By: Victoria Marin
A Texas brewery and taproom, Hops & Grain, is set to open a new location in San Marcos. Hops & Grain is an East Austin-based brewery that specializes in brewing award-winning, sustainable craft beer. The original location opened in October 2011 by founder Josh Hare.
The brewery strives to act on its belief in sustainability and ecological responsibility. Hops & Grain execute their practices by always looking for ways to be eco-friendly, such as repurposing used grain to make dog treats or providing it to local cattle farmers The new facility in San Marcos will be powered 100% by wind energy.
“I’ve never been to Hops & Grain before but I’ve heard a lot about it,” Aurora Villarreal, Exercise and Sports Science major, said. “Knowing that they work to be environment friendly is what makes me want to visit the most.”
Another interesting fact to point out is that the new location is funded completely from crowdfunding. A recently passed federal law now allows ordinary people to invest in crowdfunded companies. Before the law, only individuals making a certain amount of income could make an investment like this one.
In only four days, their campaign on Wefunder received over $25,000. By allowing people to invest in their new location, investors will be able to see their money evolve into something tangible and earn back about twice as much as they’ve invested. The company is hopeful that they can raise $1 million by November, a goal that seems very likely to be achieved at this rate.
Quick Facts:
- Revenues from the original location totaled about $1,916,091 in 2016
- The investment of the new tap room/brewery in San Marcos will cater to the 30,000+ students that attend Texas State University
- The new facility will hold 20,000 barrels
- The new facility will be powered 100% by wind energy
