Going hog wild for ice cream

May 21—Angry Hog in Austin opens ice cream shop

Beer floats, they're a thing, and thanks to Angry Hog Brewery and Tap Room, you now have the opportunity to give it a try with the addition of the Angry Hog Ice Cream Shoppe.

Opened this May, the shop offers over 20 flavors along with a variety of ice cream-featured treats, including the aforementioned beer floats, just in time for summer.

"It sounds bizarre, but everybody who's tried it has loved it," said Jill Jones, who along with husband Kevin, are the owners of Angry Hog. "People would bring in little things of ice cream into the brewery and pour their stout over it. That's kind of where it originated."

The Ice Cream Shoppe itself, however, had its origins going back still further when the couple were trying to figure out what to do with the space the shop is currently located in.

"We had this space and we kept trying to figure out what we could do with it and still make it work," Jones said.

The idea eventually came from the couple's trips into the northern half of Minnesota for vacations at Camper's Paradise on Lake Belle Taine just outside of Nevis. As regulars to the area, the couple often visited ice cream shops in Nevis and Dorset, which is just west of Nevis.

"We go to these ice cream shops. It's a must stop many times," Jones said. "Two years ago I told Kevin, let's use that space to open up an ice cream shop. It fills a need."

The room was remodeled and now has a long counter with 24 flavors, many of which will be regulars while still others will be rotated to feature new tastes.

Outside, a deck will be utilized for outside dining with a walk-up window to place and pick-up orders.

Jones said that adding an ice cream addition made sense to the overall family draw of Angry Hog.

"Our brewery is family friendly and our families are welcome there," Jones said. "Families bring in their kiddos, they bring food for their families, they bring in games. Since the day we opened we really expressed that we really are family friendly."

People are invited to go back and forth between the two areas and enjoy the full range of everything Angry Hog has to offer. That versatility has been reflective of the success the shop has experienced in its short time being opened.

"It's been good. It's been positive," Jones said. "People are coming in, they are happy here."

Jones currently is rounding out the year at Pacelli Catholic Schools and is currently opening the shop from 5-8 p.m. Thursday, 4-8 p.m. Friday and 1-8 p.m. Saturday, however, once the school year ends, Jones plans on expanding to summer hours starting June 1.

Those hours will be 1-8 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday, 1-9 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 1-6 p.m. Sunday. At the same time, Jones wants people to keep in mind that closing times could vary, indicating that if there is demand the shop will remain open.

The ice cream shop is just one of the changes the Jones have in mind for the future, with Jones saying they have plans for a new roof and siding in the future along with adding a glass garage door to the patio on the taproom.

They've also added Heggies Pizza for an onsite food option.

All told, Angry Hog has taken some big steps since opening in 2018.

"I don't really think we knew what to expect at that point," Jones confessed. "We were just jumping in with both feet."

That said, there was no holding back with the addition of the Ice Cream Shoppe, saying that the addition will definitely be a welcome addition to Angry Hog going forward.

"Kevin and I decided that if we're going to do it, we're going to do it big," she said.