'Friends and Allies Brewing' Coming to East Austin

Former roommates Ben Sabin and Devon Ponds are bringing their beer brewing expertise to East Austin.

The two friends, who met in their South Austin apartment complex, are opening Friends & Allies Brewing in East Austin next year. Both have held various jobs in the beer industry, and they set a plan to found their own brewery after gaining more experience in the industry.

By the end of the year, their head brewer, Nathan Crane, will have produced a session IPA using 4th Tap Brewing Co-op’s brewhouse, an arrangement the duo has been able to make thanks to a law passed by the 2013 legislature.

Opening Friends & Allies Brewing at Springdale Road and Airport Boulevard is the next step. According to Austin 360, Ponds and Sabin were excited to find the old food distribution facility on the east side because it’s surrounded by Austin’s creative, health-minded community. Next door is an upcoming rock climbing gym called the Austin Bouldering Project; Austin Eastciders, Springdale Farm and Daily Greens are nearby. Ponds is hoping Crane can use some of the fresh ingredients from the nearby farms like Springdale in some of the brewery’s seasonal beers. Other collaborations with other breweries or businesses will be fairly easy, thanks to Sabin, whose time perusing Thirsty Planet brews around town means he knows everyone.

The brewery in set to open in the spring of 2016.