McKinney's Newest Craft Brewery Flings Open Its Doors in May

The northern suburb of McKinney, already home to the wildly popular beermaker Franconia, will soon have another draw for craft brew enthusiasts: Tupps Brewery will open its doors for tastings and brewery tours on May 2.

The 15,000 square foot brewery, co-founded by Keith Lewis and head brewer Tupper Patnode, is housed in McKinney's historic Cotton Mill complex, which dates back to 1910 and was once the world's largest denim manufacturer. (These days it's being utilized as an event hall and office space.) The space features lots of artful little touches — many made from materials found at the old cotton mill — like a bathroom with colorful painted sinks and mason jar lights, a beer bottle tree, and a rusted out old car emblazoned with the brewery's logo.

Besides offering tastings and tours, Tupps also has a dog-friendly beer garden and stage and will host food trucks during its Saturday tours (held 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.).

Here's the initial beer lineup folks can expect from Tupps:

• Northbound 75: pale ale brewed with peppers and spices
• Tupps Black Ale: light-bodied milk stout
• Cotton Mill Gold: ale made with rye, wheat, and oats
• Tupps IPA: brewed with Centennial hops
• Texas Shade: wheat beer (expect seasonal variations with various flavors added)