Austin's Meanwhile Brewing expands distribution to San Antonio
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Taps at Meanwhile Brewing Co. in Austin. Photo: Courtesy of Meanwhile Brewing Co.
Austin's Meanwhile Brewing Co. is expanding its distribution to San Antonio restaurants and bars and ramping up production.
Why it matters: Meanwhile wants to be known as a Texas brewery, and isn't holding back despite statewide declines in the craft beer market.
What they're saying: "We'd like to … have a presence throughout the state," Conner Gilfillan, general manager at Meanwhile, tells Axios. The company "see(s) San Antonio as the natural next step."
- "San Antonio has the things that we really love, and that's great hospitality (and) a really wonderful food and beverage scene."
Flashback: The brewery began its expansion down the I-35 corridor last fall, Gilfillan says. Its beer is now available in Buda, Kyle, San Marcos, New Braunfels, Lockhart and Wimberley.
State of play: Meanwhile is a popular brewery in Austin, known for its expansive outdoor seating area complete with food trucks. It also houses a playground, a soccer field and a music stage. The brewery hosts plenty of events.
- Its German-Style Helles Lager has won several awards.
Zoom in: Meanwhile beers are now sold at 23 restaurants and bars in San Antonio, plus a few retailers, per Gilfillan.
- Locals can find it at the Flying Saucer Draught Emporium, The Hoppy Monk and Burleson Yard Beer Garden, among other bars. Shoppers can grab it to go at Pullman Market at Pearl.
By the numbers: Meanwhile produced about 7,700 barrels of craft beer in 2024, per Gilfillan. The company's goal for 2025 is to produce 10,000 barrels.
Zoom out: Texas craft beer production reached 1.369 million barrels in 2024, an 8.7% drop from 2023, according to new data from the Brewers Association.
- Texas saw 29 craft breweries close and just 22 open in 2024, per the Texas Craft Brewers Guild, mirroring national trends.
- The 2025 outlook for the craft beer industry doesn't favor a rebound. Small brewers are being hit especially hard by tariffs on equipment, kegs, aluminum cans and ingredients, such as hops and grain.
The big picture: Meanwhile opened in Austin in October 2020 and Gilfillan says they learned some lessons about how to advance a business in tough times.
- Costs have been rising since they opened, and despite the threat of tariffs, "this is no different," Gilfillan says.
- While it might not be the boom era for craft beer anymore, Gilfillan says people are still looking for the social connection and memorable experiences that good beer and breweries can offer.
The bottom line: "I think the beer industry overall is in a moment, but (I'm) definitely optimistic in its rebound and believe this is just a season," Gilfillan says.