CRAFT BEER: GIVING TEXAS A GOOD NAME

TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE O COMMISSIONER SID MILLER

MAY 2016 EDITION

GO LOCAL. GO TEXAN.TEXAS FOOD, WINE, RESTAURANTS, RECIPES, GARDENING, STYLE & MORE

2

CRAFT BEER: GIVING TEXAS A GOOD NAME

Craft beer is growing in popularity all across the nation, and it’s experiencing quite a growth spurt right here in Texas. By the end of 2015, there were 4,269 craft breweries in the U.S., which made up 12 percent of all beer brewed in the U.S. The Lone Star State is helping fuel these numbers. In Texas, craft brewing has experienced tremendous growth over the past 10 years. Today, 123 brew pubs and 108 breweries call Texas home.

This growth was given a legislative boost with the passage of several bills back in 2013 that allowed breweries to sell beer at their locations for customers to drink on-site. Previously, the breweries could only sell

3

souvenir pint glasses during tours, which visitors could then use for free samples. Now visitors can still come in for tours, but they can also sit down and enjoy full pints right at the brewery.

For a visual look at the spread of craft breweries across the state, check out this recent map by the Texas Craft Brewers Guild.

To download a database of GO TEXAN members that are either breweries or brew pubs, head over to our Product Search page and type in “beer.” You’ll find at least 60 members.

44

5

4TH TAP BREWING: BRINGING SOMETHING NEW TO THE TABLE4th Tap Brewing Cooperative opened in early November 2015 on Metric Boulevard in north Austin. This area has quickly become known as Austin’s Brewery District.

Founded as the first worker-cooperative production brewery in the state, and one of the first in the country, 4th Tap’s unique structure allows it to be 100 percent owned and managed by the people who work there.

“There are so many great breweries right here in Austin that are brewing amazing representations of classic styles, and we didn’t want to add to the noise,” Founder and President John Stecker said. “We focus on the qualities within a style that we enjoy, and try to find local, unique or interesting ingredients to further lift those qualities up.”

For example, the brewery uses tamarind to give their wheat beer a pleasantly tart finish that compliments the crisp dryness of the wheat.

“Our Sun Eater is a rosemary gruit, which is a brew made with herbs, and due to the

absence of hops, we can and do make it with all native Texas ingredients,” Stecker said. “The rosemary and lemon peel added to a sorghum base creates a light, crisp, almost cider or champagne-like drink that’s perfect for the Texas heat.”

Like a growing number of craft breweries, 4th Tap is a proud GO TEXAN member.

“Partnering with GO TEXAN was a natural choice for us,” Stecker said. “We pride ourselves on being plugged into our local neighborhood and economy, and GO TEXAN helps facilitate and support that connection.”

4th Tap’s founders are all from Texas, and the brewery itself sits down the road from where two of the founders grew up in Austin.

“Most of us graduated from the University of Texas and have spent most, if not all, of our lives in Austin,” Stecker said. “This is our home, and we are proud to be able to brew and share beer with our neighbors and our town.”

66

7

RECIPE: BASIC BEER BREADThis calls for 4th Tap Brewing’s Sun Eater Sorghum Ale and comes from Annie Winsett and her blog, Baking Outside the Lines.

“To say this recipe is simple is an understatement, but it’s also simply wonderful,” Winsett said. “You only need a few ingredients, and you can make a healthy, tasty bread to pair with any spread. Sprinkle a little extra rosemary or spice of your choice on top, and you’ve got a fabulous loaf!”

Yield: 1 loaf Time: 1 hour 15 minutes

Ingredients:3 cups Flour (all-purpose or white whole wheat)½ cup Sugar1 tsp. Dijon mustard 12 oz. 4th Tap’s Sun Eater Sorghum Ale

Optional Ingredients:½ cup Nuts: almonds, walnuts or seeds1 tbsp. Spices — rosemary, thyme or basil1 cup Cheese — Gruyere or cheddar

Preparation:1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.2. Prepare a loaf pan with nonstick spray.3. In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking soda and Sun Eater Ale. Mix well.4. Mix in any of the optional ingredients.5. Pour the batter into the loaf pan, and bake for 55 minutes.6. Let the bread cool, and enjoy!

88

9

There is never a dull moment at the Backyard Grill! From the 6-pound burger challenge to the Bucket of Destruction to the BYG Brew Crew, there is something to keep everyone coming back.

Located in Cypress Fairbanks, one of the largest communities in northwest Houston, the Backyard Grill is known as the restaurant with the big tree in the middle of the dining room. Even with a large menu, the most popular eats remain craft burgers, chicken fried steak, fajitas and mesquite-grilled steaks. Unique daily specials showcase dishes made with local craft beers.

“Although we offer more than 100 beers on-site, we are especially proud of our commitment to our Texas breweries and their selections,” owner Mark McShaffry said. “The craft beer demand is growing every day, and we are excited to bring as many flavors as possible to the table.”

The Backyard Grill is proud to be a GO TEXAN member — not just once, but twice!

“We are not only a GO TEXAN member as a restaurant, but also with our Backyard Texas Sauce and Seasonings,” McShaffry said. “We proudly display the GO TEXAN mark on all of our products.” Not content to just serve food, the restaurant also offers full-service catering for weddings, holiday parties, and business, social and church events. Have your event under the big tree or hire their food truck or catering staff to come to you.

Dedicated to their community, the restaurant works with the Cy-Hope charity for kids in Cy-Fair and local schools throughout the year to enrich the lives of children and families in northwest Houston. They also offer regular “Under the Tree” children’s events, featuring costumed characters, clowns and arts and crafts.

The Backyard Grill is open seven days a week for lunch and dinner, plus breakfast on the weekends. Stop by if you’re in northwest Houston, or check out their website.

THE BACKYARD GRILL OF YOUR DREAMS

101010

11

U.S. CITRUS: MICRO-BUDDING® ACCELERATES GROWTH FOR AN INDUSTRYThe Rio Grande Valley has made a name for itself as the place to get fresh citrus in Texas. With its fertile climate, a small town in the middle of the Valley is set to get even more attention for its innovation.

“I believe Hargill, Texas, will emerge as the center of a new citrus revolution in the country and as an answer to devastating diseases,” Dr. Mani Skaria said.

Skaria’s company, U.S. Citrus, uses a new technology called micro-budding, which is a novel citrus propagation technique developed by Dr. Skaria. He is a retired citrus scientist from the Texas A&M University-Kingsville Citrus Center and recipient of the prestigious Pott’s award for recognition of outstanding service to the horticultural industry of South Texas.

“The micro-budding process begins with rootstock, which is a small piece of an existing plant that is germinated in a controlled environment,” Dr. Skaria said. “Buds from existing fruit trees are then mechanically grafted onto the rootstock. In less than six months, the buds have

sprouted and are ready to be planted. The trees we send from our grove in Hargill are exactly the same as what we use for commercially grown citrus.”

The citrus trees are grown for a year in Hargill and then boxed and shipped out with a guarantee to bear fruit within a year of arrival. Each plant is shipped in a well-protected box, with instructions for plant care and some environmentally-friendly fertilizer for future use.

“They make a perfect, high-impact gift,” Dr. Skaria said.

In addition to a thriving mail-order company that “brings the grove to your doorstep,” U.S. Citrus opens its facility to educational tours for school-aged children and college students. For students too far away to visit the plant itself, Dr. Skaria offers a beginners course online that introduces students to a new way of citrus production.

For more information or to buy your own citrus tree, visit their website.

1212

13

URBANherbal: IT’S EASY BEING GREENBill Varney started growing plants at the young age of 8. He started in the herb business in 1985 on Main Street in Fredericksburg and founded the award-winning Fredericksburg Herb Farm, which he later sold. Then he created what he calls “a wonderful herbal haven,” or URBANherbal.

URBANherbal has a greenhouse, beautiful grounds with gardens, a boutique shop where Varney sells handmade herbal products, and a cooking school where he teaches students how to grow and cook with herbs. Varney handcrafts gourmet foods with herbs such as vinegars, seasonings, teas and flower waters, as well as skin care products, unique colognes and aromatherapy items, all of which can be purchased in his shop.

Varney believes that a person’s life can be enriched through experiencing herbs in a variety of places — from the garden to the kitchen, from the bath to the medicine chest. He has always been inspired by faith, hope and love through his family, friends, church and customers.

“We are always developing new products to enrich people’s lives through all of their senses: touch, taste, smell, sound and sight,” Varney said.

For more information, see the Flipagram Varney created and their website.

1414

15

Houston resident Kiki Neumann is a self-proclaimed “Texas folk artist and urban street scavenger,” and the claim is wonderfully accurate. She has taken her passion for repurposing and upcycling cast-off items and created treasures that are sure to warm the heart.

Two of her most popular lines use discarded license plates. In one line, Kiki features trimmed letters from these plates to create witty, customized plaques and wall hangings. The other line is an offshoot of her license plates signs — a collection of greeting cards using photos of these heartfelt designs.

Her handmade license plate card line features more than 60 images that spell out unique ways to thank, encourage, motivate or inspire. The cards have caught on and are now available in Buc-ee’s flagship stores.

“I created the greeting card line for people to share a long-lasting message with loved ones and friends that would last beyond emailing and texting,” said Neumann. “Now, after 3 years, it has

become a preferred choice for birthday and celebratory cards. Tens of thousands of cards are being sold every year! The cards are mostly Texas-themed, so I have a huge audience of native and homesick Texan corresponders. I am beyond thrilled that folks are communicating in their own handwriting. Plus, lots of people have told me they’re framing my art to even keep the memories.”

Her business has evolved in many directions since it began as a way to make useful home and garden items from cast off urban “heavy trash” finds. Those who know Kiki personally wonder if she ever sleeps. Kiki built a one-of-a-kind art studio by herself that now houses six studios for artists to rent. Taking up two of the studios with her own projects, she dedicates one highly unique studio solely to working with license plates as a medium for art. This studio was featured in a recent video interview on the Live Well Network.

For more information on her delightful and creative line of art, visit her website.

KIKI NEUMANN CREATIONS: TAKING HER CREATIVE LICENSE

16

GO TEXAN APPAREL: WEAR YOUR TEXAS PRIDE ON YOUR SLEEVE

Shop GO TEXAN at gotexan.org

GO TEXAN DENIM HAT

$18.95

GO TEXAN PINT GLASS

$10

WINE GLASS STEMLESS

SET OF 2$12

WINE GLASS 18 oz.

SET OF 2$15

LOCALLY GROWN ADULT T-SHIRT $20

MILITARY GREEN GO TEXAN T-SHIRT ADULT $20 BLACK

GO TEXAN T-SHIRT

LADIES $10

16

17

Show the world that you are GO TEXAN proud. Sport your GO TEXAN colors at your next event with our GO TEXAN apparel or when serving guests at home with elegant GO TEXAN glassware.

The best part of all ... is that all shipping is FREE!

GO TEXAN APPAREL: WEAR YOUR TEXAS PRIDE ON YOUR SLEEVE

ASPHALT GRAY GO TEXAN T-SHIRT ADULT $20

GROWN TEXAN GREENONESIE $17

GO TEXAN BLUE CAMOONESIE $15

GO TEXAN PINK CAMOONESIE $15

CORK STOPPER $10 GO TEXAN TERVIS TUMBLERSET OF 2 $26

18

SPOT THE GO TEXAN MARK CHALLENGEWant a fun way to share the best of Texas with the world? It’s easy!

GO TEXAN uses social media tools like Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to post GO TEXAN events, share member news and increase awareness of the wide-variety of products grown and made right here in the Lone Star State.

Challenge: If you spot the GO TEXAN mark, let us know. Send us a picture of the mark on a product, sign or printed materials, and tell us where you saw it. Be sure to use the GO TEXAN hashtag #GOTEXAN when you post, so we can easily share your message, or send us an email.

19

UPCOMING TEXAS EVENTS May 15: Bites & Flights, Fort WorthMay 20-21: Piney Woods Wine Festival, LindaleMay 20-22: Main Street Fest, Grapevine May 21: Sip & Shop, BryanMay 21-22: Toyota Texas Fest, FriscoMay 27: Crawfish Festival, FredericksburgJune 10-12: Coffee Fest Dallas, DallasJune 17-18: Stonewall Peach JAMboree and Rodeo, StonewallAug. 27: 5th Annual Pearland Wine and Food Festival, Pearland

View more Texas events here.

19

SPOT THE GO TEXAN MARK CHALLENGE

20

About GO TEXAN

Launched in 1999 by the Texas Department of Agriculture, GO TEXAN, with its signature mark in the shape of Texas, celebrates, promotes and supports the business savvy and plainspoken grit Texas agriculture is known for throughout the world. Whether it’s grown, sewn or served up on a plate, nearly 27 million Texans shop, travel and dine out in support of Texas businesses, agriculture and communities, looking for the GO TEXAN mark to light the way. To learn more about the GO TEXAN program, call (877) 99-GOTEX or visit the GO TEXAN website.

Tell others about GO TEXAN! One great and easy way is to forward them this electronic publication. All your friends have to do to subscribe is click here to subscribe, and they’ll start receiving the Go Local. GO TEXAN. free monthly e-zine.