FIRST LOOK Fast Friends Beer Co. Long-awaited brewery east of I 35 opens its doors A fter four years of work, South Austin brewery Fast Friends Beer Co. started serving but he has a deep love of the vibes Austin gives o . “Everyone is just artful and BY AMANDA CUTSHALL
housemade beers and locally sourced food May 26—with hopes of expand- ing to ll the 3-acre Hill Country oasis it sits on. Founder Dave Childress said he and his team have a focus on creating a safe, inclusive community for everyone. “Our motto is ‘Do good. Love big. Live now.’ And, basically, we just want everyone to feel they belong and be inspired to do great things,” Childress said. The motto is built around a nonpro t Childress is part of called Do/ Love/Live, which focuses on the well-being of various communities of people, and Childress said he wants that to be re ected in Fast Friends Beer Co. As a Marine Corps veteran, Childress also has a vested interest in veteran-based charities in addition to youth mentorship and overall mental health. Childress said part of the reasoning behind FFBC was creating an economic engine to help him and his team give back to the community. The main taproom, which takes up about 1 acre, is open; however, the team has plans to expand. “We have aggressive goals,” Childress said. “We will open a downstairs taproom that will be more sexy and intimate than the upstairs area. We will also have a barrel room speakeasy, a beer garden with pergo- las and communal tables, places for the kids and dogs to play, and more. We’re hoping to initiate a co ee/ breakfast program by the end of the summer, too, where everyone can just come and do their own version of living life together.” In addition, Childress plans to cre- ate a treehouse amphitheater while preserving the natural green space. Childress said he chose the South Austin area because not only do he and his business partners live there,
accepting—it is a conglomeration of all these di erent folks who all have an end goal of just having a human connection with one another,” Childress said. In charge of beermaking is Brewery Operations Director Keith Shaw, who is the former Modern Times Anaheim head brewer. On tap in June are eight beers, all made in-house and handpicked by Shaw. They include beers ranging pale ales. Next on the rotation will be a seltzer cocktail program that will provide a breadth of alcoholic and nonalcoholic high-gravity seltzers, Childress said. Emily Rayburn is the director of culinary operations and focuses on creating nutritious options for every- one, regardless of dietary restric- tions. Appetizers include veggies and pretzel bites, and main dishes include salads, wraps, subs and pizzas. “We want to put an emphasis on health and wellness that people will really feel when they are here,” Rayburn said. from cream ales to Pilsners and several India Rayburn said nothing o ered is fried in grease—anything fried is made in an air fryer. All the food served is locally sourced, including the our used in the pizza dough. Rayburn said the menu will rotate every quarter, noting the goal is to provide a varying menu that is both healthy and tasty. The name Fast Friends was formed in 2020, when many of the teammates met for the rst time and quickly became friends—and that is precisely what Childress said he hopes to bring to everyone who visits. “We aspire to be a beacon of positivity and a happy place for human connection,” Childress said. “We welcome any and everyone to join us.”
Fast Friends Beer Co. opened May 26 at 7313 S. I 35 Frontage Rd., Austin after four years of anticipation.
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“OUR MOTTO IS, ‘DO GOOD. LOVE BIG. LIVE NOW.’ AND, BASICALLY, WE JUST WANT EVERYONE TO FEEL THEY BELONG AND BE INSPIRED TO DO GREAT THINGS.” DAVE CHILDRESS, FOUNDER
Nice to Meat You ($20) is a meat-loaded pizza.
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Roasted Brussels Sprouts ($12) are tossed in herb vinaigrette and are gluten-free and vegan-friendly.
Sup Y’all is a West Coast India pale ale with an ABV of 7.4%.
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Pretzel Bites ($14)are served with grain mustard.
Founder Dave Childress poses with a pint of beer.
COURTESY DAVE CHILDRESS
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Fast Friends Beer Co. 7313 S. I-35, Austin Instagram: FastFriendsBeer Hours: 11 a.m.-10 p.m. daily
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