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Discover 12 new breweries that joined D-FW's bubbling craft beer scene

Last year was a banner year for North Texas craft beer, with a stunning 15 brewery openings. Could the scene possibly top that in 2016? It came close.

Twelve new microbreweries and brewpubs opened or plan to open by the end of the year, boosting the total count of local beer producers above 50. That's a lot of new suds to wrap your palate around, so we'd like introduce you to the Class of 2016 brewers. Keep these in mind the next time you go for a local pint.

Backcountry Brewery

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Backcountry Brewery

Backcountry Brewery

3313 Enterprise Drive

Rowlett, TX 75088

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Opened: January

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This Colorado transplant set up shop in the space formerly home to FireWheel Brewing Co. in Rowlett, which closed in November 2014. Once Backcountry began distributing its staple recipes, such as the double IPA or amber, to the Lone Star State, it could hardly keep up with demand. That's why the Frisco, Colo.-based operation needed a second outpost in the South, which upped the brewery's capacity to 6,000 barrels annually. Try Backcountry's beers on-site at the taproom or pick up a six-pack at Total Wine.

3313 Enterprise Drive, Rowlett. 214-850-3540. Find taproom hours and more info at backcountrybrewery.com/bcb_texas.

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Brewer Matt Reynolds draws a glass of Golden Triangle at Malai Kitchen in Southlake, Texas.
Brewer Matt Reynolds draws a glass of Golden Triangle at Malai Kitchen in Southlake, Texas.(Smiley N. Pool / The Dallas Morning News)

Malai Kitchen - Southlake

Opened: January

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This Southeast Asian restaurant opened in 2011, but it didn't begin brewing beer until 2014. And once its owners opened a second location in the suburbs, they decided to graduate from a homebrew kit to a legit 1.5-barrel system and enlist a full-time brewer, Matt Reynolds. The restaurant's regional influence shines in the cuisine as well as the beers, which are available to drink on-site or take home in a growler. Its signature Bia Hoi is modeled after a Vietnamese beer traditionally drunk from sun-up to sundown.

1161 E. Southlake Blvd., Southlake. 817-251-9141. Find hours and more info malaikitchen.com.

Bishop Cider Co.

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Bishop Cider Co. and Cidercade (Design District)

Bishop Cider Co. and Cidercade (Design District)

2777 Irving Blvd.

Dallas, TX 75207

Opened: February

No beer here, but the thirst for this local cidery's goods drove the business to open a second production facility this year. Bishop Cider debuted in 2014 at a tiny storefront in the Bishop Arts District of Dallas. That space is open regularly throughout the week, but on weekends, patrons can tour the production facility, which resides in the Design District. There you'll find an expansive warehouse and bar serving numerous ciders, including a couple frozen ones.

2777 Irving Blvd., Dallas. 214-364-7728. Find hours and more info at bishopcider.com.

A bar goer carries a flight of beer samplers at Whistle Post Brewing Co. in Pilot Point, Texas.
A bar goer carries a flight of beer samplers at Whistle Post Brewing Co. in Pilot Point, Texas.(Ting Shen / The Dallas Morning News)
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Whistle Post Brewing Co.

Opened: June

Pilot Point is a small ranch community located about 30 miles north of Denton, but if you travel that way for local beer, you'll also be rewarded with local spirits. Whistle Post Brewing Co. comes from the owners of the neighboring Western Son Distillery. The two businesses share a parking lot/patio area complete with a stage for live music. All the brews, such as Shoofly Golden Ale and Rooster Shooter Texas lager, riff on a train theme, since the brewery is located near a whistle post in the center of town.

219 W. Division St., Pilot Point. 940-324-0008. Find hours and more info at facebook.com/whistlepostbrewingco.

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Beers (left to right): Soul Pleasure, Billy Jenkins, Tarantula Hawk and Moonlight Shine made...
Beers (left to right): Soul Pleasure, Billy Jenkins, Tarantula Hawk and Moonlight Shine made by Wild Acre Brewing Co.(Jae S. Lee / The Dallas Morning News)

Wild Acre Brewing Co.

Opened: July

This new Fort Worth brewery is a nod to the city's history. Wild Acre is named for Hell's Half Acre, a stretch of cowtown that earned a reputation as the rough and rowdy red light district in the 19th century. The brewery itself, however, isn't a bar fight waiting to happen. Founder John Pritchett outfitted the space with a 30-barrel brewhouse in hopes of making most of its suds available in bars and retail stores in the region. But you can come on a Saturday for a tour and live tunes.

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1734 E. El Paso St., Fort Worth. 817-882-9453. Find hours and more info at wildacrebrewing.com.

Legal Draft Beer Co.

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Legal Draft Beer Company

Legal Draft Beer Company

500 E. Division St.

Arlington, TX 76011

Opened: July

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It likely won't surprise you to learn that the president and co-founder of Arlington's second brewery has been a practicing lawyer for 30 years. One look at some of the beer names, such as the Hung Jury Hefeweizen and Presumed Innocent IPA, gives it away instantly. Legal Draft Beer Co. is less than a mile from the Levitt Pavilion for the Performing Arts and the suburb's other brewery, Division Brewing.

500 E. Division St., Arlington. 817-962-2210. Find hours and more info at legaldraftbeer.com.

Bankhead Brewing Co.

Opened: September

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Expect to find German suds and wood-fired grub at this brewpub on Main Street in Rowlett. The concept comes from transplants Ryan Pyle and Kevin Lefere, whose expertise in beer and food, respectively, led them to combine talents. Bankhead Brewing is named for a historic highway built in 1916, which runs cross-country from Washington, D.C., to San Diego and passes by where the brewpub now resides. The space includes a restaurant, brewhouse and kid-friendly beer garden.

3840 Main St., Rowlett. 214-440-2080. Find hours and more info at bankheadbrewing.com.

HopFusion Ale Works

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HopFusion Ale Works

HopFusion Ale Works

200 E. Broadway Ave.

Fort Worth, TX 76104

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Opened: October

HopFusion Ale Works landed a lease in Fort Worth in spring 2015. Owners Macy Moore and Matt Hill have more than a decade of homebrewing experience between the two of them and spent this year selectively brewing recipes on a pilot system to distribute in their hometown. The commercial-size tanks started boiling last month and the brewery's distribution has gradually grown since. Expect to be able to visit the on-site taproom in November.

200 E. Broadway Ave., Fort Worth. 682-841-1721. Find more info at hopfusionaleworks.com.

Hemisphere Brewing Co.'s Super Fleek (pictured) is a coffee porter.
Hemisphere Brewing Co.'s Super Fleek (pictured) is a coffee porter.(Tiney Ricciardi)
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Hemisphere Brewing Co.

Expected opening: November

The addition of Hemisphere Brewing Co. will give Rockwall its own brewery district. The new spot is located mere feet from the suburb's other operation, Woodcreek Brewing Co. Hemisphere is a partnership between Brandon Mullins and Ruben Garcia, who met when playing together in a band in 1998. They plan to launch with five recipes, including a New England-style IPA, coffee porter and "grisette" beer, described as a French-style saison.

2015 Kristy Lane, Rockwall. 972-722-4535. Find hours and more info at facebook.com/hemispherebrewingco.

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Manhattan Project Beer Co. has won several awards for its beer at local homebrew...
Manhattan Project Beer Co. has won several awards for its beer at local homebrew competitions, including Brew Riot and Labor of Love.(Bethany Erin Photography)

Manhattan Project Beer Co.

Expected launch: November

Local drinkers may recognize the Manhattan Project Beer Co. name -- this group of brewers has been a staple of the homebrew community for years. Earlier this year, they entered into an alternating proprietorship with Bitter Sisters Brewing Co. in Addison so they could brew and distribute original recipes before opening their own facility in 2017. Manhattan Beer Project Co. is launching four beers during North Texas Beer Week.

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15103 Surveyor Blvd., Addison. 972-399-9514. Find more info at manhattanproject.beer.

Thirsty Bro Brewing Co.

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Thirsty Bro Brewing Co.

Thirsty Bro Brewing Co.

141 E. Main St.

Royse City, TX 75189

Expected opening: November

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This forthcoming brewery is hoping to satisfy the thirst for craft beer in the tiny town of Royse City. Nestled in a 102-year-old building on Main Street, Thirsty Bro plans to debut in mid-November with five beers, some of which will be gluten-reduced, according to founder/brewer Terry Gordon, who is gluten intolerant.

141 E. Main St., Royse City. 817-600-6185. Find more info at thirstybrobrewingco.com.

Denton County Brewing Co.

Expected opening: December

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When the Denton City Council voted in 2015 to change zoning codes for businesses that brew beer commercially, it made way for several entrepreneurs to bring their boozy ideas downtown. The latest is poised to be Seth Morgan, who hopes to open Denton County Brewing Co. by year's end.

200 E. McKinney St., Denton. Find more info at dentoncountybrewingco.com.

Looking for more bubbly brews news? Check out our North Texas Beer Week page.