I stumble out of the little bookshop where I work, delusional with exhaustion. Somewhere in the midst of my 9 hour shift spent heaving heavy boxes and directing customers to the Mystery section, the Civil War section, the Sci Fi section, and of course, the bathroom, I seem to have lost my ability to function out here in the real world. I’m wandering in what I assume to be the general direction of my car, muttering incoherently about my recommendations for this season’s best beach reads, when I see it… my happy hour on the horizon. My mental fog shifts slightly as I abandon my meandering route to my car and instead skip across the street to The Proletariat.
Have you ever stumbled across a little craft beer and wine destination that seems as if it was made just for you? For me, that place is The Proletariat. It’s a beautiful space flooded with light and spotted with comfy seating. It’s every bit as much an art gallery as it is a pub, with new works by local artists on steady rotation. The staff is friendly and welcoming without being intrusive during those occasional ‘I just want to be alone’ kind of days. The building upstairs was originally the National Hotel in Galveston, and has since been converted to artist lofts, so there’s always a paint-covered person or two on hand at the bar. There are handmade journals on the bar filled with sketches, poems, and random thoughts of patrons past. Even the flowers are placed on the table in mason jars. Now keeping in mind that none of you folks really know me, you can hardly be expected to understand the uncanny resemblance of this bar to my ideal world. Let’s just say that this little mason jar loving hippie of a writer has found her people at The Proletariat.
And we haven’t even discussed what’s behind the bar yet. Currently with eight taps that rotate Texas craft beer selections, owner Becky Major tells patrons there is more goodness to come, with a planned eight new wall taps. For now, the wall behind the bar is covered in shelves featuring the diverse craft beer selection (and wine, and soda, and vanilla bean flavored water, if that’s your thing.) Today, I saddle up at the bar and order a Fetching Lab Round Up, a rich and semi-hoppy amber concocted by one of my favorite South-of-Houston breweries. It’s a grown-up’s amber, with complexity and layers that defy the playful puppy-loving image of the Fetching Lab family. Round two features a Texas great, Independence Stash IPA. And what can I say about this little beauty from Austin that hasn’t already been said? It’s hoppy as hell with a bouquet of Columbus, Galaxy, Nugget, Cascade and Citra. For a hop fanatic like myself, it’s a brilliant achievement that delights from first swallow to the finish, and has the added benefit of scaring the shit out of newbie IPA drinkers that beg to bum a sip or two.
The Proletariat (let’s take a parenthetical pause here for a moment and bemoan the fact that I love, absolutely love, that name…) is a locals’ bar during the week, attracting the artists from upstairs, the office workers from the nearby buildings, and the souvenir sellers from the Strand. On the weekends, when their little corner stage features live music, tourists meander in and find themselves every bit as welcome and at home as the regulars. Even during the summer months, when the island is crawling with weekenders, this place manages to maintain a sense of self and pride in its focus on what makes local Galveston life great. So to the great people of Texas and the proud people of Galveston, I entreat you. Unite and drink as one!
The Proletariat
2221 Market St #100
Galveston, TX 77550