Legal Draft Brewing Co. | Gone But Not Forgotten

Legal Draft Brewing Co. was one of my favorite local breweries, but they closed in March 2022. Here’s a tribute to Legal Draft.

Legal Draft Brewing Co. opened its doors in 2016. Co-founded by a former attorney, their beers had legal themes with their names—such as Presumed Innocent, Chief Justice, Hazeas Corpus, Legal Grounds, Smash and Grab, and others.

Their brewery and taproom were a welcome and vibrant part of Downtown Arlington’s growing Urban Union district. For nearly six years, they were one of my favorite local breweries. Yet, in March, they suddenly called it quits.

Local breweries are more than just watering holes. They often collaborate with other small businesses and local artists, host events, and become a gathering place for the community. The loss of a local brewery is almost like losing a respected and loved family member.

I was near the brewery a couple of days before they closed. It was a Saturday afternoon, and their taproom was busy as usual. I thought about stopping by for a beer, but it was too busy, so I decided to do it some other time. Two days later, they announced on Facebook that they were closed. Judging by the ensuing comments, many people were shocked and saddened by the news.

Over the years, I tried most of their canned releases and a few special ones only available at the brewery. I was in the process of revisiting their beers and making notes on them, hoping to do an extensive blog post on their offerings. Well, too late now.

Arlington still has Division Brewing and the Revolver Brewhouse—a taproom of nearby Granbury’s Revolver Brewing where they feature experimental beers and ones from their classic lineup.

As for Legal Draft’s building and equipment, Bishop Cider of Dallas recently acquired it. Sometime in 2023, they plan to open a “cidercade“—a cider taproom and arcade. Will Downtown Arlington embrace the cider craze? We’ll see. Until then, here’s a tribute to Legal Draft.