Sunday, October 27, 2013
Adventures in Beer, Houston StyleAnyone who's wandered through the Southwest section of the Great American Beer Festival in recent years knows that Texas breweries are creating some pretty bold and tasty concoctions. But on a trip to Houston last weekend, I wanted to find out if those making excellent beers were few in number or part of a larger shift in that area's brewing culture.
The answer: Something impressive is afoot in the Lone Star state. And it doesn't involve Lone Star beer.
One of the first things you notice on a trip to Spec's (the omnipresent liquor-store chain in Houston) or first-rate beer bars like Ginger Man (pictured below) is the variety of breweries and styles. Unlike some other places in the South, expertise isn't limited to lighter ales and beers made with Pecan.
There are, for example, a number of tasty double IPAs bubbling up. Southern Star Brewing's Valkyrie (pictured at top, in the bullhorn-laden man cave of a friend) is extremely balanced between a malt sensibility and an earthy hops that make this 10% ABV creation big but easy. And the Endeavor Double IPA from local institution St. Arnold Brewing - made with Simcoe, Centennial and Columbus hops - is a more traditional hop bomb with an iced-tea aftertaste.
And there is Belgian goodness. Ranger Creek Brewing's La Bestia Aimable is a Belgian dark strong ale made with honey that is a very sweet blend of molasses and esters. The Philosophizer from Adelbert's Brewery of Austin (which made its way to a Galveston Spec's) is one of the fullest saisons you'll find, a big body that's a cross between a non-sweet banana and an earthy backbone.There is originality too. Yellow Rose, a single-malt and single-hop IPA from Lone Pint Brewery that a friend led me to at an out-of-the-way beer bar called D&T Drive-In, had a huge grapefruit/slight strawberry taste with subtle malting that calmed its bitterness.
And finally there was Real Ale, the brewery that beer fans really should watch. It ran the gamut on offerings from a dark-roasted Brown Ale that pumped excitement back into a boring style to Scots Gone Wild, a tart but balanced wild sour ale.There were some stumbles. Several people recommended beers from Karbach Brewing, a rising Houston brewery. But its IPA and double IPA were bitterly out of balance, making them unpleasant to drink.
Still, this visit was an eye-opener. And it would be worthwhile to watch the growth of this young craft beer market, as it shows great promise.
Labels: Adelbert's Brewery, Karbach Brewing, Lone Pint Brewery, Ranger Creek Brewing, Real Ale, Southern Star Brewing, St. Arnold Brewing, Texas beer
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Texas Beer Odyssey Part 2
The only thing that's bad about these retrospectives is that I really wish I had a few of these beers right now.
Oh well, let's finish a walk through Austin-area brewing. Let me know if I missed anything good.
10) Real Ale Firemans #4 Blonde Ale
This slightly heavy concoction from Blanco is malty but is less about creating flavor than it is about just feeling big in your mouth.
11) Real Ale Rio Blanco Pale Ale
Accented with Czech Saaz hops, this is a European-style pale with a subtle, fairly quiet taste. But I drank it for breakfast, and I can tell you in that instance that it gives you a little kick to start your day.
12) Live Oak Pilz
This is the beer that I wanted St Arnold's Fancy Lawnmower to be: A very smooth, golden and yet filling brew. It comes at you with a very grainy, bread-y malt feel with just a little bitterness on the back, like it's fresh wheat swirling in your mouth.
13) Live Oak Big Bark Amber
The Austin brewers have created a slightly dusty, musty feel, though unfortunately it's not enough to create a unique flavor. It's not watery but it's also not gutsy. It's just your average beer, though I'm sure it feels good on a Texas spring afternoon.
14) Original Draughthouse Amber Ale
The Draughthouse Pub and Brewery is a wonderful place to spend a night quietly drinking their five beers - as well as the roughly 65 other delicacies from across the U.S. and Europe that the pub has on tap. I'd like to get that out up front and decline comment on the specific goodness of its fairly plastic-tasting amber . . .
15) Draughthouse Vanilla Porter
. . . However, it took only until my second Draughthouse beer that I was smiling ear to ear. Sharp and tasty but not drowned in vanilla, this dark concoction maintained its flavor and actually got more pleasing as it warmed.
16) Live Oak Treehugger Barleywine
Howdy, partner! This is an oak-barrel-strong, thick and woody drink that feels like it should be more about shootin' than about sippin'.
17) Draughthouse Amber Waves
If you're looking for British-feeling beer in Texas, this surprisingly bitter, grainy concoction should suit your needs.
18) Live Oak Hefeweizen
The weekend finished with a slightly mellow but very drinkable unfiltered wheat whose flavor grew increasingly lemony as it warmed.
That's my Texas story, partner. What's yours?
The only thing that's bad about these retrospectives is that I really wish I had a few of these beers right now.
Oh well, let's finish a walk through Austin-area brewing. Let me know if I missed anything good.
10) Real Ale Firemans #4 Blonde Ale
This slightly heavy concoction from Blanco is malty but is less about creating flavor than it is about just feeling big in your mouth.
11) Real Ale Rio Blanco Pale Ale
Accented with Czech Saaz hops, this is a European-style pale with a subtle, fairly quiet taste. But I drank it for breakfast, and I can tell you in that instance that it gives you a little kick to start your day.
12) Live Oak Pilz
This is the beer that I wanted St Arnold's Fancy Lawnmower to be: A very smooth, golden and yet filling brew. It comes at you with a very grainy, bread-y malt feel with just a little bitterness on the back, like it's fresh wheat swirling in your mouth.
13) Live Oak Big Bark Amber
The Austin brewers have created a slightly dusty, musty feel, though unfortunately it's not enough to create a unique flavor. It's not watery but it's also not gutsy. It's just your average beer, though I'm sure it feels good on a Texas spring afternoon.
14) Original Draughthouse Amber Ale
The Draughthouse Pub and Brewery is a wonderful place to spend a night quietly drinking their five beers - as well as the roughly 65 other delicacies from across the U.S. and Europe that the pub has on tap. I'd like to get that out up front and decline comment on the specific goodness of its fairly plastic-tasting amber . . .
15) Draughthouse Vanilla Porter
. . . However, it took only until my second Draughthouse beer that I was smiling ear to ear. Sharp and tasty but not drowned in vanilla, this dark concoction maintained its flavor and actually got more pleasing as it warmed.
16) Live Oak Treehugger Barleywine
Howdy, partner! This is an oak-barrel-strong, thick and woody drink that feels like it should be more about shootin' than about sippin'.
17) Draughthouse Amber Waves
If you're looking for British-feeling beer in Texas, this surprisingly bitter, grainy concoction should suit your needs.
18) Live Oak Hefeweizen
The weekend finished with a slightly mellow but very drinkable unfiltered wheat whose flavor grew increasingly lemony as it warmed.
That's my Texas story, partner. What's yours?
Labels: Draughthouse Pub and Brewery, Live Oak Brewing, Real Ale, Texas beer
