Suarez Family Brewery is known for its crispy little beers and its gloriously foamy Pilsner pour. But a slightly more subtle wave of fandom is building for the pretzels.
On a busy day in the taproom, the “pretzel lady” quietly sneaks in. She's barely noticeable, but my partner leaps out of her seat with a squeal. I look at her, confused, as she whispers, “Pretzels.” I meander back toward the counter as the line slowly lengthens. They're cradled in a metal basket, a tea towel swaddling them, preserving the warmth.
Two men behind me have already grabbed their share, too impatient to wait until they pay. In unison, they bite into the warm dough, sesame seeds and bits of salt gathering at the corners of their mouths as they close their eyes and make satisfied noises.
“We were about to leave when we saw her pull up," one of them says through a hearty mouthful. "So we came back.”
With a pretzel in one hand and his phone in another, he moves out of line to snap a photo. There’s no time for the pretzels to cool—within 15 minutes, they're gone.
