The Spoetzl Brewery in Texas has released the fourth beer in the countdown toward its 100th anniversary in 2009. Shiner 99 is brewed in the style of a Helles.
A brewery press release notes: “Some people think ‘helles’ is German for ‘pale.’ But it actually means ‘bright,’ and that’s just what Shiner 99 is — a bright gold lager.” Shiner 99 is malt-accented, fresh almost-grainy sweetness nicely balanced by spicy Hallertau Tradition hops.
Spoetzl, one of America’s oldest independent breweries, began the special releases with Shiner 96, an Oktoberfest-inspired beer. Shiner 97 proved so popular it has become a regular offering, now called Bohemian Black Lager.
Belgium’s Het Anker brewery has added a fourth beer to its line. Hopsinjoor contains four different noble hops and checks in at a robust 50 IBU. “Opsingjoor” is a puppet closely linked to the history of Mechelen, where Het Anker is located.
Moosehead USA will ship Moosehead Light to ten markets beginning in April: Arizona, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Hawaii, Nebraska, New Jersey, Minnesota, Oklahoma and Pennsylvania. The beer contains 4% alcohol and 112 calories.