BUSINESS FEATURE The Growler Bar and Kitchen Neighborhood pub brings brewery feel to P ugerville O n a recent early Friday afternoon in mid- March, customers started lling The Growler Bar and Kitchen o of FM 685 in P ugerville. The large crowd at the establishment’s seventh anniversary party signi ed how popular Growler has become since owner Jason Kemp rst started working to open it with help from his father, Je Kemp, and others in 2015. Now, in addition to the dozens of craft brews on tap, The Growler Bar and Kitchen has a full menu that includes signature pizzas, wings, salads and calzones. Jason, who opened The Growler Bar and Kitchen in March 2016, said the bar was born in part due to his prior experience working in bars in his home town of Del Rio and during college at Texas State University in San Marcos. Jason said that was also around the time he and his friends started paying attention to what he describes as the “craft beer revolution.” The rapid growth of independent beers helped de ne The Growler Bar’s proli c selection of 61 rotating taps. Additionally, the bar and kitchen sells beer and wine in growlers, which are containers that come in 32 and 64 ounces and help keep the liquids fresh. In 2021, entrepreneur and business owner John Palacios, who by then was a regular at The Growler Bar, approached Jason about a partnership. Today, they co-own The Growler Bar and Finley’s Kitchen + Bar in Round Rock. Palacios said plans are underway to open new locations of The Growler Bar. “I told Jason, ‘I love this bar so much, and everybody deserves to have a neighborhood bar,’” Palacios said. “So our goal is we’re going to expand this.” BY BRIAN RASH
From left: Assistant General Manager Zach Scouras, co-owner John Palacios, co-owner Jason Kemp and General Manager Je Kemp run operations at The Growler Bar and Kitchen. (Photos by Brian Rash/Community Impact)
PERFECT PAIRINGS Zach Scouras, the pub’s assistant general manager and beer buyer, said various beers at The Growler Bar complement items on the food menu.
THE CARNIVORE Pepperoni, Italian sausage, beef, Canadian bacon and bacon bits, $19.49-$25.99 Pairs with: The Valley Boys IPA, seasonal Why: Spices in the sausage o set the hops in the beer.
PIZZA ROLLS Come with a variety of llings, start at $11.49 Pairs with: Belching Beaver lager, seasonal Why: The yeast in the lager complements the dough in the pizza rolls.
BUFFALO WINGS Sauce or dry rub options include Bu alo, garlic Parmesan and mango habanero, $8.99-$17.49 Pairs with: Dry Hop Kolsch Why: German-style beers with dry hops help mellow out the spice of the wings.
The Growler Bar and Kitchen 1300 FM 685, Ste. 100, P ugerville 512-969-5043 www.txgrowlerbar.com Bar hours: Sun.-Thu. 11 a.m.-9:30 p.m., Fri.-Sat. 11 a.m.-11 p.m., closed Mon. Kitchen hours: Sun.-Thu. 11 a.m.-9 p.m., Fri.-Sat. 10 a.m.-10 p.m., closed Mon.
130 TOLL
685
E. PFLUGERVILLE PKWY.
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PFLUGERVILLE HUTTO EDITION • APRIL 2023
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