Sure, you’re a beer nerd. You know the difference between a pale ale, a porter and a Hefeweizen, and you’re eager to share this knowledge with your companions. But when it comes to beer, Stephen Beaumont wrote the book. His latest, co-authored by Tim Webb, is Best Beers: The Indispensable Guide to the World's Best Craft and Traditional Beers. And several DARTable North Texas brewers get the beer guru’s nod of approval. Deep Ellum’s own BrainDead Brewing is on Beaumont’s ones-to-watch list; the spacious restaurant and brewpub was founded by three notable local beer nerds, and it’s a short walk from Deep Ellum Station at 2625 Main St. The brewpub’s Foreign Export Stout makes a great winter warmer. BrainDead is a great place to hang out, too, with a terrific rotating roster of in-house brews and one of the best patios in the neighborhood. Community Beer Co. is another local favorite that makes the cut. You’ll find Community’s ultra-high-quality craft brews in bars and restaurants throughout the region. But why not go straight to the source? Their Design District facility has a taproom that’s open Wednesdays through Saturdays. Try the Mosaic IPA if you’re a die hard hop lover. Did you know that their beers feature their own proprietary strain of yeast? You’ll learn that and a lot more at their open house and tour, conducted every Saturday. Route 749, which runs down Victory Boulevard just across the parking lot from Victory Station, puts you within a block of the esteemed beer emporium located at 1530 Inspiration Drive.  Peticolas Brewing Company is a heavy hitter in the brewing world, having won a gold medal at the Great American Beer Festival – twice. At any given time, they may have as many as 30 beers in production. You can sample some of these at the brewery’s taproom, open Thursdays through Sundays; on the first and third Saturdays of each month, you can take a tour and learn about the beers you’re tasting. Velvet Hammer is a favorite; Royal Scandal was one that took the gold. Petticolas is three blocks from Bus Route 63 at 1301 Pace St. in Dallas. Other local favorites not mentioned in the book include: Bankhead Brewing Co.,  a charming spot near Downtown Rowlett Station, serves food cooked in wood-burning ovens, and the premium brews come in a wide variety. Traditional German and English recipes get a lot of play here. The inviting space is in a historic setting, and outdoor seating is plentiful when the weather's nice. Rowlett’s salvo in the beer revolution is at 3840 Main St. The hip Intrinsic Smokehouse and Brewery is located two blocks from Downtown Garland Station in the heart of the town square. Intrinsic offers a seasonal selection of its own handcrafted beers, and also keeps a rotation of guest beers and house-made sodas on tap. You’ll find it at 509 W. State St., in the heart of Downtown Garland. It’s not a brewpub per se, but you’ll find an excellent selection at Plano’s The Fillmore Pub at 1004 E. 15^th St., just around the corner from Downtown Plano Station. And when it comes to great selection, The Ginger Man, two short blocks from the M-Line Trolley at 2718 Boll St., is the grand-daddy of them all; the Uptown institution has been serving nearly 80 beers on tap since 1992.

Sure, you’re a beer nerd. You know the difference between a pale ale, a porter and a Hefeweizen, and you’re eager to share this knowledge with your companions. But when it comes to beer, Stephen Beaumont wrote the book. His latest, co-authored by Tim Webb, is Best Beers: The Indispensable Guide to the World's Best Craft and Traditional Beers. And several DARTable North Texas brewers get the beer guru’s nod of approval. Deep Ellum’s own BrainDead Brewing is on Beaumont’s ones-to-watch list; the spacious restaurant and brewpub was founded by three notable local beer nerds, and it’s a short walk from Deep Ellum Station at 2625 Main St. The brewpub’s Foreign Export Stout makes a great winter warmer. BrainDead is a great place to hang out, too, with a terrific rotating roster of in-house brews and one of the best patios in the neighborhood. Community Beer Co. is another local favorite that makes the cut. You’ll find Community’s ultra-high-quality craft brews in bars and restaurants throughout the region. But why not go straight to the source? Their Design District facility has a taproom that’s open Wednesdays through Saturdays. Try the Mosaic IPA if you’re a die hard hop lover. Did you know that their beers feature their own proprietary strain of yeast? You’ll learn that and a lot more at their open house and tour, conducted every Saturday. Route 749, which runs down Victory Boulevard just across the parking lot from Victory Station, puts you within a block of the esteemed beer emporium located at 1530 Inspiration Drive.  Peticolas Brewing Company is a heavy hitter in the brewing world, having won a gold medal at the Great American Beer Festival – twice. At any given time, they may have as many as 30 beers in production. You can sample some of these at the brewery’s taproom, open Thursdays through Sundays; on the first and third Saturdays of each month, you can take a tour and learn about the beers you’re tasting. Velvet Hammer is a favorite; Royal Scandal was one that took the gold. Petticolas is three blocks from Bus Route 63 at 1301 Pace St. in Dallas. Other local favorites not mentioned in the book include: Bankhead Brewing Co.,  a charming spot near Downtown Rowlett Station, serves food cooked in wood-burning ovens, and the premium brews come in a wide variety. Traditional German and English recipes get a lot of play here. The inviting space is in a historic setting, and outdoor seating is plentiful when the weather's nice. Rowlett’s salvo in the beer revolution is at 3840 Main St. The hip Intrinsic Smokehouse and Brewery is located two blocks from Downtown Garland Station in the heart of the town square. Intrinsic offers a seasonal selection of its own handcrafted beers, and also keeps a rotation of guest beers and house-made sodas on tap. You’ll find it at 509 W. State St., in the heart of Downtown Garland. It’s not a brewpub per se, but you’ll find an excellent selection at Plano’s The Fillmore Pub at 1004 E. 15^th St., just around the corner from Downtown Plano Station. And when it comes to great selection, The Ginger Man, two short blocks from the M-Line Trolley at 2718 Boll St., is the grand-daddy of them all; the Uptown institution has been serving nearly 80 beers on tap since 1992.

Sure, you’re a beer nerd. You know the difference between a pale ale, a porter and a Hefeweizen, and you’re eager to share this knowledge with your companions. But when it comes to beer, Stephen Beaumont wrote the book. His latest, co-authored by Tim Webb, is Best Beers: The Indispensable Guide to the World's Best Craft and Traditional Beers. And several DARTable North Texas brewers get the beer guru’s nod of approval. Deep Ellum’s own BrainDead Brewing is on Beaumont’s ones-to-watch list; the spacious restaurant and brewpub was founded by three notable local beer nerds, and it’s a short walk from Deep Ellum Station at 2625 Main St. The brewpub’s Foreign Export Stout makes a great winter warmer. BrainDead is a great place to hang out, too, with a terrific rotating roster of in-house brews and one of the best patios in the neighborhood. Community Beer Co. is another local favorite that makes the cut. You’ll find Community’s ultra-high-quality craft brews in bars and restaurants throughout the region. But why not go straight to the source? Their Design District facility has a taproom that’s open Wednesdays through Saturdays. Try the Mosaic IPA if you’re a die hard hop lover. Did you know that their beers feature their own proprietary strain of yeast? You’ll learn that and a lot more at their open house and tour, conducted every Saturday. Route 749, which runs down Victory Boulevard just across the parking lot from Victory Station, puts you within a block of the esteemed beer emporium located at 1530 Inspiration Drive.  Peticolas Brewing Company is a heavy hitter in the brewing world, having won a gold medal at the Great American Beer Festival – twice. At any given time, they may have as many as 30 beers in production. You can sample some of these at the brewery’s taproom, open Thursdays through Sundays; on the first and third Saturdays of each month, you can take a tour and learn about the beers you’re tasting. Velvet Hammer is a favorite; Royal Scandal was one that took the gold. Petticolas is three blocks from Bus Route 63 at 1301 Pace St. in Dallas. Other local favorites not mentioned in the book include: Bankhead Brewing Co.,  a charming spot near Downtown Rowlett Station, serves food cooked in wood-burning ovens, and the premium brews come in a wide variety. Traditional German and English recipes get a lot of play here. The inviting space is in a historic setting, and outdoor seating is plentiful when the weather's nice. Rowlett’s salvo in the beer revolution is at 3840 Main St. The hip Intrinsic Smokehouse and Brewery is located two blocks from Downtown Garland Station in the heart of the town square. Intrinsic offers a seasonal selection of its own handcrafted beers, and also keeps a rotation of guest beers and house-made sodas on tap. You’ll find it at 509 W. State St., in the heart of Downtown Garland. It’s not a brewpub per se, but you’ll find an excellent selection at Plano’s The Fillmore Pub at 1004 E. 15^th St., just around the corner from Downtown Plano Station. And when it comes to great selection, The Ginger Man, two short blocks from the M-Line Trolley at 2718 Boll St., is the grand-daddy of them all; the Uptown institution has been serving nearly 80 beers on tap since 1992.