Matthew B.
Yelp
Hop&Sting - A Mixed Bag of Brews.
I visited Hop&Sting on a Saturday evening, eager to unleash my inner hop-head. With six IPAs on tap, I decided to go with a "beertender's choice," hoping for some guided exploration. All the IPAs I tried were distinct and quite good. My personal favorite was a pint of their "She's Intense"--higher ABV, yet surprisingly smooth with no bitter "Sting" on the back end (pun intended!).
Now, y'all know I love dogs, and this is a dog-friendly spot, which is a huge plus!
The beertenders were friendly, but I found them to be less informative than I'd hoped. There was a missed opportunity here; they didn't ask any questions to help me narrow down my choice among the many IPAs. It felt like a slight misstep in terms of customer engagement and sales.
The atmosphere was a bit of a contrast. The indoor space felt small, while the outdoor area was quite large but lacked aesthetic appeal. Beyond a hand-painted logo, it was mostly just picnic tables and umbrellas, giving off a rather plain vibe. The music was also hard to hear, barely audible through a single speaker tucked in a corner.
This place actually won Dallas's Best Brewery for 2021, 2022, and 2023, which honestly makes me want to really "beat this place up" on the setting. There are so many ways they could improve the actual ambiance, but the beer truly speaks volumes. Despite my criticisms of the setting, the beer is great, and ultimately, taste wins out. I wanted to give them 5 stars of beer but couldn't because the online menu wasn't working and the aesthetics are so bland. The building is colorful and all but let a local artist have fun with your walls.