More significant changes have been made with food and drink. After a “methodical, hard decision,” Northcutt added liquor to the bar menu—featuring made-to-order and draft cocktails—to complement the ubiquitous beer. And while the menu still prominently proffers traditional German fare like pretzels and schnitzel, Scholz’s has expanded its sausage offerings to include adventurous options. For example, the Schweinewurst—a pork, bacon, jalapeño, and sage sausage topped with mac and cheese and barbecue sauce—and the jalapeño-and-cheese venison sausage served with cactus sauerkraut and a prickly-pear sauce are new.
“One of the things we’re most proud of is that we overhauled the barbecue program,” Northcutt says. “I think we could go toe-to-toe with my boy Aaron Franklin,” he adds with a laugh. Barbecue is served on Friday evenings to go alongside live music.
Four to five nights a week you can hear everything from psych-rock to country and polka on Scholz’s outdoor stage. Northcutt has worked to expand the crowd with diverse bands and a variety of events, from political rallies to the Bloody Mary Fest, a celebration of the brunch cocktail held in April.
Growing new business may be an even bigger challenge for Scholz’s than appeasing longtime customers. Located on a stretch of San Jacinto Boulevard, the historic building is tucked between nondescript state office buildings and frequent construction. However, Northcutt doesn’t seem too worried.
“The spirit of the beer garden, and friends and family and community having a good time, are what’s going to keep this place alive,” he says. As the battle between “new Austin” and “old Austin” continues to rage among residents and expats, Scholz’s and its proprietors are content to just be Austin. As Northcutt says, “If you want to keep it weird in Austin, that’s great. But we want to keep Scholz stable and fun.”