Beer Reviews

Oktoberfest: Story of a Party

Entertain, Beer, Beer Reviews
It might come as a surprise to many of you, but Oktoberfest didn’t start as a beer festival and it is celebrated more in September, than October, in Germany! Oktoberfest Origins The first “Oktoberfest” was a wedding reception for Prince Ludwig I, who married Princess Therese of Saxony-Hildburghausen. The marriage took place on October 12th, 1810 and the citizens of Munich were invited to attend the festivities held outside the city gates. Despite copious amounts of beer being consumed, hor... Read More

what’s the HAZE about?

Entertain, Beer Reviews, Spec’sology Blog
With the introduction of the pilsner hundreds of years ago, the look of a beer became a point of focus for drinkers. At the time, it was an interest in having brilliantly clear, golden beers like liquid sunshine. In recent years, starting in the American Northeast, a move towards cloudy beers, resembling orange or grapefruit juice, has begun. These “hazy” IPAs are prized for their bright, juicy hop-derived fruit flavors, restrained bitterness and softer mouthfeel. Texas being much further so... Read More

Saint Arnold • 5 O’Clock Pils

Beer Reviews, Summer Reviews
“Light, crisp and easy” is the definition of what a summer beer should be, but flavor should not be lacking in that formula. Saint Arnold has taken the Czech Pilsner, beloved for its ease of drinking, and infused it with flavor through dry-hopping to create a flavorful beer that doesn’t require your full attention. ABV: 5.2% Ready to Try it?

Real Ale Gose

Beer Reviews, Summer Reviews
The Texas summer, all 9 months of it, is almost unbearable. Real Ale has brewed a nearly perfect offering for this heat with their Gose—a tart, mineral-driven wheat beer with a touch of lime. Packaged in cans for poolside, lakeside or river-bound drinking; Real Ale Gose is everything you want and then some! ABV: 4.4% Ready to Try it?

New Belgium Brewing Rampant IPA

Beer Reviews
Rampant Imperial IPA is everything hop fans have come to expect from
 the style with a little something extra–a surprisingly reasonable
 price. Rampant can stand toe-to-toe with the biggest, meanest IPAs in
 the store. This ode to bitterness is first and foremost a floral
 experience. The herbaceous front reminds me as much of Campari as it
 does any form of pale ale. The malt is present, but minimal, leaving 
the hops center stage. If you’re a fan of the spicier Mosaic hop, or ... Read More

Brewery Ommegang Hennepin

Beer Reviews
One of my personal favorite Saisons, Ommegang’s Hennepin delivers plenty of flavor yet is still refreshing in the Texas heat. One of the classic American Saisons, Hennepin exhibits the spicy overtones of freewheeling Belgian-style fermentation and the ripe juicy apple and pear tones of an especially friendly farmhouse ale. If intensity is your thing, this one just might be a good alternative to barleywine and DIPA when high temperatures are a factor. ABV: 7.7% Ready to Try it?

Ranger Creek Brewing La Bestia Aimable

Beer Reviews
I am beyond excited by what’s being produced by Texas craft breweries. Beer has taken hold of Texans in the most amazing way. For a long time, our state was viewed by most (including Texans) as only a place for the big name producers. Now the rest of the nation is looking for our beers in their stores. Ranger Creek produces a Belgian-style Strong Dark Ale that, after tasting it, I was impressed it came out of the US, let alone Texas. It’s got everything you’d expect in this style; light sw... Read More
Left Hand Polestar Pilsner

Left Hand Brewing Company Polestar Pilsner

Beer Reviews
Left Hand’s Polestar Pilsner is one of the most easily overlooked 
beers in the stores. This warm-weather gem comes in a six-pack so 
evocative of a cold clear night that it would be more appropriate as 
a winter warmer. Instead, this is one of the lightest, most refreshing
 craft brews in the store. Just hoppy enough to keep you thirsty, Polestar is easily one of my all-time favorite pilsners. Perfect
 anytime you’re out in the heat somewhere you don’t have to bring cans. ABV: 5... Read More

Avery Brewing • White Rascal

Beer Reviews, Summer Reviews
While you’ll have no trouble finding an aggressive IPA, a
 double stout or Scotch ale in cans these days, the milder more 
sessionable craft styles seem to be much less plentiful. Happily, Avery’s can release of White Rascal is bucking this trend. One of my 
favorite American wheats, White Rascal is slightly spicier than the 
average wheat beer, but quite refreshing compared to the hop and malt 
bombs next to it on the craft can shelf. Do yourself a favor and get this 
one into a... Read More
Boulevard Tank 7 Farmhouse Ale

Boulevard Brewing Company Tank 7

Beer Reviews
My favorite style of beer is easily Saison. It’s a Belgian-style beer with a storied past, light, crisp, and easy drinking with layers of flavor. Boulevard has taken this style, known for yeasty spice (pepper) and hoppy fruit flavors/aromas, boosted the alcohol and dry-hopped it with a modern American hop varietal called Amarillo. This layers bright citrus over an already complex drinking experience. It’s a great showcase of how American brewers have taken “old world” styles and moderniz... Read More
Dogfish Head Indian Brown Ale

Dogfish Head Brewery Indian Brown Ale

Beer Reviews
Indian Brown Ale is my favorite everyday drinking brew from Dogfish Head. While I enjoy most of their beers, this is one of the few I can have more than one or two of without having to switch things up. Basically a fusion beer of the IPA, brown ale and Scotch ale styles, Indian Brown Ale is the best-balanced, widely available Dogfish product. Malty-sweet, bitter and smoky on the end, this one has more than a little bit of everything and is one of the most well-rounded big beers around. If you’... Read More

Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales Oro de Calabaza

Beer Reviews
Sour beers are a trend that’s gaining popularity in the craft beer culture. Years ago when I discovered my first sours and loved them, no one was interested. Now we have customers coming in daily wanting to know what sours we have. Jolly Pumpkin is one of my favorite beer producers in the United States. They have a really interesting production method that incorporates conditioning time and post fermentation in their barrel system. These barrels are inoculated with wild yeast and souring bacte... Read More