BY MIKE PUCKETT

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Buffalo Bayou Brewing Company is located just south of I-10 and a block from TC Jester in a quiet, inconspicuous space that, at first glance, seems to be just a neighborhood. Well, I can tell you one thing, Buffalo Bayou Brewing Company is a neighbor this guy would love to have!

When I pulled up to Buffalo Bayou Brewing, I noticed a large open bay.  I could already tell it would be similar to many craft breweries I have visited in San Diego. You walk into the brewery / tasting room and it’s not super flashy, but you can see that they have all the essentials in place. Some breweries get way too caught up in their tasting rooms when they should be spending more time perfecting their craft … ya know?

So, we have a bar, some taps, some signage, some merch and some men hard at work! Now, where can I find me some cups? Ha! It’s a damn fine day here in Houston, Texas and I can’t think of a better place to be spending Craft Beer Friday than Buffalo Bayou Brewing Company!

Buffalo Bayou Brewing, a Top Texas Craft Brewery, is one of the most creative breweries in Texas. The philosophy here is very simple: as described in their own words “We subscribe to our own definitions regarding brewing parameters and guidelines, without sacrificing flavor or consistency.”

Over the past 4 years, Buffalo Bayou Brewing has released a new bomber each month. This is how they consistently push the boundaries while providing innovative flavors that can stand up against any other brewery in Texas. They are not afraid to break all the rules. They not only think outside the box, but dismantle the box completely and then reconstruct it in such a way that just seems to leave you scratching your head and wondering… now, why I didn’t think of that?

The design and packaging of their bombers goes right along with the creative thinking behind their beers. Born and raised in Houston myself, I take great pride in our city and state. You can tell by the names and the label art that Buffalo Bayou Brewing does the same. These guys know what they are doing – and you can taste it with every sip you take!

Usually I don’t talk about any particular beer featured at the breweries I visit, just about my experience. My personal philosophy is that we all have different palates. Craft beer is like art in a gallery; we all have different tastes and prefer different styles. But, if you truly love art then you can appreciate the process and the beauty in it all. So, who am I to tell you what the best is?

I believe that is what makes craft beer and breweries so much fun! You get to discover and experience new flavors in original environments. That being said, just like the folks here at Buffalo Bayou Brewing, I am about to break all the rules. I had the pleasure of tasting one of their newly released bombers, “Mud Turtle”, and this is simply one of my favorite beers of all time! Pretty strong statement, but man, I gotta tell ya, this beer is something special! Hopefully this will become a staple beer here as I will definitely be coming back for more!

I highly recommend you take the time to stop by the Buffalo Bayou Brewing Company and taste some of their new and innovative creations. They have something to please every palate, and I bet you’ll be glad you stopped by to give them a try!

Good Eats says you need to taste the beers below at Buffalo Bayou Brewing Company…

Summer’s Wit
Real dudes drink pink
Who in their right mind brews with flowers? We do. We took a classic Belgian Witbier yeast and fed it hibiscus flowers, ginger coriander, and orange peel. The old monks may be turning in their graves.

ABV: 6%
OG: 13°
IBU: 20

Tasting Notes:
Look for a big floral nose, light citrus flavors in the mouthfeel and a bone dry coriander on the finish.

Lenin’s Revenge
As thick and black as your capitalist blood
In Soviet Russia, Stout drinks you.

ABV: 9.6%
OG: 23°
IBU: 50

Tasting Notes:
The hulking grain bill, featuring roasted barley, creates a smooth mouthfeel. Cascade and Willamette hops perfectly contradict each other, giving way to the fresh floral notes on the front nose, while the Belgian yeast strain provides a bone-dry, dark chocolate finish.

Rotundone
One sip compels another
The flavors of farmhouse ales compel and confound us. Bright, spicy, citrusy esters from the yeast strain dance across a crisp malt base and finish dry and savory. One sip transports you back to Wallonia and the rustic countryside where the French saison’s effervescent quench has saved Belgians from the heat since before they were Belgian. One sip compels another. Yet the flavor theory behind this simplest of styles confounds even the nerdiest palates, defying definition. Self-proclaimed professional tasters have described wines as “peppery” for eons. Yet it wasn’t until 2008 when scientists finally identified rotundone as the chemical compound found in both peppercorns and certain grape skins. Even more confounding: 1 in 5 people can’t smell the compound, and the rest of us are super sensitive to it. Every person is unique, and with a beer this complex, everyone will taste something a little different. So when that stuffy, self-important “expert” tells you what you “should be” tasting … just slap him in the face and take another sip. It’ll change again as it cools and warms, and then again as it ages unpredictably.

ABV: 8.2
OG: 17.5˚
IBU: 30

Tasting Notes:
Spicy notes up front from the pink and green peppercorn, a clean citrus mouthfeel from the golden naked oats and a crisp, hoppy finish.

Mud Turtle
Rich and decadent
We first brewed this rich and decadent ale as a birthday present to our friends on Westheimer who live and breathe the entrepreneurial spirit that is the backbone of our great city.
Obviously, Houston is the best city in the world. Inferior parts of Texas disagreed and called us “Mud Turtles.” Ok, so maybe we didn’t have “paved roads” or “clean water” until the late 1800s. But we had plenty of ale and drank a lot of it because it was sanitary. (Have you seen the bayou water? And no, we don’t brew with it.)

Fine Print:
ABV: 9.2
OG: 21˚
IBU: 30
Tasting Notes:
Dark chocolate aroma up front. A rich, velvety caramel mouthfeel with a big nutty finish from the pecans.

Vanilla Mocha Sunset
Pairs best with donuts, bacon and ice cream. All at once.
This is our third (and best?) collaboration with Houston’s very own Amaya Roasting Company. Our first collab was Buffalo Sunset, coffee loaded with hops.
Then we suited up in yoga pants & got #WGW on our Pumpkin Spiced Latte. This time we brought the malty chocolate notes forward, cut out all the hops, and smoothed out the coffee’s roast with a round vanilla mouthfeel & finish. When making coffee beers, most breweries play it safe with a porter or a stout (that’s how they did in the 1700s, right?). Simple recipes for simple minds, I suppose.

ABV: 9.2
OG: 18.5
IBU: 30

Tasting Notes:
Heavy aromatic notes of Amaya coffee up front, subtle hints of vanilla, and dark chocolate malt for a full-bodied finish.