Brewery Profile

Black Star Co-op

In a city with a large and varied craft beer scene, this Austin brewpub stands out less for a single flagship identity than for how it is organized. Black Star Co-op is described as the world’s first cooperatively owned and worker self-managed brewpub, a model built by community members for community use. A visitor walking in should expect a pub and brewery whose public story is tied closely to that structure: beer is made on site, the business is run under a cooperative framework, and the staff model differs from a conventional owner-managed bar. Its roots go back to discussions led by co-founder Steven Yarak and a January 14, 2006, meeting in a vacant Austin lot, where sixteen community members helped shape the idea.

Travelers coming through Central Texas often look for brewery stops that say something about the region beyond the glass. Austin’s beer culture includes production breweries, taprooms, neighborhood pubs, and places where the social side of drinking is part of the draw. A stop here fits that pattern through its unusual ownership and management approach. The co-op’s early group included Jeff Young and Johnny Livesay, who later became its first Beer and Kitchen Team Leaders, reflecting the way the project combined brewing, pub service, and community organization from the start. For visitors comparing several Austin breweries, this is the one where the operating model is a core part of the experience, not just background information.

Practical details should be checked directly before visiting, since current hours, food service, seating arrangements, events, and draft availability are not established here. The taproom is the place to confirm the day’s pours, and the co-op’s current channels are the safest source for updates on service and any visitor policies. Because it operates as a brewpub, visitors can reasonably frame the stop as more than a quick beer counter, but specific menu offerings should not be assumed in advance. Anyone interested in cooperative businesses, worker self-management, or Austin’s community-driven brewing history will find useful context here, while casual beer travelers can treat it as a distinctive stop within a broader tour of the city’s breweries.

Black Star Co-op operates as the world’s first cooperatively owned and worker self-managed brewpub, a structure established by the community for the community. The initial concept for the unique business model was developed by co-founder Steven Yarak, who spearheaded neighborhood discussions regarding a cooperatively owned establishment. This led to a foundational meeting on January 14, 2006, in a vacant lot in Austin, Texas, involving sixteen community members. Among this early group were Jeff Young and Johnny Livesay, who later served as the Co-op's inaugural Beer and Kitchen Team Leaders. The organization focuses on producing beer and operating a pub under this distinct ownership structure.

Website available

7020 Easy Wind Dr Ste 100, Austin, Texas, 78752-2373

Phone: 512-452-2337

Website: http://www.blackstar.coop

Hours: Monday-Thursday: 3-10PM Friday-Sunday: 11AM-10PM Our Last Day will be Sunday, January 12th at 10pm Kitchen closes an hour before closing times