wiesbaden, Germany. Towering over the Rhine is a large rock known as the Lorelei.
Folklore tells sailors would hear a woman's voice singing, luring them to the rock where their ship would wreck. As the legend goes, a grief-stricken woman lost her lover to the sea, threw herself from the top of the rock and now haunts the Lorelei.
Belicek said Lorelei Brewing keeps with the sea theme and plans on releasing a new beer for its seventh anniversary.
"I've never brewed one, but I figure it would be good," Belicek said. "I want a mermaid theme with it. Something like seven years and the seven seas. Salt in the water makes it a sea, and gose (a German sour beer) is brewed with salt, so that makes sense to me. Plus, I think it'll be a great beer to represent Corpus."
Some handcrafted ales include Khryseis Blonde Ale, Galaxy Smash IPA, Blue Clam Hard Seltzer and Marzen Lager.
Website: loreleibrewing.beer
Hours: 2:30-8 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 2-10 p.m. Friday and Saturday
Nueces Brewing Co.
401 S. Water St.
Cale Moore and Brandon Harper opened Nueces Brewing Co. in 2019. Unbeknownst to them, the COVID-19 pandemic was right around the corner.
In June 2020, Gov. Greg Abbott shut down bars and breweries in Texas after the spread of COVID-19 got worse.
With Moore and Harper "hanging on by their fingernails," the two revamped the brewery into a restaurant to remain in business.
Kyra Sullenger, taproom manager, said people flock to the brewery daily because of the service provided, food and beer.
"We make sure we stay trendy," Sullenger said. "We brew what's in style and what people are into."
Edd Adams, brewmaster, said he thinks of beers Nueces Brewing Co. has done before and then tries to think outside of the box.
"We know we'll come up with a good product, but how we're able to refine and perfect it is the fun part," Adams said. "Every year we come up with something different for our Christmas beer, so I'm thinking of crafting a dessert beer. My choice would be a sugar cookie flavor, but we'll see."
Some handcrafted ales include Original Lager, Devil's Bock, Pangosa and Find Out Stout.
Website: nuecesbrewing.com
Hours: 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday; 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday; and 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday
Railroad Seafood Station & Brewing Co.
1214 N. Chaparral St.
Railroad Seafood Station & Brewing Co. opened in 2008 in downtown Corpus Christi's SEA district. Five years later, it opened its microbrewery as the first five-barrel system in the city.
Kyle Pryor, brewmaster, said the brewery started as an addition to the business but has since steamrolled into a permanent part of the Railroad Seafood Station.
All brews made at the brewery are only sold there, Pryor said.
Pryor said when it comes to creating new beers, the general public is at the forefront.
"A lot of it has to do with what people want," Pryor said. "Making cool, unique one-off beers is cool, but customers want a certain thing. People come here for food first and beer second."
Pryor said Railroad makes beer to pair with its dishes.
Some handcrafted ales include Cerveza de la Flor, Fuzzy Peach Wheat, Black Vulture IPA and The Texan.
Website: railroadseafoodstation.com
Hours: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday
Rebel Toad Brewing Company
425 William St.
Currently, Rebel Toad Brewing Company is the only Latino-owned brewery in Corpus Christi. Owners Hector and Nathali Cavazos said they take that with pride.
Hector Cavazos, a former Corpus Christi ISD teacher, said he got inspired to homebrew after watching documentaries about beer. Nathali Cavazos, an elementary teacher in CCISD, likened her husband to a mad scientist in their garage.
In 2015, they opened their brewery in downtown Corpus Christi — even after their leaser told them, "That's it? It's not going to work out."
"We started off with a three-barrel system and we're now at a 10-barrel brew system," Nathali Cavazos said. "We have our beer at H-E-B, Spec's, local liquor stores and some bars and restaurants around town."
What makes Rebel Toad different from other breweries is its edge, Hector Cavazos said.
"We opened, sold everything out and closed for a month when we first started," he said. "Everything was new at that point; breweries were just starting. Yes, we sell beer but we're more than that."
Nathali Cavazos said running the business is still a challenge, "but we're taking it day by day."
Some handcrafted ales include Atomic Blonde, Abracahopbra IPA, Evil Little Soul and Picklehead Sour.
Website: rebeltoadbrewing.com
Hours: 5-9 p.m. Wednesday; 5-10 p.m. Thursday; 5-11 p.m. Friday; and 4-11 p.m. Saturday
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John Oliva covers entertainment and community news in South Texas. Contact him at john.oliva@caller.com or Twitter @johnpoliva.
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This article originally appeared on Corpus Christi Caller Times: Your guide to Corpus Christi's six breweries
