Opened in January 2021, Pinthouse Brewing, an expansion of the Pinthouse Pizza family of brewpubs in the Greater Austin area, is celebrated for its commitment to making everything in-house. Renowned for its award-winning beer and exceptional food, it also offers a warm and inviting atmosphere. Krystal Angelo, the Director of Diversity, Inclusion, and Philanthropy at Pinthouse, shares how the establishment's commitment to embracing families has shaped its distinct identity and role within the community.
At the heart of Pinthouse's success is not just a passion for craft beer and good food, but also an understanding of how beer can bring people together. Can you share how this philosophy of beer as a unifying force has influenced Pinthouse's journey and contributed to its role as a cherished gathering spot in Austin?
Ultimately, I think Pinthouse offered something new(ish) to Austinites: a place where you could casually grab a bite and have a world-class pint with your entire family. However commonplace it is now, "allowing" kids at a brewpub was not very popular back in 2012. We believe that the brewpub model should be a part of the social fabric of a community, and by including entire families, we think we've helped to shape an inclusive social fabric.
Could you share a partnership that has been particularly impactful for you and the community?
One "collaboration" that continues to give me the feels is our annual Manimal release, in honor of an Austin brewing community friend, Peder Pederson. We release this beer every October 20th and donate a portion of the proceeds to mental health initiatives.
With your commitment to contributing to Austin's unique vibe, could you detail specific community efforts that Pinthouse has been involved in, especially any project that stands out for its impact or originality?
While we are no longer partners with Habitat for Humanity, we brought what we thought was a very special program to Austin - “The House That Beer Built”. It was a program introduced to us by our friends at Odell Brewing Company. Odell had initiated the program with Habitat in 2013, and Habitat loved the program so much that they asked Odell if they thought it would “travel.” Upon consideration, Odell was certain that HTBB would be a great fit in Austin, with Pinthouse at the helm. We were honored, so we gathered some Austin brewery friends and got to it. Pinthouse successfully participated in HTBB for the 2014, 2016, and 2018 builds.
How have Pinthouse's community efforts been received by your team and regulars, and could you reflect on the broader impact these initiatives have had in Austin?
We know that our community efforts are well-received by our regulars, Team Members, and community partners. Our charitability is certainly one way we can communicate our company's ethos to folks, which helps attract and retain our amazing Team Members. I know that we have given well over $300,000 to the greater Austin community in the past 11 years.
Looking forward, what exciting projects or events is Pinthouse preparing that the Austin community should be excited about?
We are excited to launch our new programming: "Pinthouse P.I.N.T. Project: Provisions and Initiatives for the Needs of Texans" in early 2024. The focus of the PINT Project will be to help combat food insecurity in Central Texas. Each quarter, Pinthouse will partner with a different organization within the food insecurity sector. Through in-pub sales of various food, beer, and merchandise items, guests will help raise funds for these organizations. In addition to providing monetary funds, Pinthouse Team Members will also have the opportunity to volunteer with these community partners. And PINT Project has a Charity Golf Tournament on the horizon as well, which we're all pretty stoked about!
As someone deeply immersed in the world of craft beer, what is your personal favorite beer from Pinthouse's selection?
However obvious, my favorite beer has got to be Electric Jellyfish. It's truly remarkable how cherished it is by Austinites (and beyond!)...Electric Jellyfish has become a part of Austin culture in a way that no one could have imagined or predicted.
PINTHOUSE BREWING
HOURS: Sun-Thu 11am-10pm | Fri-Sat 11am-11pm
LOCATION: 2201 E Ben White Blvd, Austin, TX 78741
PHONE: (512) 717-0873
WEBSITE: Pinthouse.com
"However obvious, my favorite beer has got to be Electric Jellyfish. It's truly remarkable how cherished it is by Austinites." - Krystal Angelo of Pinthouse
"We believe that the brewpub model should be a part of the social fabric of a community, and by including entire families, we think we've helped to shape an inclusive social fabric." - Krystal Angelo of Pinthouse
