Last month, we walked our 165 acres of Texas Hill Country with Eric and Stacy of Local Leaf, local Yaupon tea makers and foraging experts, to better understand the flora growing around us. On this walk, we were able to identify what edible plants we can source from the property to use both in the kitchen and the brewery in making food, beer, and housemade sodas.

Our philosophy is to make beer and food tied to a time, place, and people. On a micro level, all of our beer is fermented using a mixed culture of yeast and bacteria that we foraged from the land years ago or fermented spontaneously with what microflora happens to be around. Our pizza dough, too, is fermented using the same mixed culture that we use in our beer.

On a more macro level, it only makes sense that we utilize the flora around us to source ingredients. We’ve done this in the past for Vulgar Affection Batch 1 using horehound and lemon bee balm growing around the property, as well as foraged ashe juniper for Abscission, and wood sorrel, fig leaves, and horehound used in Autumnal Dichotomous 2016

Walking with Eric and Stacy opened our eyes to even more edible plants found in abundance on the property. By understanding the flora around us, we are able to create a deeper connection with the land, to identify and understand the flavors of plants that could be overlooked if not identified. With this understanding, we are better able to translate the flavors of the Texas Hill Country in food and drink form.

We’re excited to continue working with Eric and Stacy, walking with them each season to better understand the seasonality of what is around us. We also plan to host ticketed public walks with Eric and Stacy sometime this spring or early summer. We will make an announcement when these tickets are available.