View Full Version : Great Texas Brews
Beer Nazi
12-06-2002, 08:48 PM
No, I'm not talkin' Lone Star or Pearl....
Anything from the Live Oak Brewery rocks. Their Pilz and Heffe Weisen are absolutely superb. The Heffe is a traditional banana/clove flavor, not too heavy on the flavor, not too light.
Anything from Real Brewing in Blanco Texas rocks too. They offer a brown, rye, pale ale and something they call "Fireman's Number Four".
The Fredericksburg Brewing Company has some o.k. beers - nothing I'm nuts for, even thought they have medals.
mymaestro
12-06-2002, 11:47 PM
You need to try Saint Arnold - start with their new Lawn Mower beer, then the Brown, work your way to the Amber (on tap many places in Austin) and finally the seasonal (Octoberfest, Winter Stout, Christmas Ale, or Summer Pils).
BeerSponge
12-07-2002, 01:07 AM
Yes, I agree. Saint Arnold produces some wonderful brews. The Fancy Lawnmower is a great thirst quencher and I love the label.
Also, Real Ale's Rye is a fine ale. Id like to see more Rye's in the market.
lpayne
12-09-2002, 08:51 PM
how can you forget about Shiner???? They have some great brews. It's sad that you recognize others and not one of the most known beers.
mymaestro
12-09-2002, 10:31 PM
I'm sorry, but Shiner just doesn't quite make the cut as a handcrafted brew any more. They got too big, especially after Gambrinus took over. But the tour is still fun ;-)
BREWERDLUX
12-10-2002, 11:42 AM
I ALWAYS USE SHINER AS A GOOD OLD STANDBY CHOICE. GOOD PRODUCT BUT NOT THE CALIBER OF LIVE OAKS, REAL ALE BREWERY AND THE NEW BRENHAM BREWERY. I WAS VERY SAD THE DAY I HERD I HAD HAD MY LAST PINT OF GUY TOWN IPA FROM WATERLOO BREWING CO.(CRY, CRY). WHAT A LOSS TO THE TEXAS BREWING SCENE. STILL ALLOT OF GOOD BEER IN THE STATE. BIB BUCK BREWERY IN THE METROPLEX AS WELL AS THE HUMPERDINKS CHAIN PROVIDE A GOOD PRODUCT.
mymaestro
12-10-2002, 05:36 PM
How is Brenham's beer (I know their ice cream is excellent ;-)
BREWERDLUX
12-11-2002, 02:30 PM
I TRIED THERE PILSNER AND IT WAS PRETTY GOOD. SO FAR THATS THE EXTENT OF MY EXPERIENCE WITH. I HAVE HEARD TELL THEY MAKE OTHER GOOD PRODUCTS AS WELL.
THE ONLY BAD THING ABOUT TEXAS IS WE DONT HAVE MANY BREWERIES THAT BOTTLE THEIR WARES. I MEAN YOU CAN GET SHINER AND SAINT ARNOLDS, BUT ALL OF THE GOOD FARE FROM OUR BREWPUBS ARE ONLY AVAILABLE ON DRAFT AT THE PUB OR CARRY OUT IN A GROWLER. HOPEFULLY THAT WILL GET BETTER WITH TIME.
Beer Nazi
12-13-2002, 11:43 PM
I agree with Brewerdlux - Shiner is a good stand-by, well, the Bock is anyway, after they changed the Blonde to resemble Pete's Helles - yuk. It's a shame that taste suffers at the hand of growth.
Real Brewing bottles their brews, everything except Fireman's Number 4. They are trying to bottle more, but they just don't have the high volume equipment yet.
How could I forget their barleywine "Sisyphus"?
I can't wait to try the brews from Brenham.
good luck to those of you looking for texas brewpubs to sell their fine ale and lagers in stores. It is in fact against texas law. there are two kinds of brewery licenses in texas, brewpub and brewey.
brewpubs are not permited to sell beer wholesale. in fact brewpubs can't even sell their beer to a second store in a chain if they have one.
cheers.
Hi Hi! Haven't been here in a while, but will be more religious in posting. Just letting all the SW folks who may not know about Eeyore's Birthday to come out and have a chance at trying some of the awesome brews in Texas. To my knowledge, there is no corporate brewery sponsorship, which makes this great day (weekend?) a totally Texas event. Real Ale, Live Oak and St Arnold's are always on hand and it's awesome to people-watch! Sometime in April? :) -BeerGal
Beer Nazi
02-14-2003, 11:19 PM
O.k., I give.
What the hell is EEyore's birthday and where is it?
And damn skippy you better post more!!! :D
Ohhhkay...To the best of my knowledge, folks here in Austin like to celebrate that ageless mopey donkey named Eeyore (of Winnie the Pooh fame)'s birthday. Though I suspect in reality it's a day to drink and be merry! I'll post more on the actual day the event takes place, but a close friend at St. Arnold's tells me that it's not to be missed for the locals who love Tejas brew! It's just a great weekend to people watch and drink awesome drafts! I believe the event takes place in April, but I will be forthcoming with detalis. BTW, BeerNazi, I have "joined" the club, I hope, by sending emails to yahoo...and did you know Austin has our own Beer Nazi at G&S Lounge? He has his own shirts and everything. I swear...you *LOOK* at the guy wrong and he snaps the beer out of your hand! Of course, that's never happened to me ;) -BeeGal
Beer Nazi
02-25-2003, 07:16 PM
Good Deal!!! Please keep us posted of Eeyore's birthday. Maybe we'll have a Beerguts GTG in Austin for it. You can E-mail me direct at the link on the beerguts site.
Your Beer Nazi sounds a lot meaner than me. My buddies coined me "Beer Nazi" because as we sampled my first batch of homebrew I told them, "If you don't like it, y'all can go back to drinking Milwaukees Best and Miller Lite".
Unfortunately they liked it and come over often - with empty mugs!!! :D
DocBrass
03-07-2003, 11:57 PM
I'm not a big fan of Shiner anymore. I use to really like the Celis Pale Bock. In fact I still have a bottle I'm hording in the fridge.
You've got to try the cask conditioned St. Arnolds. They occassionally have it at the Gingerman here in Houston.
Shiner question - I had heard at one time they added caramel color/ flavoring to the beer. I think this happened when they started increasing producion. Is this true? this makes it an additive and cuts into the "real" beer ingrediants.
CincoCraig
03-10-2003, 12:55 PM
I'm just catching up on this discussion and want to offer a few comments. I am also a big Saint Arnold Brewing Co. fan. The brown ale is superb, malty with a touch of a chocolate taste without being heavy - my favorite of their full year beers. The seasonals all seem quite popular - I especially like the Oktoberfest, Christmas Ale and the Spring Bock. A recent Saint Arnold email (sign up at the brewery or online at www.saintarnold.com) indicated that they made 35% more of the Spring Bock this year and they did not expect it to last through the month of March.
I'm also a fan of the Real Ale products. They also make a superb brown ale, although a bit different that Saint Arnold Brown. And as others have mentioned, the Full Moon Pale Rye ale is quite tasty. Their newest product available on tap in the Houston are is the coffee porter.
As for Shiner, the product from that brewery that I like the best is Shiner Winter Ale. It is a dunkelweizen, dark in color and much richer in taste that Shiner Bock. I was surprised to learn that the bottled version of it, like the others, is pasteurized.
Finally, the Brenham Brewery (no relationship to the ice cream) started off with a Pilsener and a Helles Lager a little more than a year ago. A Bavarian-style Bock (you won’t confuse this for Shiner Bock) was added last fall and they are about to release commercially a black lager or schwartzbier that should be wonderful (I got to try a test batch of it nearly two years ago while they were building the brewery. Brenham's lagers are only available on draft.
Beer Nazi
03-13-2003, 10:00 PM
Real's Coffee Porter is GREAT!!!!
The company I work for designed and installed Spoetzl's new pasteurizer.
In my opinion it's changed the flavor of the beers for the worse. I do, however, like the Winter Ale.
I also enjoyed the St. Arnold's Stout this year.
Chango
03-29-2003, 01:32 PM
New to Real Beer, first post actually. Having grown up in Texas, i was always a hardcore Shiner devotee. I seriously still miss their original clean and crispy Shiner regular (Premium, I think?). It's a damn shame they stopped making it. I find the Summer Stock to be kinda close to it, but my memory's so faded i could be way off base. Really though, give the Summer Stock a try when it comes around, it's pretty nice on a hot sweaty day.
As for the Bock, i really used to love that stuff, and it was all i drank up until i moved to Arizona back in August, well that and a lot of Guinness. My wife and i also did a lot of margaritas with specialty tequilas and we also liked a lot of vodka drinks, hadn't really been turned on to too much beer. Anyways, we moved out here, and the first weekend, even before we had unpacked anything, I saw an ad for the Made in the Shade beer fest up in Flagstaff. Sounded like fun, so we went. I haven't poured a shot of liquor since. I got turned on to so many different styles and flavors in that one day that i've just gone nuts with the beer culture. That, and the finding of this incredible place called Papago Brewing here in Scottsdale that is simply put, beer Valhalla, has drastically changed my tastes. Just over six months later, and i've got an internet radio show called the beer show, get to hang out with a lot of local brewers and sample all sorts of things, am constantly searching for the next great hop high, and am catching on to really subtle flavors i never noticed before. My Shiner Bock has now been replaced by my new regular beer, Four Peak's Kiltlifter, which is always in the fridge no matter what, and i'm lovin' Rio Salado's Helles Bock at the moment, too.
Thanks Arizona! (i'll still buy me a sixer of the Shiner Summer Stock here in a couple of months, though)
-C
DocBrass
03-30-2003, 07:22 PM
regular Shiner was repackaged as "Shiner Blonde".
I think that has increased sales some. too me, that was a step above Lone Star. I'm not sure if they tweaked their receipe any when they repackaged it.
CincoCraig
03-30-2003, 08:59 PM
My impression from the Shiner Brewery tour is that Shiner Blonde is essentially the same recipe as the Shiner Premium of yesteryear. The name change has seemingly had a positive impact on sales. By the way, there is a new tasting room at the brewery where you can sample the Shiner beers following the tour. Shiner Summer Stock is now in stores.
Chango
03-30-2003, 11:21 PM
d'oh! i was at the great arizona beer fest today talking to the regional shiner distributor and hs said there were no plans to bring the summer stock here... damn!
-C
Celis beer now brewed in Michigan-ode to the "Yellow Rose of Michigan"
skahtboi
07-10-2003, 02:54 PM
In defense of Shiner, their Winter Ale is quite good, as is their Hefeweisen and Summer Ale.
Scott
great robust taste........ just like thei heiffivissen
great robust taste........ just like thei heiffiwissen
hops99
10-15-2003, 08:54 PM
I've liked every Saint Arnold I've tried over the years, and last Spring I absolutely loved the Kristall Weizen while I was in Dallas. Great stuff!
Sassy
11-02-2003, 10:42 AM
Lonestar has to be the best Texas Beer ;-).
Fast_Eddy
11-02-2003, 12:13 PM
Originally posted by Sassy
Lonestar has to be the best Texas Beer ;-).
No, it's Miller Lite :p
Sassy
11-02-2003, 01:01 PM
Ya, Now that you mention it--- I think you are right.
Fast_Eddy
11-02-2003, 06:05 PM
My two Texas favorites, by a wide margin, are:
1) Live Oak Pilz - this is better than any other czech pils(probably any pils since I prefer czech pils) I've ever tasted. It must be what PU tastes like in Czechslovakia.
2) Real Ale's Coffee Porter - Had this for the first time at the Dixie Cup Homebrew Fest. It was stunningly good. I've been trying to find it around Austin(with no luck) ever since.
drunkenirishfan
11-02-2003, 06:16 PM
A Miller Lite fan eh, and a horns fan ...? I'm a ML drinker as well ... but an Irish fan .. but feeling a little sad these days about our football team.
The Drunken Irish Fan (http://www.thedrunkenirishfan.com)
Fast_Eddy
11-03-2003, 09:33 AM
Originally posted by drunkenirishfan
A Miller Lite fan eh, and a horns fan ...? I'm a ML drinker as well ... but an Irish fan .. but feeling a little sad these days about our football team.
The Drunken Irish Fan (http://www.thedrunkenirishfan.com)
Horns fan : hell yeah - Hook 'em Horns! I was at the Texas-Nebraska game on Saturday. I tailgated with Red Hook ESB(it was on sale ;) ) and Paulaner Okto.
Miller Lite Fan: Errr...no - I was kidding.
drunkenirishfan - you might want to read some of the other posts on here (or any of my 400+ posts), there aren't a lot(well basically no) drinkers of MGD, Bud, Miller, Coors on here.
mesmartyoudumb
12-26-2003, 09:19 AM
Thanks for the tip about ST arnolds,i saw it in some Chevron ,but i've never heard of it until now,will definately give them a try this weekend :-)
Fast_Eddy
12-26-2003, 09:39 AM
Originally posted by Fast_Eddy
My two Texas favorites, by a wide margin, are:
1) Live Oak Pilz - this is better than any other czech pils(probably any pils since I prefer czech pils) I've ever tasted. It must be what PU tastes like in Czechslovakia.
2) Real Ale's Coffee Porter - Had this for the first time at the Dixie Cup Homebrew Fest. It was stunningly good. I've been trying to find it around Austin(with no luck) ever since.
A little follow-up - Real Ale's Coffee Porter is on tap at the Austin Gingerman but it is a seasonal and will soon be gone.
BeerBelly
12-26-2003, 12:33 PM
In San Antonio makes a really good Pilsner
I'mRocketMan
02-04-2004, 10:27 PM
I liked their Autumn Fest (got a couple of Cornys full) and their Winter Pale (only one Corny full) is really good too! I go there when my brews aren't quite ready!!
SAustinTX
03-01-2004, 09:39 PM
Originally posted by Beer Nazi
No, I'm not talkin' Lone Star or Pearl....
Anything from the Live Oak Brewery rocks. Their Pilz and Heffe Weisen are absolutely superb. The Heffe is a traditional banana/clove flavor, not too heavy on the flavor, not too light.
Anything from Real Brewing in Blanco Texas rocks too. They offer a brown, rye, pale ale and something they call "Fireman's Number Four".
The Fredericksburg Brewing Company has some o.k. beers - nothing I'm nuts for, even thought they have medals.
Live Oak: crazy about the "Oaktoberfest". During the offseason I like the Pale Ale. I've never had anything by them that wasn't pretty damn good, and of all styles of beer I'm most critical of Pilseners.
As for Real Brewing, I don't see that as much since I've been in the far north Houston area, but I remember drinking a lot of the brown when I was in Austin. Never had the Fredericksburg.
SAustinTX
03-01-2004, 09:41 PM
Originally posted by mymaestro
You need to try Saint Arnold - start with their new Lawn Mower beer, then the Brown, work your way to the Amber (on tap many places in Austin) and finally the seasonal (Octoberfest, Winter Stout, Christmas Ale, or Summer Pils).
Ah, St Arnold. If you ever come across their cask conditioned ale it's worth every penny you'll pay for it (I've never seen it for less than $6/pint).
By the way, you forgot the current seasonal: St Arnold Spring Bock. Great stuff. I actually like it more than the Lawnmower or Summer Pils.
SAustinTX
03-01-2004, 09:44 PM
Originally posted by s00z
Ohhhkay...To the best of my knowledge, folks here in Austin like to celebrate that ageless mopey donkey named Eeyore (of Winnie the Pooh fame)'s birthday. Though I suspect in reality it's a day to drink and be merry! I'll post more on the actual day the event takes place, but a close friend at St. Arnold's tells me that it's not to be missed for the locals who love Tejas brew! It's just a great weekend to people watch and drink awesome drafts! I believe the event takes place in April, but I will be forthcoming with detalis. BTW, BeerNazi, I have "joined" the club, I hope, by sending emails to yahoo...and did you know Austin has our own Beer Nazi at G&S Lounge? He has his own shirts and everything. I swear...you *LOOK* at the guy wrong and he snaps the beer out of your hand! Of course, that's never happened to me ;) -BeeGal
Um, I haven't actually attended Eeyore's B-Day but from all accounts I've heard when I lived in Austin it's a well known "doper's smoke out". Kind of like when the hippies used to gather in the park and smoke weed. Guess that's why they chose Eeyore as their mascot - he does look pretty stoned.
Fast_Eddy
03-01-2004, 09:47 PM
Originally posted by SAustinTX
Um, I haven't actually attended Eeyore's B-Day but from all accounts I've heard when I lived in Austin it's a well known "doper's smoke out". Kind of like when the hippies used to gather in the park and smoke weed. Guess that's why they chose Eeyore as their mascot - he does look pretty stoned.
In general it seems like more people are on acid than smoking dope..... ;)
Fast_Eddy
03-02-2004, 11:17 AM
Texas Brewers Festival: May 15, 2004
www.txbrewersfestival.com
skahtboi
03-03-2004, 10:17 PM
Still not a big fan of the St. Arnold's products, though I must admit that their Winter Stout is their best bottle beer. The cask condition Christmas Ale is also pretty darn good. Everything else that I have had of theirs is pretty much tantamount to swill.
BREWERDLUX
03-04-2004, 08:54 AM
Hey Eddie, Im heading to Austin this weekend... Is the Whip In still the best place to buy bottled imports and micros???????
Fast_Eddy
03-04-2004, 09:13 AM
Whip in is great. Also consider going by Grape Vine @ Mopac and Anderson Lane.
BREWERDLUX
03-04-2004, 05:30 PM
Thanx, brother..... I will check it out. We will have the youngest child with us, so Im not real sure how much beer drinking Im going to get to do. I figure I can sneak in during the day and have one somewhere...
BREWERDLUX
03-04-2004, 05:31 PM
Congrats on post 1000, Eddy!!!!!!!!!!!!
Fast_Eddy
03-04-2004, 06:37 PM
Originally posted by BREWERDLUX
Congrats on post 1000, Eddy!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thanks - it's a real testimony to me being a time-wasting loser :)
Beaver
03-04-2004, 08:23 PM
Originally posted by Fast_Eddy
Thanks - it's a real testimony to me being a time-wasting loser )
It's always nice to be good at something ;) Congrats.
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