USA, TX: Grain Theory brewery holds soft opening in Abilene

Grain Theory is a theory no more.

Ticketed soft openings were held Monday through Wednesday before Christmas at the brewery, taproom, kitchen and coffee bar on the second floor of the renovated downtown Abilene Motis Building, at 202 Pine St., the Abilene Reporter News reported.

Service since gradually has ramped up on a small scale the week of New Year's Day.

"For the most part, it's going pretty well," David Kasselman said about the soft opening.

Kasselman, Matthew Cogburn and Jeramie Sivley are co-founders in the brewery. The three met at Big Country Homebrewers and have won about 70 home-brewing awards between them. They began planning the brewery in earnest in early 2018.

In addition to craft brews, the international-inspired menu that Kasselman described as upmarket bar food. Highlights include house-made sausages of brats and boerewors, a South African style that is a nod to Kasselman's native country, with a Grain Theory IPA mustard.

Appetizers include pretzel bites with beer cheese and fries called Belgian frites.

The fries are cut thick, brined overnight and fried twice for a fluffy inside and crispy outside. They are served with various scratch-made sauces, including curried ketchup, spicy goddess and GT specialty that was popular during the soft opening, Kasselman said.

Other menu items will include fish and chip, sausage board, salads, beer-infused specialties and a grain bowl with ancient grains, pecans, roasted sweet potatoes and a maple-miso vinaigrette.

"Of course, Grain Theory has to have a grain bowl," Kasselman said.

He expects to initially offer eight in-house taps.

"We won't have any outside beer, it's just our own beer. We will eventually have 12, but obviously it's taking time to brew all that," Kasselman said.

Grain Theory also will showcase carefully curated wines and coffees.

Licensed as a restaurant through the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission, Grain Theory can operate at 50% capacity under current COVID-19 restrictions, Kasselman said.

The main taproom has a maximum capacity of 128, and another 87 people can be accommodated in a connected space that will be used for private events and overflow.

"Then, of course, the one advantage is we have a large balcony, and so there's a lot of outdoor seating, which some people appreciate," Kasselman said.

The balcony that parallels the sidewalk below also has wine barrels at which people can stand while enjoying a beverage and conversation.

Other COVID-19 measures in place include the staff wearing masks and customers asked to do the same, extra spacing between tables, Plexiglas partitions in some areas and use of hospital-grade cleaning products for deep cleaning in additional to regular restaurant sanitizing practices, Kasselman said.

Asked if Grain Theory is as first envisioned long ago while the three co-founders planned over brews, Kasselman's answer is yes and no.

The yes is for the space, and the no is related to all the COVID-19 measures. But, open means open, and that is something to toast.

"Finally, we're there," Kasselman said.

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