This place has been a favorite of mine since they’ve opened. Beers Looking At You in the Clear Lake area of Houston is a craft beer lover’s paradise. It’s not just your typical bottle shop. It’s a place to browse some of the best beers being sold in Texas (both locally and nationally) and a place to sit down and have a few pints.
We stopped in after getting dinner and a pint at Nobi Public House, which is only about five minutes away down Highway 3. I felt like the draft selection at Beers Looking At You was much better since I could see it on the Digital Pour app. With the Digital Pour system being consistently updated by the shop, I can pretty much decide my brews even before setting foot in the place.
I’ve always appreciated Beers Looking At You because it’s a friendly place that allows you to bring in food, bring in games, and just sit and have fun with your closest friends. The laid back atmosphere is a welcome change. This is not a sports bar, so if you’re looking to watch any sports, you’re out of luck. Honestly, it’s better to just talk with people instead of being glued to your cell phone or locked in to the score of the World Series.
Part of what drew me here this time was the recent anniversary party they had. They celebrated a half-year anniversary and got some truly stellar beers. Many of which were still on tap when we visited including national favorites like Prairie Bomb! and Deschutes Black Butte XXVII. But for me, the draw was seeing beers like Brash Cortado and Real Ale Highlander on tap. I knew that one of those was going to be my closer for the night.
I started out with Eureka Heights Wicket Awesome, the Houston brewery that is seemingly on tap anywhere I go. This ESB has been wildly popular since its launch and I wanted to try it since my first experience with Eureka Heights beer wasn’t exactly stellar. This beer redeemed my perception of the brewery as it’s a nice ESB with a sweet caramel malt flavor. A pint of this and I was a happy man.
But since Real Ale Highlander is not a beer I’ve seen anywhere else (sorry, Brash), I went with this as my final beer of the night. The Real Ale Mysterium Verum series has produced some outstanding brews and this was no exception. Using Real Heavy, their Scotch ale, as the base beer, they aged this in American oak barrels for 8 months to give it a smooth flavor. The transition from my earlier ESB to this was made easier as the caramel flavor is much more rich in this beer, but the booziness from the 10.1% ABV beer allowed it to be a slow drinker that was truly enjoyable. I’ve been wildly impressed with Real Ale of late as their new beers have all been top notch.
Southeast Houston continues to grow its craft beer popularity and Beers Looking At You should be on your radar as a must-visit place in the area. Plus, pick up some bombers or a mixed six-pack to take home and enjoy.