Story by Sarah Naron
When Dennis and Ana Gore moved to Lovelady 12 years ago, they were quickly taken with the small town and the surrounding area.
“We grew to love the friendliness of Houston County, especially that of Lovelady,” Ana shared. “We appreciate the family values of our neighbors and their pride for their hometown.”
Like any other proud Lovelady residents, the Gores hold a special place in their hearts for Love Fest, the community’s annual weekend festival held in February.
“Love Fest is a great annual event that brings the town and surrounding towns together for a fun weekend of events,” Ana said. “We look forward to being a part of it this coming year.”
The Gores also harbor a strong taste for Czech-style beers, and after being given the opportunity to travel to the Czech Republic and spend time under the tutelage of famed brewmaster Joseph Kryzl and his son, Petr, the couple took their acquired skill, “love of Czech-style beers, and the desire to bring authentic Czech-style beers to Texas” and established the Stesti Brewing Company in 2015.
“We were able to return from the Czech Republic with three recipes,” Ana said. “These three beers are our core beers – Pivo Pils, Bohemian Lager, and Dark Lager. From these beers, we expanded our selection to represent almost every style of beer, from wheat beers to Belgian-style ales and IPAs.”
The couple also owns and operates the Stesti Beer Garden, which gives visitors a chance to experience all that the brewery has to offer.
“We feature the entire Stesti lineup of beers and hard seltzers, as well as Texas wines,” Ana explained. “We are adding a kitchen and will be offering daily food specials in the upcoming new year.”
Plans are underway to make the Beer Garden a hub for supporting other local businesses and to continue its work in lending a hand to local charity organizations.
“We will have Saturday Markets for vendors to come and sell their goods,” she said. “Thursdays, we have Charity Bingo with proceeds benefiting a different local non-profit organization every month.”
Live musical entertainment is provided by artists and groups from throughout the local area on weekends, as well as “sporting events on our TVs,” Ana said.
“We designed the Beer Garden to be a family-friendly atmosphere for everyone to enjoy,” she said.
In October of 2021, the Gores hosted their first Oktoberfest event and are planning on doing so again in 2022.
Those interested in getting a closer look at the process through which the beers are made are encouraged to book a tour of the brewery.
“Visitors can expect a history of Czech beer and information about its unique brewing technique,” Ana said. “The brewery is located on our home property, so visitors can expect a casual, informative tour with beer tastings.”
The Stesti Brewery is located at 1328 FM 2915. For more information or to schedule a tour, visit www.stestibrewingcompany.com or call (832)-452-8575.
The Stesti Beer Garden is located at 720 Commerce St. Hours of operation are Thursday-Friday from 4-10 p.m., Saturday from 12-10 p.m., and Sunday from 12-6 p.m. For more information, call (936)-636-9267.
