True Anomaly announces return thanks to Houston Heights brewery partnership

True Anomaly, the Houston brewery that suffered a heartbreaking closure earlier in the year, is returning in an unexpected way. New Magnolia Brewing Co., based in the Heights neighborhood, lent the now-shuttered drinkmaker space to start brewing its signature beers again.

The announcement went live on social media on July 20. True Anomaly says it will produce the following out of New Magnolia's facility at 1616 Bevis St.:

• Scout (Mexican style lager)
• Ben's House (West Coast IPA)
• Go Flight (Hazy IPA)
• Rocket Park (Pale ale)

"We know what some of you are thinking. 'It won't be the same.' And you're right, it won't. The original taproom had something that can't be bottled. But the beer can be," True Anomaly's statement read, in part.

The hope, according to True Anomaly, is to get its beers back into Houston-area bars.

Tom Ahlstrom, Michael Duckworth, David Lantz and Ben Stahl, a motley crew of NASA technicians and engineers, opened True Anomaly at 2012 Dallas St. in 2019. The East Downtown brewery quickly made a name for itself with its lineup of quirky Belgians and wild ales. It even scored the "Brewery of the Year (600+ bbls) at the Texas Craft Brewer's Cup for two consecutive years.

Unfortunately, True Anomaly fell prey to setbacks that ultimately led to its closure in late April 2026. The first setback was the ongoing construction in the area related to the Texas Department of Transportation's massive I-45 expansion project. The second was the end of its lease, while the third was construction delays associated with its planned second space at 4001 Navigation Blvd. in Second Ward.

True Anomaly's closure also coincided with ongoing shrinking in the Texas craft beer scene. At least six have announced the end of the line this year alone, according to media reports. 

"This collaboration shows how incredible this community is. In an era when all the news about the craft beer industry seems bad, we want to shine a light on the resilience of the Houston beer community," True Anomaly's statement read.

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