A guide to Denton’s best beer shops

by Staff of North Texas Daily

For those looking to broaden their beer horizons and challenge outdated notions about the drink of kings and paupers alike, this column is for you.

Beyond the confines of corporations able to pay for the sponsorship of the Dallas Cowboys or women who grace the cover of Maxim magazine, there lies a world of delicious beers that don't need bikini-clad babes or sports stars to be appealing.

This column is about those beers.

It's about breaking up the decades-long relationship between the drink of the pharaohs and tasteless impostors, the popularity of which have been perpetuated by millions of dollars of advertisements convincing the American public that beer should be as boring and homogeneous as testosterone-fueled stereotypes.

This column is for those who suspect that Miller may not be the "champagne of beers" or that "the most interesting man in the world" would be quite lackluster if he drinks nothing but Dos Equis.

But now that you have decided to follow through on justified suspicions that beer is far more complex and stimulating than a stable full of Clydesdale horses and some buxom blondes, you ask yourself, "Where should I go?"

Many cities in Texas lack anything but the most basic selections, namely Coors, Miller, Anheuser-Busch and the handful of attempts they have made to cater to the nascent craft-beer movement with mass-produced beers presented as quality microbrews.

Denton, however, offers a surprising variety of quality beers, if one knows where to look. Perhaps the best-known beer store is Metzler's Food and Beverage, which has two locations: one on E. University Drive and the other near Teasley Street and Interstate I-35. Metzler's carries many six-packs of microbrews unavailable almost anywhere else within a 50-mile radius (at least to this writer's knowledge). The business also discounts sixers of domestic microbrews every Thursday.

But the most conveniently located store for beer veterans and rookies alike is Midway Mart, a smart little gas station at the intersection of Carroll and Hickory streets. The cramped space inside can be deceiving as the impeccable selections of its owner cater to a broad and sophisticated sensibility.

Though most of the choices here will fit on a shoestring budget, there are other, slightly more expensive choices for the daring beer lover. Try to stop by when the owner is working the register, as he will be happy to answer any questions about the drinks in his store.

If you're looking to nab some brews while grocery shopping, Kroger is the only real choice, as Sack 'n Save, Albertsons and Piggly Wiggly carry few quality beers, though Sierra Nevada and St. Arnold breweries are notable exceptions.

Venturing into a new world of literally hundreds of choices and styles - many of which you might be unfamiliar with - can be daunting if not overwhelming to a young acolyte on the road to beer Nirvana.

These places will aid you on the journey, so be bold and push yourself to dole out the cash for something different every time you go shopping for booze. It's the best way to learn what you like, and even if you aren't crazy about the new taste, at least you didn't spend money on Keystone Light.