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The rapidly developing east side of Austin is filled with just about everything you want in plain sight. Well, almost everything. In the case of Milonga Room, you have a speakeasy that resides underneath Buenos Aires Cafe, which is anything but in plain sight.
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Do you ever go on a wine-buying mission and find yourself standing in front of the shelves, frozen with indecision? In these moments, the options are usually to phone a friend, decide based on the appeal of the label, or just turn around, defeated by the despair of indecision. Note: The Austinot does not recommend this last approach.
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I heard about a speakeasy called Here Nor There in passing. The entrance was hidden. You needed to make a reservation on an app to get in. You could become a member for an annual fee. They served some of the best drinks in Austin and I had to visit because it was “an experience.”
For my second article spotlighting Austin’s best speakeasies, I visited Here Nor There downtown, to separate fact from fiction and see what the experience entailed.
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Guest article by Ken Pishna
When Christian Cryder left Montana behind to open a brewery on East Sixth Street in Austin, he wanted to build a community around four key ingredients: coffee, beer, tacos, and joy.
Lazarus Brewing Company was born on Christmas Eve in 2016. With a talented head brewer, one of Austin’s finest Street-Mex food truck chefs, and a veteran coffee roaster; the beer, food, and coffee were givens.
The question was whether Lazarus could rise up and give new life to the Bike Texas building, and iconic Cool Store, as a brewery with plans to be more than a place to grab a cold one.
Stained glass connects the main tap room to the barrel room
It’s no small secret Cryder was a pastor in Montana and continues to minister in Austin. The colors of Cryder’s background are woven throughout Lazarus Brewing. There are beers named “40 Days and 40 Nights” and “First Noël,” and a stained glass image in the ceiling connecting the main tap room to the barrel room. Yet Cryder never wanted to blend the church into the brewery. He wanted to foster a communal space where people could gather and find the joy in life.
“There’s something good about the brewing scene, what it does for people, what it does for community,” the Austin entrepreneur shared with me. And that’s something Lazarus embraces.
From day one, it has been an open and inviting space, welcoming families, including their four-legged members, with a cozy tap room space. Much of it was handcrafted by Cryder and his family, and the space opens through vast garage doors onto a beautiful patio and courtyard. The courtyard is furnished with large picnic tables that invite people to sit down with neighbors, friends, and strangers alike.
Since opening in 2016, Lazarus Brewing has revamped the Cool Store, but Cryder didn’t want to dismantle the history of the community landmark. Paying homage to the Cool Store, Cryder only gave the facade a face lift, leaving Bob Marley serenading us on Chicon Street. The inside has been converted into a multi-purpose space that houses a wild fermentation/sour facility, barrel-aging room, and event space.
Christian Cryder, owner of Lazarus Brewing, preserved the Bob Marley mural from 6th Street Cool Store, which closed in early 2016
➡️ Keep reading: Lazarus Brewing Company Comes to East Side With Pints, Pups, and Tacos
Lazarus serves coffee seven days a week
All the while, Lazarus has managed to maintain the cozy coffee house feel up front, where coffee roasted on site by Cryder’s wife Marilyn is served beginning at 7 a.m. during the week, and 10 a.m. on weekends. There is a full espresso bar and the caramel leather sofa remains in the cozy nook inside the main entrance.
Lazarus creates an inviting, comfortable space to relax with friends
The gourmet Street Mex menu ranges from breakfast to lunch to dinner, so you can’t think of Lazarus as just a brewery.
It’s easy enough to drop in with friends for a cup of coffee and breakfast taco to get the day started. Or come by any time of the day to jump on the free Wifi and get some work done, sipping a cup of hand-crafted Joe, or an adult beverage or two.
Lazarus recently released wild fermentations and barrel-aged beers
For all its offerings, Lazarus also remains steadfast as a great example of craft beer. Head brewer Matt Couch has built a strong set of base beers when you want something tried and true, but has also developed an assortment sure to please even the finickiest craft beer aficionado. (Of which I’m one and, yes, I was pleased.) Couch’s latest offerings include the aforementioned wild fermentations and barrel-aged beers.
All that Lazarus offers by way of creature comforts equals exactly what Cryder intended. He has created a place to sit, relax, converse with friends and strangers, and find the joy in life.
1902 E. 6th St. — Website
@theAustinot wants to know:
Which breweries in Austin make you feel at home?
Ken Pishna travels around the country interviewing interesting craft brewers and sharing their stories through “Living A Stout Life.” Watch his conversation with Christian Cryder on YouTube.
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Scholz Garten: iconic Austin treasure (Credit: Regina Pyne)
Having grown up in Austin in the 1980s, I often feel a rush of mixed feelings when I frequent familiar parts of town that look almost unrecognizable. In the ever-changing, always hip city of Austin, there is a comforting nostalgia when you run across that rare gem that has stood strong for over a century. Scholz Garten is one such treasure, defining the downtown Austin scene and carving out a special space in history as the longest-running biergarten in America.
Custom metalwork greets customers at Lustre Pearl on Rainey Street (Credit: Dunlap ATX)
The bar that launched the bustling, booming Rainey Street entertainment district is turning 10 on Feb. 21, 2019. They grow up fast, don’t they?
Here’s the story behind the bar that started it all.
The Good Life Bar Bar, one of Austin’s speakeasy-style bars
Sometimes you don’t know what you’re looking for until you’ve found it. One day you’re getting a haircut at the barbershop you’ve been going to for 10 years, and the next you have an offer to open your own bar behind said barbershop. If that feels like a fairly specific example, it’s because…surprise!…it’s based on a true story. Meet Brian Hummel, owner and operator of the The Good Life BAR BAR, a cozy and unique speakeasy in the heart of downtown Austin. [Read more…]
Oz. Tap House gives you the freedom to go from flight to pint in a matter of minutes (Credit: Bill Tucker)
Finding your groove in the Austin restaurant scene is a challenge. With hundreds of amazing eateries slinging booze and food, aspiring businesses need a unique hook to stand out from the crowd. Enter Oz. Tap House, northwest Austin’s newest beer garden. By combining a state-of-the-art self-service tap wall with a rock star menu of pub favorites, this Four Points spot is poised to become a neighborhood favorite. [Read more…]
Jalapeño-infused Tito’s Vodka with lemonade (Credit: Tito’s Vodka)
Texas vodka has become a thing, and I’m not just talking Tito’s. Everyone is trying to get in on distilling this clear liquor. While vodka is traditionally made with potatoes in Russia, most vodkas made here are corn-based. These four in particular are all made in or close to Austin, and are sure to quench your thirst.
Outside at 8 Track on Manor Road
We’re entering the few cold(ish) months of the year here in Austin. So what are we to do when it’s too chilly to kayak on Lady Bird Lake and we’ll only jump into frigid Barton Springs after losing a bet?
Here’s one guy’s solution: Grab a friend or 10 and head to your favorite sports bar. Below is a list of my five central Austin recommendations.
