USA, TX: Talyard Brewing Co. getting ready to launch in Sugar Land in late September

A decadeslong friendship has culminated into Talyard Brewing Co., Sugar Land’s first major brewery that is set to open in late September, Community Impact reported on August 21.

Co-owners Chuck Laughter and Keith Teague met at a pool in their Sienna community over 20 years ago, they said.

With kids around the same age, their friendship was forged through backyard barbecues, community events and coaching Little League games, they said. They purchased plots and built homes right next to each other in Missouri City in 2007, Teague said.

Their bond has spanned generations, passing through their children to their collective 15 grandchildren, they said.

“The name Talyard means Teague and Laughter yard,” Teague said. “It's like the backyard, and all those good times we spent in our backyard. It really embodies what we wanted to create: a place for families and friends to gather and enjoy that vibe.”

The idea began with a passion for craft beer the friends developed throughout the early 2000s, Teague said. After years of pub crawls throughout Houston and road trips to breweries in the Texas Hill Country, Laughter had an idea to start a taproom in 2018, he said.

Delays due to the pandemic and city ordinance amendments proved purposeful, they said. In that time, they assembled a talented team, including a German-trained brewmaster, and emphasized a strong company culture.

“[The pandemic] influenced this whole ‘life is meant to be lived together’ idea,” Laughter said. “That was a big part of what guided our thought process [during] formative architectural programming and those defining stages [for the business].”

The brewery's owners aim to create a welcoming space for families and friends, reflecting Teague and Laughter’s longstanding community ties, they said.

Talyard will sell its own branded brews, ranging from lagers to sours to India pale ales. They’ve also developed a menu comprised of “Southern comfort cuisine," such as barbecue, pizzas, burgers, wraps and appetizers.

The brewery sits on 4 acres, with space for up to 1,000 guests outside and 500 more inside the two-floor restaurant space. A stage with a projector, pickleball courts, a bar, a playground and ample seating occupy the grounds.

While a series of soft openings have and will continue to take place up until their September opening, Laughter said he’s most excited to see Talyard fully operational. They both look forward to what the first Sugar Land brewery will mean for the city.

“My wife and I were standing right there in the front as people were just streaming down the sidewalk and coming up Imperial Boulevard,” Teague said. “And it was like, ‘OK, this isn't ours anymore. This is the community's now.’”

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