The Austin Beer Garden Brewing Co., where three straight GABF Brewpub of the Year titles meet pizza, picnic tables, and free shows.
The Austin Beer Garden Brewing Co. sits at 1305 W Oltorf St off South Lamar and carries hardware few American brewpubs can match: Great American Beer Festival Brewpub of the Year in 2016, 2017, and 2018, three years running.
The lagers did the winning. The Industry Helles took GABF gold in 2018, and Rocket 100 pilsner has three GABF golds of its own, per the festival's medal records compiled by The Austin Things. The room itself is a big friendly hall with picnic tables and a stage that hosts free shows.
Who would hate it? Hazebros chasing triple dry hopped novelty. This is a lager house, proudly.
Inside is one long hall of communal tables facing the bar and stage; outside, the gravel beer garden fills with dogs, kids, and softball teams. Yelp's 800+ reviews keep coming back to the same pairing: a crisp pint and a slice from the pizza oven.
Order the Industry Helles or Rocket 100 pilsner, the two most decorated beers in the house, with pints under $8. Both pour exactly as clean as the medals promise.
The kitchen's fresh baked pizzas are the move, with hearty sandwiches behind them. Skip nothing, but know the play: a pint, a pie, and a free show is the complete ABGB experience for around $25.
Families at 5pm, two steppers by 8pm, and brewers from every other Austin taproom in between. The free live music calendar keeps the hall full without a cover charge.