My friends recommended Lazarus Brewing Co. to me at a work event some weeks back and I probably should have followed their advice sooner. Needless to say, I thoroughly enjoyed my Saturday afternoon on the east side of Austin sampling a few choice brews and surprisingly vibrant Mexican food.
Before I dive into the beers and food, a quick word on the location and other details. Situated on the corner of east 6th and Chicon, parking can sometimes be an issue. The site is also undergoing an expansion (spring 2018) which may contribute to that, but in general, street parking is plentiful and if you don’t mind a short walk getting to Lazarus does not require a New Testament miracle. The bar has multiple ordering lanes open all along the countertop even if many patrons choose to queue in line at the front register. The barkeeps do their best to call people down the bar to speed up the process, but knowing about the multiple registers in advance can expedite your quest for a tasty beverage.
Every time I visit nouveau east, I experience a very complicated set of emotions. I definitely appreciate the new spots opening over there– craft cocktails, good food and tasty brews. However, no matter how true to the spirit of the neighborhood the new establishments intend to be, the fact remains: gentrification is an ugly animal. It’s an animal born of socioeconomic inequities and even if people moving in want to keep the neighborhood the same, they really can’t. Why? Because they’re moving in and someone else is moving out. I am a hypocrite, I spend my money in this new bobo oasis and perpetuate the cycle. Small local gems who care about the community drive revenue to the area, the area gets noticed by increasingly large developers, and then developers, in hopes driving even more people to the area, end up homogenizing the whole experience.
I digress, everyone has his or her own opinion on the matter. It’s not an issue for Lazarus Brewing Co to solve— on to the beers!
40 days and 40 nights – American IPA
Great hop forward IPA. Weighing in at 7.5% it is quite drinkable. My only nitpicky comment about the beer is that it felt thin/under-carbed. With a malt backbone like that, I don’t expect to have that critique which indicates to me that the issue is carbonation related. So that could just be a temporary hitch– more research required.
Double Pre-destination – IPA? Make it a double
Now we’re cookin’ Franky. 40 days & 40 nights weighed in at 7.5%, but the extra couple of points on the ABV for this monster went totally unnoticed. I absolutely loved this beer. I don’t think it’s always in the rotation so plan accordingly.
Darkhaven – English Dark Mild
“An English Dark Mild, brewed with Earl Gray Tea – dark, roasty malts with flavors of citrus, berry and bergamot spice. Perfect for a rainy afternoon in a dingy British pub, or a sunny winter day at Lazarus!”
This beer tastes exactly as it’s described on the menu. I knew after reading the description that I would not like the beer, but I ordered it anyway. I only like an English-style ale when I’m at a pub in London and I don’t particularly care for tea. If you read the description and think “I love those things”, you will like this beer. I blame myself for gambling, but if we don’t try new things every now and then we don’t grow, right?
Signs & Wonders – Robust porter
Just when I think I’m going to leave the bar on a beer I don’t like because of a poor ordering decision, I go and do something to totally redeem myself. Lloyd would be proud. The porter hits all the delicious dark and malty notes you would expect, and was a perfect way to end the session.
Lazarus is also great because the tap list rotates very regularly. In the week it took me to get around to writting this post, Signs & Wonders and Double Pre-destination had already come off the menu. The good news is it’s a wonderful place to visit on a regular basis Grab some great tacos and take a load off. If you’re in the neighborhood for SXSW in the coming weeks, check it out.