With nearly 10,000 craft breweries in the US, it is easier than ever to order a pint of local flavor. There’s hardly any corner of the country without at least one, and Amarillo is no exception. Our roster of five cities gives us plenty of homegrown quaffs to sample and destroy any previous boundaries of good taste.
Big cities with more breweries than most people would care to count have set up Ale Trails to promote beer tourism. It’s a big part of the brotherhood of breweries, happy to help each other while helping themselves, and by gamifying the experience—dangling a reward for visiting all the breweries on the map—they promote small business, good times and craft beer loyalty. Major win.
It’s just that our wide open spaces don’t lend themselves well to a manageable tour de force, not to mention that our craft beer outlets are few compared to more populated areas. As long as you’re not opposed to vast distances and a little imagination, it’s possible to make our own.
Let’s call it the West Texas Ale Trail. Do it all at once with overnights, or do it piecemeal.
Dumas
Our journey starts in Dumas, an hour north of Amarillo. Toppled Turtle Brewing Company sits on the north side of the courthouse square, where owner J.L. Wiswell masterfully brews his English-inspired varietals. A few years ago, Wiswell closed his brewery in Trinidad, Colorado, so he could return home and create one here. Not long ago he added a pizzeria to his family-friendly brewery. If you’ve ever had a Fuller’s Pale Ale in London, you’ll find similarly inspired beers on the menu. Come for the beer, stay for the pizza. You’re welcome.
Amarillo
Back down in A-Town, we continue at Six Car Pub & Brewery downtown. Open since 2018, it offers an upscale dining and drinking experience. I highly recommend the Sud Puddles, a little wordplay on our baseball team, which is a delightfully light Kölsch. The Make Good Choices IPA is also a winner. Indulge in the amazing brunch on the weekend. You won’t want to leave.
Over at The Big Texan Steak Ranch & Brewery, the Lees have been brewing beer longer than anyone in town. Most patrons are tourists, so they also offer mass-produced national brands, but satisfy more discriminating tastes with a wide variety of brews, from bocks, lagers and porters to IPAs and pale ales. My fave is the Rattlesnake Pale.
Down on Route 66, along Historic Sixth Street west of Georgia, is Old Tascosa Brewing Company, Amarillo’s newest. Owner Matt Welch cut his chops at a major West Coast brewery, and has perfected his craft. Welch doesn’t know how to brew a bad beer, and the laid-back vibe is perfect for all the Mother Road tourists who stop in. I alternate between pints of his Pale Ale and the Drought Buster IPA.
Last but not least, we have Pondaseta Brewing Co., which recently celebrated its sixth anniversary at its 45th Avenue location. Brewers/owners Kaleb West and Trever Martin churn out heady new froths on a weekly basis, while maintaining a steady list of core beers and fan faves. Named for a short country road south of Canyon, these area natives returned from points south to do what they love best. It’s hard to pick a fave because I have so many, but I-40 from the Core Beers list would get my nod. Several of the beers are available locally on tap and in stores.
Lubbock
It’s time to head south to Lubbock, where six breweries await. That’s enough for a couple of days, so plan to get a hotel. The best-known Lubbock destination is Two Docs Brewing Co., which has an extensive distribution in Amarillo. Located within walking distance of the Buddy Holly Hall of Performing Arts and Sciences, it is only fitting they pay homage to their native son with a Buddy Hoppy IPA. Have a pint and take home a growler. The outdoor biergarten is magical with live performers.
Not far south of Texas Tech University is Good Line Beer Co., an unpretentious place tucked into a residential neighborhood, and one more likely than not to find you among grad students discussing theses and dissertations. The beers are even more amazing than the intellectual convo. I recommend the Clouds of Fog Hazy IPA and Floating In Space Pale Ale (are you detecting a trend here?).
One of the best beers in Lubbock is not even in town. It’s out in the country between Lubbock and Shallowater, and is only open on Friday afternoons and evenings. The Plains Brew Co. is a retirement project, and based on my conversation with the couple who own it, she told her husband he could only be open one day a week. So it is. This guy brews. Plan your arrival carefully for late Friday, then park yourself at the bar for the kind of interactions you can only find in West Texas. Between the beer and the copious peanuts, you can lose track of hours.
But wait, there’s more! Mano Negra Brewing Co. (Black Hand) is Lubbock’s first and only Latino-owned brewery. The beers tend toward less common varietals, and showcase the brewer’s mastery. I tried several with happy success, but the Yagrumo Coffee Ale was my hands-down favorite—so excellent that I grabbed a 32-ounce growler of it as a souvenir.
Down in the Central Business District, two more breweries await. Triple J Chophouse & Brew Co. is Lubbock’s oldest brewpub, delivering a hearty one-two punch. Come for the steak, stay for the beer. Lastly, The Brewery LBK resides in the former Pioneer Hotel, which has been completely renovated and converted into condominiums. Imagine being able to take the elevator to a brewery!
Canyon
We end our tour in Canyon, where Pondaseta’s newest operation will be in the historic 1925 train depot. Pondaseta Brewing Co. is slated for an early 2025 opening. They have completely renovated the depot, and added a 5,000-square-foot brewhouse and biergarten. While the trains keep rolling, they will keep pouring, serving up food as well as music in a town that has recently scored many points for overall coolness. Sometimes I have to pinch myself. 
If this has only teased your appetite for West Texas beers, please note that you can extend this tour by going to Wichita Falls (Wichita Falls Brewing Company), Abilene (Grain Theory, Sunnhaus Brewing Project, and Primal Brewing Company), and Midland (Tall City Brewing Co., and The Waystone). So many beers, so little time.
As always, drink responsibly. Check online for days and hours of operation. And to keep this column fair and fun, I’ll be following up soon with a wine and meadery tour of the region. The miles may separate us and our glasses at times, but there are plenty of adult beverages to go around if you are willing to drive.
New Mexico
We can’t leave out Eastern New Mexico, which many consider to be West Texas anyway. The pub fare and brews at Roosevelt Brewing Company and Public House in downtown Portales is well worth the drive. Ask your server if they have any red hot chili peppers to toss into your beer. My recent Oktoberfest brew there was a mouth explosion not soon forgotten. In Clovis, Bandolero Brewery, in the downtown district, offers a full menu of brews and pub fare. This is easily one of Clovis’ favorite places.
