Ceremony Botanical Brewing, a new Austin outfit obsessed with building beers around plants, is about to move in at Hi Sign Brewing in East Austin. The residency kicks off next Saturday (April 4), when founder Jens Stoelken and the Hi Sign crew will debut two first pours: a Matcha Botanical Pilsner and a Hibiscus Botanical Ale, both at 4.9% ABV and showing off striking green and ruby hues. Instead of treating herbs and flowers like a last-minute garnish, Ceremony builds each recipe around the featured plant, aiming for crisp, easy-drinking beers with floral or earthy character. A free launch event will let locals sample both beers.
Launch party details
According to KXAN, the public launch runs from 4:30 to 6 p.m. and will include a set from DJ Tradfemme plus a raffle for a one-of-a-kind ceramic art installation by Austin artist Katie Stevens. Attendees can try both inaugural beers at no charge during the event. KXAN also notes that Ceremony will operate at Hi Sign in a residency format while it ramps up broader distribution.
What botanical brewing means
Stoelken, who grew up in Germany and says he first crossed paths with matcha beer while living in Kyoto, developed the botanical brewing concept in 2024 and teamed up with Hi Sign owner Mark Phillippe and master brewer Kevin Decoud, as reported by CultureMap. In a press release highlighted by CultureMap, Stoelken said, "Younger consumers are looking for new flavors, new ingredients, and drinks that feel more intentional." The idea is to flip the usual playbook so the plant drives the recipe from the start instead of being tacked on at the end for a hint of flavor.
The beers
The Matcha Botanical Pilsner pours a natural green and finishes clean with a subtle earthy note, while the Hibiscus Botanical Ale shows up deep ruby and drinks tart and lightly floral, with both beers listed at 4.9% ABV. KXAN detailed the colors and tasting notes and added that Ceremony's lineup also features recipes built around butterfly pea and mate. The modest ABV and balanced flavor profile are meant to keep the beers sessionable and approachable for a broad crowd, not just hardcore beer geeks.
How this fits Austin's scene
The residency will live at Hi Sign's taproom at 730 Shady Lane, an East Austin address and taproom location confirmed on Hi Sign Brewing's website. Ceremony's move slides into a small but growing local curiosity about botanical brews. Patch recently highlighted Blue Owl's "Athena" botanical lager release as another example of the trend. Looking beyond Hi Sign, CultureMap reports that Ceremony plans to expand to additional locations after the residency.
Whether the idea really lands with Austin drinkers will be easier to gauge after the first weekend of pours. For now, the launch gives locals a low-risk way to see what happens when an East Austin taproom lets the plants take the lead.
