Texas brew review: Blanco’s Real Ale Brewing is the real deal

There’s an old saying that most small businesses don’t last longer than five years and that only about one out of three lasts more than 10 years. Push your business to two decades, and — cliche or not — you’re doing pretty well for yourself.

Celebrating its 20th anniversary April 16 at the brewery in Blanco, Real Ale Brewing has quietly grown into one of our state’s crown jewels.

Last year, the brewery went through a much-needed rebrand with updated and expanded packaging.

Part of that refresh meant that many beers from Real Ale’s extensive portfolio that had previously been draft only were now available in 22-ounce bombers. Additionally, many of its beers, including Firemans #4, Hans’ Pils, Devil’s Backbone and Lost Gold IPA, are now available in canned 12-packs.

Ten beers are available packaged year-round, some of which are in both cans and bottles. The brewery’s Mysterium Verum series continues to provide an impressive lineup of barrel-aged beers on draft. There’s never been a better time to access the impressive depth of what Real Ale has to offer.

With so much available in such a variety of packages, it’s easy to forget about what has made the brewery great for so long.

A true test of a brewer’s mettle is its ability to produce delicate beers. Big, piney IPAs are fun, and bold, strong beers can be interesting and challenging. However, nailing a nuanced beer without flaws and mistakes is what separates beer makers from truly artful brewers.

For that reason, Rio Blanco Pale Ale is arguably Real Ale’s most impressive beer.

First produced in the very early days of the brewery’s existence in 1998, Rio Blanco is an English-style pale ale that features reserved English and Czech hops. It’s slightly sweet with virtually no bitterness. There are no aggressive corners in this beer for mistakes to hide, and the skill behind it is apparent. It won a gold medal at the Great American Beer Festival in 2010 and remains one of Real Ale’s mainstays.

Ultimately, Shiner is the most nationally known, Jester King gets most of the beer-geek press, and Saint Arnold is the oldest and most well-known independent brewery. However, Real Ale’s diversity and quality make it perhaps our state’s best brewery. And Rio Blanco proves that as much as anything in its portfolio.

Real Ale is in Blanco, which isn’t close to much else. It’s an hour or so from Austin, so if you’re planning to go and drink (and what else are you going to do there?), plan on camping nearby or having a designated driver. Because of its remoteness, until last year, tickets to the event have traditionally been free. Last year they started charging $5, and this year the price jumped to $20. It’s still very much worth it at that price. Noon-5 p.m. April 16. realalebrewing.com.

Quick sips

Bitter Sisters anniversary: Addison’s Bitter Sisters Brewing will host a party to celebrate one year in business. 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday at the brewery, 15103 Surveyor Blvd. www.bittersistersbrewery.com.

Pouring Glory grand opening: Fort Worth growler-filling bar and restaurant Pouring Glory is hosting a grand opening in the bar and in the adjoining parking lot with craft vendors, artists and beer specials. Noon-10 p.m. April 16, noon-6 p.m. April 17. 1001 Bryan Ave. pouringglory.com.

Bruery launch: The Bruery of California recently launched in the Texas market. Keep an eye out for the highly lauded beers on draft walls and watch for expensive large bottles on store shelves soon. www.thebruery.com.

This story was originally published April 6, 2016 at 5:29 PM with the headline "Texas brew review: Blanco’s Real Ale Brewing is the real deal."