New Craft Beer Debuts

The SEC's favorite craft beer is finally rolling into Houston: $25 million expansion clears the way

SweetWater Brewing Company, one of the South's biggest craft brewers, will enter the Houston market on Monday. What took so long to bring the favorite of SEC tailgates and beer fans across the South to the Lone Star State?

"We can finally make enough beer, honestly," Steve Farace, SweetWater vice president of marketing, tells CultureMap. "We’ve been building up our brewery over the last four or five years. We did a huge expansion, invested about $25 million . . . Now we can finally make enough beer to really step on the gas from an expansion standpoint."

"It’s really not about how big we can get. It’s how much fun we can have while doing it right and growing smart with the right people in place."

That expansion has taken SweetWater to almost 200,000 barrels per year, which is good for 19th in the annual Brewers Association rankings of the country's 50 highest selling craft breweries. By comparison, local favorite Saint Arnold is 48th.

"We make a lot of beer," Farace concedes. "It’s cool, but, honestly, it’s really not about how big we can get. It’s how much fun we can have while doing it right and growing smart with the right people in place and doing all the things for the long term."

For now, Houstonians can sample four of SweetWater's brews on draft or in bottles and cans: 420 Extra Pale Ale, SweetWater IPA, SweetWater Blue and Take Two Pils. Farace suggests craft beer fans start with the 420 before moving on the IPA. "It’s fairly sessionable. It has a good hop character, but it’s not going to overwhelm your senses," he says.

Those looking for something lighter should consider the blue, which is a wheat ale with a mild sweetness from blueberries.

Farace admits that he still has some "liquid research" to do in order to get a sense of what's being produced locally, but a Tuesday night visit to packed Hay Merchant provided evidence that SweetWater is making the right move. The brand plans to introduce itself to Houstonians at a variety of events that include tap takeovers Monday night at both Houston-area Flying Saucer locations, Hay Merchant and Cottonwood.

"The guys from Saint Arnold have definitely paved the way," Farace says about Houston's booming craft beer scene. "Hopefully, these styles from SweetWater are something that can nestle right in."

The brewery will sell four beers in Houston at launch and expand over the next few months.

Courtesy photo

The brewery will sell four beers in Houston at launch and expand over the next few months.

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Bigger and better

Cafe's closure provides a new home for Houston's beloved 'Bagel Bob'

Courtesy of Berg Hospitality

"Bagel Bob" Orzo and Ben Berg are bringing better bagels to North Post Oak.

Ben Berg is moving on from his most casual restaurant, but the imminent closure of NoPo Café, Market & Bar will pave the way for the growth of a beloved Houston bagel bakery.

NoPo will serve its last meals on Monday, January 13. Open since 2021, it provided the North Post Oak area with a casual, all-day cafe. NoPo served breakfast and pastries in the morning alongside salads, sandwiches, and burgers for lunch and dinner. In its place, Berg Hospitality will divide the space at 1244 North Post Oak Rd. for two separate businesses that are expected to open in February.

Bagel Bob’s HTX (formerly NYTX) has claimed approximately 500 square feet for a new location that will replace its current store on Dairy Ashford Rd. Bagel Bob’s owner Bob Orzo and Berg are longtime friends, stemming from Orzo’s stint as the in-house baker at Berg’s original steakhouse, B&B Butchers, where he made breads, bagels, and rolls. Although it's moving into a former Berg space, Bagel Bob's is not part of Berg Hospitality.

Orzo is a native New Yorker who moved to Houston about a decade ago. At Bagel Bob’s, he serves hand-rolled bagels and traditional schmears. He also offers bagel sandwiches and makes what many regard as one of Houston’s best cheesecakes.

Orzo tells CultureMap that he’s moving because he outgrew his current location. Due to the space's small size, he lacked the room to produce enough bagels to meet demand on busy weekends. Unable to reach a deal with his landlord on a larger space at the same shopping center, he informed Berg of his search for a new spot. Since Berg was already planning to re-concept NoPo, the two quickly struck a deal. In particular, Orzo says he’s excited to have 20 seats for dine-in customers, since his current location is to-go only.

“I hate to disappoint my customer base [by moving], but this is the best possible solution for more productivity,” he explains. “Cafeteria-style service will be a big plus, since people are always looking for a table, and we were too small previously to have this additional convenience.”

Even better, Orzo shares that he’s in remission after being treated for cancer at Methodist Hospital, ensuring his fans will have reliable access to bagels for many years to come. “I’m ready and feeling strong and positive about the upcoming year,” he says.

Nopo’s other 2,000 square feet will be used as a commissary kitchen to support Berg Hospitality’s restaurants. In addition, it will serve as a research and development space for Ruchit Harneja, the company’s executive pastry chef, who will use it to create new desserts for the company.

“This is a win/win opportunity we couldn’t be happier about,” Berg said in a statement. “NoPo Cafe had a wonderful run, and we continue to be a presence in the neighborhood. But this transition allows a great friend to grow his business while allowing us to grow ours too: Ruchit’s incredible work needs the space to blossom even fuller as an essential component of our culinary goals.”

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