Hop & Sting Brewing Represents the Best of Grapevine

Main Street Fest, a family-friendly event that takes place each May in the heart of Historic Grapevine, celebrated its 40th year May 17-19. Featuring live music and shopping alongside a KidZone and the Carnival Midway, the popular festival offers families plenty of options to keep them busy. The weekend brought thousands of festival goers who got a taste of the fun, flavors, and, of course, craft beers the Grapevine community has to offer.

Hop & Sting Brewing Company Brings Local Beer to Main Street Fest

One of the main attractions of Main Street Fest is the Craft Brewing scene. For the second year in a row, Grapevine’s own Hop & Sting set up a dedicated booth to sling some of its classics, including a specially-brewed Pale Ale. “We collaborated with members of the Craft Brew Guild of Grapevine to create the Pale Ale,” said Jon Powell, co-owner of Grapevine’s only brewery. “It’s a great way for us to promote other brewers in the area who share an interest in brewing.”

Building a Guild of Brewers

The Craft Brew Guild of Grapevine is a civic and service organization built from a common love of Grapevine, volunteering, and – of course – craft brew. Members of the Guild serve as advocates for the city, volunteer for Main Street Fest and Grapefest, and gather regularly at watering holes around the city to try the latest concoctions. Naturally, one of the Guild’s top gathering spots is Hop & Sting.

“We have a really active community of brewing enthusiasts here in Grapevine. And we love bringing them into the Brewery to share our love for beer,” said Jon. “It’s anyone from home brewers to people who are just interested in brewing who want an educational opportunity.”

With just a few membership requirements, anyone can join the Guild. Members must volunteer a minimum of 12 hours at Grapevine events, pay a small membership fee, and obtain a Texas Alcohol and Beverage Commission (TABC) certification.

A Storied History of Brewing

Hop & Sting, which now operates out of a nearly 20,000-square-foot brewery that was once home to another company called Grapevine Craft Brewing, has a storied history in brewing. All beers are brewed in Grapevine in the brewery’s 12,000 square feet of production space, and the family-and-dog friendly taproom and outdoor beer garden offer a regular rotation of food, events, and entertainment for all ages and palettes.

The Brewery offers weekly trivia, concerts, comedy shows, markets featuring local businesses and makers, charity events, and even pet adoption events. And while they don’t offer regular brewery tours, Jon says, “If people want to check it out, we’re happy to show them around. They just have to ask!”

A Beer for Everyone (21 & up, of course)

One of Hop & Sting’s core philosophies is being inclusive in their beer offerings. “We try to make a beer for everyone,” said Jon. “We have six year-round beers that are always on draft and in cans and we usually have four others depending on the demand for our six regulars.”

Jon’s personal favorite is Aluminum Cowboy – a light lager with a similar profile to other mass-produced light beers. While it’s similar in flavor profile, it is brewed without rice or corn, giving it a better flavor. “It doesn’t taste like stale water,” Jon joked. “Most of the time, if you see me with a beer in my hand, it’s gonna be Aluminum Cowboy. We made it for ourselves because it’s easy to drink.” Hop & Sting prices Aluminum Cowboy similarly to the big brands to stay competitive and keep light beer drinkers local.

Bringing Grapevine Beer to the Baseball Diamond

Hop & Sting continues to grow their reach. They distribute throughout the Dallas-Fort Worth region, extending as far as Tyler and even into Oklahoma with a particular focus on Tulsa. “We just released an IPA with the Tulsa Drillers (Tulsa’s Minor League Baseball team),” said Jon. The DrillVille IPA is available at ONEOK Field throughout the season and can also be found in bars around the city. “We’re huge baseball fans and Tulsa has been such a good market for us. It was a great partnership opportunity for us.”

A Staple for Grapevine Locals

“We are so happy to be in Grapevine,” said Jon. “The community is so supportive – locals, other small businesses, the City, the Chamber of Commerce – everyone loves supporting local businesses here.”

It’s easy to keep a pulse on what’s happening at Hop & Sting. Visit their website to check out the events calendar, the Taproom’s food schedule, the list of rotating beers, a map of where you can find Hop & Sting brews, and more.

We’re Here to Help You Find Your Place in Grapevine

Our community represents the best of what Texas has to offer: a thriving historic downtown, fantastic shopping, dining, and entertainment, and a community full of small businesses owned and operated by locals whose business goals include growing and supporting the local economy, just like Hop & Sting.

Contact us for assistance with your small business needs. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram, and sign up for our newsletter! And be sure to check out The Growing Grapevine podcast! Find it on your favorite podcast apps such as Apple Podcast, Stitcher, Spotify, and Amazon Music. You can also check out the latest episode here.