Almost since the day it opened two years ago, the Austin Beer Garden Brewing Company (more widely known as The ABGB) has been a wildly popular gathering place for both South Austin locals and visitors from far and wide. Located just east of the railroad tracks at 1305 W. Oltorf, The ABGB offers pizza, sandwiches and its very own selection of craft beers brewed right there on the premises. Throw in regular live music and a winning combination of outdoor and indoor seating designed to foster friendly conversation and socializing, and it’s no wonder why it is often hard to find a parking spot.
However, even though it might have become a successful business, the ABGB’s affable owners have embarked on a project to give back to the community while celebrating their love of beer, food and fellowship. Back in April, they announced the Hell Yes Projects, named for their popular Hell Yes beer (a play on helles, the name of that particular beer variety). Or as their Facebook page for the project states: “The idea behind the Hell Yes Projects is to prove out our philosophy that beer has the power to make everything better.”
Since launching in the spring, the Hell Yes Projects have announced three projects. The first is a partnership with the Literacy Coalition of Central Texas and that organization’s efforts to provide and promote literacy services for Central Texans in need. To kick off the partnership, the ABGB hosted a spelling bee to choose its own team for The Great Grown Up Spelling Bee.
The ABGB has also been a popular gathering place for bicycle enthusiasts, so for its second Hell Yes Project, the brewery partnered with such local bike advocacy organizations as the Ghisallo Foundation and Be Kind to Cyclists to host a number of events in conjunction with May’s Bike Month, including active support of both the Bike-To-Eat Week and Bike-To-Work Day campaigns.
This summer, Barton Springs has been the Hell Yes focal point. In a partnership with the Friends of Barton Springs Pool, ABGB has been helping to round up volunteers for the pool’s once-a-month cleanings. On Labor Day, the two joined forces to promote The Biggest Barton Springs Pool Jump Ever, in which the brewery paid the admission to the springs for 500 people, who all jumped simultaneously into the pool. Ongoing efforts will continue to support both the Friends of Barton Springs Pool and the Save Our Springs Alliance in their efforts to preserve Austin civic swimming jewel.
The next Hell Yes Project has yet to be announced, although ABGB co-owner Mark Jensen says to expect something as we get closer to the holiday season. As Jensen says “We’re always looking to do fun things, and we’re always looking to make the community better. When we combine the two of them, that’s definitely worth saying ‘Hell Yes!’ to doing.” Blairfield Realty couldn’t agree more. For more information, visit theabgb.com.
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