UPDATE 5/21/2021: With our staff now fully vaccinated and Travis County lowered to Level 2 COVID Risk Guidelines, masks will now be optional for our taproom guests.
UPDATE July 26: OK. We really hope this is the last one of these. After another rule interpretation by TABC, we are now able to completely reopen our taproom. Even though we're technically allowed to open for inside service, we're still not comfortable with that, so we'll just be offering patio service for the time being.
We're incredibly excited to welcome y'all back to our brewery, but we're going to be extra careful about it. Here's what we're doing and what we're asking of our guests:
- Guests, including their children and pets, must remain at their tables unless ordering or using the restrooms.
- Guests must wear face masks when not at their tables. We're going to be strict about this requirement, so if you are not comfortable wearing a face mask we request you please not visit our brewery at this time.
- No smoking anywhere on the premises.
- No cash transactions - credit cards only, please.
UPDATE July 23: TABC has reinterpreted their guidelines. Customers are no longer able to drink their beer-to-go on our patio.
UPDATE July 21: Per new TABC allowances, guests are now able to drink their beer-to-go on our patio. It's not quite patio service, but it's something! No reservations necessary, same precautions as before, 12pm-8pm everyday.
UPDATE June 26: Per Governor Abbott's executive order, our taproom patio is no longer open. Beer-To-Go sales are unaffected.
UPDATE June 8: Our patio is open!
We're incredibly excited to welcome y'all back to our brewery, but we're going to be extra careful about it. Here's what we're doing and what we're asking of our guests:
- To ensure we don't get overcrowded, tables are by reservation only. Available times can be found HERE.
- Guests, including their children and pets, must remain at their reserved tables unless ordering or using the restrooms.
- Guests must wear face masks when not at their tables. We're going to be strict about this requirement, so if you are not comfortable wearing a face mask we request you please not visit our brewery at this time.
- All beers will be served in either aluminum cans or compostable plastic cups.
- No smoking anywhere on the premises.
- Our food truck, Can-tina, is still closed. Feel free to bring your own food, but please don't leave your trash behind.
- No cash transactions - credit cards only, please.
UPDATE March 18: Beer-To-Go can now be purchased online HERE.
UPDATE March 17:
Our taproom is now only able to offer Beer-To-Go. We have a drive through tent set up and are working on the ability to pre-order online.
UPDATE March 16:
Our inside service area is closed. Our full beer menu can still be ordered on our outdoor patio, to be enjoyed here or to-go.
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One of the most fulfilling aspects of our brewery is being a gathering place for the community. It's a role we do not take for granted, and there are many responsibilities that come along with it - the health and safety of our guests and staff being at the top of the list.
Like much of the world, we have been watching the spread of COVID-19 with increasing concern. Although we're not currently required to change the way we operate, we believe it's responsible to act before we're directed to do so. Taking guidance from the CDC, WHO, and Travis County, we are implementing these precautions at our brewery to limit the potential spread of COVID-19 to our staff and customers.
We have shared the following information with all our staff, which we encourage our guests to read as well:
What We Know:
- Now’s the time to exercise caution; your risk depends on where you live, your age & general health.
- Like most bugs, the COVID19 virus spreads person to person and is primarily transmitted by aerosolized droplets (the droplets you release when you cough or sneeze which can travel over 6 feet if you don’t cover your mouth and nose effectively).
What You Can Do at Home:
- Washing your hands frequently is the number one thing you can do to prevent germ spread.
- Stay Healthy: Contact your medical provider for flu shot information and take care of your basic health needs by eating and sleeping right. Your own immunity is your best defense against any illness.
- Stock up on a few weeks’ worth of non-perishable food items and medication now as a precaution; not because it’s time to panic but because should the situation escalate locally, the last place you want to be is stuck in a crowded grocery line.
- Cough and sneeze into your elbow sleeve, not your hands. If you have a fever, cough, and are having a hard time breathing, seek medical attention.
- Limit or postpone travel and avoid contact with those who are ill.
What to Do in the Workplace:
- Washing your hands frequently is the number one thing you can do to prevent germs.
- DO NOT share glasses (Production Team!) during sensory analysis
- Sanitize “high touch” surfaces, doorknobs, and countertops in your work space daily.
- Feeling under the weather? DO NOT come to work sick. Take the time you need to recover, get your shift covered, and take advantage of digital communication (emails, phones, and video conferencing tools) if you do choose to work.
- Speak Up: You know your work environment better than most. Is there a process we can make better or safer? Share with the leadership team.
What We Are Doing:
- Purchasing extra gloves, cleaning supplies, hand sanitizer, and soap for bathrooms.
- Accommodating time off requests.
- Monitoring the situation closely and partnering with you, our team on preparedness.
- Planning for all possibilities. No one has a crystal ball but we can do our part to prepare for all possibilities.
In addition to these general precautions we have instituted the following protocols specific to our taproom:
- Disinfect POS screens with ISO (+60%ABV Isopropyl Alcohol) after every use.
- Signs on bathroom doors instructing to open and close with feet.
- Taproom staff wear nitrile gloves.
- Submerge gloves in iodophor after every transaction.
- Regularly disinfect bar and tabletops with ISO (every 30min).
- ISO spray bottles spread about the taproom.
- Remove shared recreational activities (board games, Cornhole, Kids' area toys)
- Remove self-serving popcorn machine.
- No more ending tours with group french kiss.
- No outside growler fills.
- No trying on merchandise items.
- No “large tasting flights” intended for multiple people.
We expect the situation to continue to evolve rapidly and will adjust these protocols accordingly. If you have any questions, comments, or concerns please contact us at [email protected].
Thank you for taking the time to read and please stay safe.
Adam DeBower, Michael Graham, Mike McGovern, Will Golden
Co-founders of Austin Beerworks