Portland Beer Experts Open an Austin Brewery

A Portland beer vet is opening his first Austin brewery. Meanwhile Brewing will open at 3901 Promontory Point Drive in southeast Austin starting on Friday, October 16, for on-site and curbside pickup services.

Founder Will Jaquiss and director of brewing operations Nao Ohdera worked at essential brewery Breakside in Portland, Jaquiss as the former senior research and development brewery and Ohdera as the former research and development brewer, before coming to Austin. At Meanwhile, Jaquiss is the brewmaster and Ohdera is the director of brewing operation.

The Austin brewery will create a wide variety of beers, from beers aged in bourbon barrels, hoppy sessionable ales to wood-aged sours, experimental to traditional types. The initial beer lineup features the Step Stone, a “young brett rye beer,” the Glitter and Doom Pale, a West Coast Pale Ale, and the Picnic Days, a Kolsch, among others.

Non-beer drinks include frozen cocktails (including a frosé), sherry-based cocktails, hard seltzers, wine, and sake. Also on deck is coffee from Brooklyn-based Parlor Coffee too.

The 3.7 acres will host three Austin food trucks: taco truck Pueblo Viejo, lobster truck Garbo’s, and Neapolitan pizzeria truck Craft Woodfire Pizza. The property will also include a soccer field, playground, and a live music stage.

As part of its COVID-19 safety measures, guests will have to wear masks when not seated, there is only outdoor seating available (the interior taproom is closed for now), the soccer field and playground are closed for now, and people will be able to pay their checks from through the Arryved mobile app, among other requirements.

The name Meanwhile is supposed to “gently remind our fellow humans that, though the world can be stressful and scary, there is often something wondrous and beautiful right underneath your nose,” according to the brewery’s press release.

Meanwhile’s hours are from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday, 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday, and then from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday.

Chris Mumford/Meanwhile Brewing

Chris Mumford/Meanwhile Brewing

Chris Mumford/Meanwhile Brewing

Chris Mumford/Meanwhile Brewing

Update, October 16, 2020 11:28 a.m.: This article, originally published on December 13, 2019, has been updated to include Meanwhile’s opening status and clarify Jaquiss and Ohdera’s roles at Meanwhile as well as their roles during their time at Breakside Brewery.

• Meanwhile Brewing [Official]
• Meanwhile Brewing [Facebook]
• Meanwhile Brewing [Instagram]
• All Coverage of Breakside Brewery [EPDX]