USA, TX: Big Owl Craft Brew House to debut on September 4

A craft beer bar with an in-house brewery opens this weekend near The Heights. Big Owl Craft Brew House will debut Saturday, September 4, the Community Impact Newspaper reported on August 30.

A dream of Al and Victoria Gonzalez, Big Owl will offer 24 taps of craft beer, along with an extensive selection of bottles and cans for both on-premise and to-go. While the bar will feature local and regional selections, it will also serve as a taproom for Turkey Forrest Brewing, a local nanobrewery owned by the couple’s friends Louie Espinoza and Oscar Gonzalez.

Turkey Forrest, which describes itself as Houston’s only “all Mexican American owned nanobrewery,” produces primarily stouts and IPAs. An article in the Houston Beer Guide notes that Espinoza and Gonzalez plan to honor their heritage with beers that incorporate flavors from beverages such as aguas frescas and pulque-style beers.

“We want everyone to enjoy the Latin twist we will put on craft beer and at the same time teach a little about brewing — from the smell of the malts steeping to adding the hops in the boil to taking that first sip of our creations,” Espinoza said in a statement.

The bar’s prime location just south of the Houston Farmers Market and near the recently renovated Heights House Hotel should help it build a solid group of regulars. Ultimately, it’s goal is to welcome both veteran craft beer enthusiasts and residents of the historically Mexican-American neighborhood.

“We hope that our partnership and presence will encourage our community to come out and try craft beer with a hint of some of the flavors our community is already familiar with — pan dulce, licuados — you name it,” Oscar Gonzalez said.