Texas Ale Project
Texas Ale Project combines the familiar with the boundary pushing to make something that bears a distinctive flavor without alienating newcomers.
Texas Ale Project combines the familiar with the boundary pushing to make something that bears a distinctive flavor without alienating newcomers.
Brent and Kat Thompson, the husband and wife team behind Texas Ale Project, were living in Ithaca, New York when they decided they wanted to make beer for the rest of their lives. Kat was attending Cornell’s MBA program at the time, and became involved in student led wine and beer clubs there. “I entered us into the homebrew competition. This was our first time brewing beer, we were complete novices, but we just did it for fun”, Kat tells us.
They had no idea how drastically this competition would affect the course of their lives. Fermenting in their closet and bottling by hand in the kitchen of their 700 square foot apartment in upstate New York, Brent and Kat discovered not just a hobby, but a lifelong passion. Their first homebrew was an Irish red ale dubbed “Amateur Leprechaun”. Now Brent and Kat are running Texas Ale Project in the design district, certainly more spacious environs than their old apartment, and the first brewery built from the ground up in Dallas proper since prohibition. Now, none of their beers can be referred to as “amateur”.
The beers you’ll find at Texas Ale Project combine an old word reverence for what Kat calls “tried and true European processes” with an innovative impulse to make brews that Brent describes as “in your face”. Savvy brewers understand the need to be both approachable and exotic in their selection, welcoming in craft beer novices and veterans alike. Texas Ale Project does just that; combining the familiar with the boundary pushing to make something that bears a distinctive flavor without alienating newcomers. As Brent puts it: “Every beer that we brew, we want it to be something that you want to go back to. Our IPA for example, ‘50 FT Jackrabbit’, it’s 7% ABV, 70 IBUs, but it’s not abrasive. So you’re really getting that nice bitterness backbone with just enough malt to really carry the hops forward. That’s really what we wrap our whole philosophy around. We want it to be something you can go back to.”
Something you can go back to indeed. We tried 50 FT Jackrabbit ourselves and were impressed with how a beer clocking in at such a high level of bitterness could be so sessionable. 50 FT Jackrabbit’s big brother is called “100 Million Angels Singing”. This beer is a love letter to IPA fanatics. At 100 IBUs and 9.2% ABV, it definitely meets the criteria of “in your face”, but as Brent and Kat are sure to point out, like all their beers, it’s still well balanced. The third core beer Texas Ale Project has on the market, readily available in cans all over the metroplex, is called “Fire Ant Funeral”, their Amber Ale. For beer drinkers who prefer malty sweetness to hop bitterness, this is the T.A.P. brew to get. It’s easy drinking; a flavorful, smooth, caramel hued ale with a malty nose, a clean finish, and just a tinge of bitterness for balance.
You can visit Kat and Brent yourself, and enjoy one of the bold, balanced brews they and their team have concocted. The Texas Ale Project taproom is open Thursdays and Fridays from 5pm to 9pm, and on Saturdays from 1pm to 9pm. They also offer free tours every Saturday at 2pm and 3pm. If it’s available, ask for their winter seasonal white Russian imperial stout, “The Caucasian”. The Caucasian is an anomaly; a gold colored stout brewed with whole vanilla beans and cold brew coffee. The beer is rich and smooth, potently flavored yet drinkable. It’s a great embodiment of what makes Texas Ale Project unique in the North Texas craft beer landscape.
For those of us who have lived in Dallas for some time, we remember the old Truluck’s that was in the same location as the current, modern masterpiece. The old building needed a facelift, and after dining in the renovated location, I can say, they did a marvelous job. On this night, I had a craving for some great seafood, and thankfully our friends were game. We hit Uptown and headed out for what should be considered one of Dallas’s top seafood destinations.
When you first arrive, you realize that the only way to get in is to valet. Upon entering we were led upstairs. This was a bummer, because later I realized (on my trek to the restroom) that the bar downstairs was the happening spot to sit! Next time I’ll definitely grab a cocktail before I throw myself into the ocean fare.
I came to Truluck’s for the Stone Crab, and at $22 per claw they did not disappoint. Paired with a nice French Rose, the crab was the perfect starter when coupled with my spring salad. A kind of boring salad choice, but it was perfect with the claws.
For dinner I ordered the Seabass($42) and unfortunately, I would give it a so-so grade on flavor. The rice pilaf served with it was quite bland as well. My wife and I shared some of the filet and I wished I had ordered that as my main course, because it was fantastic. Thankfully the mashed potatoes served with it were pretty tasty too. My buddy ordered the South African Lobster Tail, and I was amazed by how beautiful it looked plated up. He didn’t share though (some friend, right?), so I can’t comment on how it tasted. Dammit!
On the bright side, our waiter was a pro and took great care of us. I was in the mood for something different in the wine department, so we steered clear of “bourdieu boredom” and opted for the Celani Family Tenacious Cab 2011 instead. This unfiltered cab was unique, and a bit young, but opened up nicely. I need a few bottles for my cellar, because in a few years this wine will be a rock-star.
We ended the night with a cheesecake and a house specialty called the Baked Alaska. The Baked Alaska isn’t on the menu, and is reserved for “special occasions”, but we ordered it anyway and the accommodating staff made it happen! I wanted to order the Dolce, from Far Niente, but it was only available by the bottle, so I had to pass. Didn’t want to see any of that $168 bottle of dessert wine go to waste! All in all, Truluck’s makes for a good date. It’s also perfect for a business dinner, and next time I’ll definitely stop for a few drinks at the bar.
A Dallas classic, Truluck’s did not let us down! The cool, yet formal atmosphere is coupled with excellent service from the time you reach the front door through to dessert. Downstairs has an amazing bar area with live piano and a singer, but upstairs is really the place to be. The view on the second floor is gorgeous at night and definitely added to our incredible dining experience.
We were immediately greeted by our server and offered water, bread, and a look at Truluck’s extensive wine list. Our server was great: friendly, knowledgeable, thorough, and patient. We opted for a rose wine to start off, a nice pairing for our salads and stone crab claws. I chose the Sonoma Greens salad with spicy pecans, local goat cheese, apples, kalamata olives, and a honey vinaigrette. He Dines enjoyed the fresh Florida Stone Crab Claws, served pre-cracked with lemon and a specialty mustard sauce. All the enjoyment with none of the work!
For my entrée, I chose the 7-ounce filet served with scrumptious parmesan mashed potatoes. Even though I love fish, this felt like a steak kind of night (that being said, I did try some of He Dine’s Chilean Seabass and thought it was the best I’ve ever had).
After I’d eaten my filet, I joked that it was way too small, dinky even, but only because I could have eaten two of them. It was seriously some of the tenderest, most melt in your mouth steak I’ve had in a long time. He dines ordered the Miso-Glazed Seabass with Crab Fried rice (minus the crab, because I have a shellfish allergy and insisted that he share). As if all this was not enough, we ended the meal with some truly delicious classic cheesecake.
Monday through Friday from 4:30 to 6:30 Truluck’s has a great happy hour menu! Half off cocktails, wine, and selected appetizers, so definitely don’t let the prices scare you off. Some appetizers and a cocktail from Truluck’s could be the perfect end to your work day! I know I’ll be back.