We stomped around the UT campus for our last few hours before heading home.

In the background is the tallest building in Austin (and the site of one of the more infamous killing sprees in Texas history) — the university’s belltower. While we really wanted to explore the Humanities Center, its galleries are closed on Monday. Hence the mug in front of the tower.

In all, this trip was just long enough to scratch the surface of the town, and encourage another trip back. We can see a trip to the Alamo Drafthouse in our future (too tired to tackle it last night), as well a stay at the Austin Motel. For now, we’ll have to leave knowing that Austin is still wierd and has better beer than I expected.

Cheers!

After strolling the length of South Congress looking for places to deposit our earnings (Andrea found a costume shop, which means more wacky hats), we found a pleasant surprise in Woodland.

The place is thoughtfully designed in a non-traditional wood theme, and definitely looks like it fits this ‘hood. The tonal paint on the shake single wall coverings behind Courtney is a clever counterpoint to the 4′x7′ pixellated mosaic tree wall art. The light fixtures are shrouded in large oak silhouettes.

Naturally, the tap list consists completely of beers from Live Oak Brewing here in Austin. I’m having the Big Bark Amber, an earthy beer with loads of flavor and a clean finish that makes me want to brew one when I get back to the A. Courtney is having the Liberation IPA, my mystery brew from last night. Anri is cozying up to a wheat beer to keep things breezy.

Next stop: Alamo Drafthouse!

I can hear it now…”What happened to you guys last night?”

We decided to get a beer and check out the downtown Austin scene. First up, The Ginger Man, a quality tap room that has sister locations around the state. I had a damn good Liberation IPA from some local brewery. We then rolled out to the Longbranch Inn on the east side of town. By then the hamburger steak and other beers filled me up so that I had to resort to getting a refreshing PBR.

This morning, after sleeping in for a spell, we scored a walk in Zilker Park and a trip to Rudy’s for their self-proclaimed “worst BBQ in the world”. More on that some other time.

Which brings us to these iced coffees from Jo’s. This coffee shop/urban drinking space is in a parking lot between the Austin Motel and Hotel San Jose (arguably the two hippest lodgings in town). Serving both coffees and beers, this place is hopping morning and night. The cold-brewed iced coffee really hit the spot, and will give me the energy needed for a shopping run down SoCo.

Well, it’s really more like having a beer while sitting at the Rick Perry booth at Hill’s Cafe.

Hill’s is an Austin institution, known for a few Texan delicacies. Each booth has a celebrity photo and plaque — Willie Nelson and other musicians are represented, as is the Texas governor.

I’m having the hamburger steak with (gobs of brown gravy) corn nuggets and some veg. Anri is going with the chicken-fried steak with yellow gravy.

Giddyup!

Yes, we have managed to find another watering hole in a neighborhood north and west of the UT campus. The Draught House has a boatload of tap handles from most any respectable brewery in the world (European ones included).

They also brew two house beers — right now those are a Shamrock Stout and an unnamed beer to brewed soon. I did not try them, as the tap list was so diverse. So, technically it’s a brewery, but the rest of the 60 or so taps, and the outdoor patio that are the main draw.

I am having a Rye Pale Ale from Real Ale Brewery in Blanco. It’s crisp and spicily-hopped (as you might expect), but so heavy that you couldn’t drink it in the heat of a Texas summer.

As Andrea just told Courtney — “This is what we do on vacation. Take pictures of Patrick drinking beer.”