Four Corners Brewing Company [Dallas]
Four Corners Brewing Company represents the confluence of many things – of people, cultures, neighborhoods, and experiences. They have been brewing approachable beers in Dallas for about a year. I was privileged to be able to chat with Greg Leftwich and George Esquivel, Co-founders.
We were warmly welcomed to visit even while a wedding rehearsal dinner was getting started, and while I tried to lay low because I felt a bit like a voyeur, it was a great opportunity to see the place in the capacity it shines most- as a neighborhood gathering place.
The building is a completely renovated truck garage complete with huge garage doors and industrial cement floor. The taproom is practical and cozy with windows into the open brewhaus which houses piles of kegs, shiny steel tanks, and a classic tire swing – a throwback to the truck days.
Their most popular beer, the Local Buzz, was very good and I could see it being my go-to beer if it weren’t across the country from me! It is brewed with locally sourced honey that adds a distinct sweetness and floral note. I liked that the rye also came through – many rye beers are so hoppy that the grain is lost.
While we tackled the rest of the flight, Airon ordered a pint of La Bajada brown, one of his new favorites.
La Bajada is brewed in the style of a traditional English brown with a balance of dry and sweet, nutty malts, and pleasant, crisp hops.
I enjoyed all of the flight icluding Red’s Roja although I generally don’t care for red beers. El Chignon IPA was an excellent IPA – I’m finding that Texas really knows their IPAs! Despite 72 IBUs, the Munich malt comes through and the aroma is fantastic.
The final selection was the Block Party Porter, which was tied with Local Buzz for my favorite. “Perfect for first time ‘dark beer’ drinkers. This robust porter is smooth & chocolaty with a round, full-bodied malt character. Medium bitterness, mild hop flavor and layers of malt make it an easy transition to the ‘dark side’.” -FC
The people of Four Corners have a keen affection for their neighborhood, in fact it is the brewery’s namesake. The La Bajada neighborhood has been long neglected but is emerging as one of Dallas’ hottest places to be but hasn’t lost its industrial-meets-green charm. Greg and George explain that much of their influence comes from the nearby Mexican American culture including their iconic labels, borrowed from Mexican Bingo. When the beer is served off-site, it is often from paleteros, small ice cream vending carts common in Mexico, and the tire swing is irresistible to more than just the kids.
The brewery is on the brink of canning and distributing, which is very exciting for the entire neighborhood and surrounding area. Look for their cans with the new whole top-removal technology. This spring also promises live outdoor music hosted by the brewery, which is bound to make it even more of a place to be.
Visiting Four Corners feels like slipping into an old pair of jeans and discovering a new friend at the same time. There is something comfortably unexpected about the place that makes you feel they’re on to something new that has actually been there all along.
Many thanks to Greg and George for chatting with us, teaching me about West Dallas, all with the backdrop of a beautiful private party.
As exciting as it is that distribution is not far off for Four Corners, I encourage you to go drink these beers in person in the taproom, in community with the people who value community.