beer

how to read beer label

Understanding Beer Labels: Decoding ABV, IBU, and Other Key Terms 

Spec’sology Blog, Beer
Estimated Reading Time: 6 Minutes How Does One Read A Beer Label? So you’re interested in Meadophily or the study of beer bottle labels. Now sure, we could spend the whole blog talking about beer label design and with there being over 8,000 breweries in the United States alone, it’s more crucial than ever for a beer to have a cool looking label so it can stand out in the crowd. But we’re not. Instead, we are interested in what they say and the meaning of them. So join us in a... Read More
Best Oktoberfest Beers

Best Oktoberfest Beer

Spec’sology Blog, Beer
Every year, millions of people from around the world gather in Munich, Germany, to celebrate the beloved Oktoberfest. This grand festival, steeped in history and tradition, is a vibrant celebration of German beer & culture. In today’s blog, we’ll explore the history of Oktoberfest, explore what makes it such a beloved event, and raise our glasses to the German beer that flows freely during this remarkable time of year. A Toast to History – What is Oktoberfest? Oktoberfest... Read More
Picture of Gluten Free Beer

Best Gluten-Free Beers – The Spec’s 2023 Insider

Spec’sology Blog, Beer
Gluten-Free Beers Giving up gluten used to mean missing out on tasty new craft beers and having to settle for unpleasant knockoffs of the real thing. Now, however brewers have it dialed in and are ramping up efforts to put out some truly good beers. Good enough that you wouldn’t know they were gluten-free unless you read the bottle! But first, for those wondering why gluten-free beer is even a thing, let’s answer a few common questions before getting to the recommendations! What is ... Read More
Top 7 German Beers for Oktoberfest - Spec's

Top 7 German Beers For Oktoberfest

Spec’sology Blog, Beer
We all know what Oktoberfest is and which country it takes place in, but what are the best German Oktoberfest beers? And do we know why it even occurs in the first place? Sure, Germany makes some world-class beers, but which ones are the best to celebrate with? And what is the reason for the season? Turns out, this beer bash was born out of another party; a wedding party to be precise. Back in 1810, the crown prince of Bavaria, who later became King Louis I, opted to turn the traditionally s... Read More
Top Ten Texas Beers - Spec's Wines, Spirits & Finer Foods

Top Ten Texas Beers

Spec’sology Blog, Beer
If you’re drinking local Texas beers, make sure you’re doing it right! Check out our list of the ten most popular Texas brews, and get ready to add a top shelf to your beer fridge! If your near our Smith Street liquor store in Houston, be sure to check out these great Texas beers. Lone Pine Yellow Rose Rated #1 Texas Brewed IPA, on both BeerAdvocate.com and RateBeer.com, I believe. A SMASH IPA (single malt, single hop), Yellow Rose is as nice to look at as it is to drink. ... Read More
Oktoberfest: Top 5 German Beers - Spec's Wines, Spirits & Finer Foods

Oktoberfest – Top 5 German Beers

Spec’sology Blog, Beer

We all know what Oktoberfest is and which country it takes place in, but do we know why it even occurs in the first place? Sure, Germany makes some world-class beers, but is that the reason for the season? Turns out, this beer bash was born out of another party; a wedding party to be precise.
Back in 1810, the crown prince of Bavaria, who later became King Louis I, opted to turn the traditionally stuffy, private, nobles-only wedding celebration into a massive public festival complete with a huge... Read More

Pool Friendly Drinks For Summer - Spec's Wines, Spirits & Finer Foods

Pool Friendly Drinks For Summer

Spec’sology Blog, Beer, Entertain, Seltzers

Whether it’s a pool, river, lake, or the beach, water and a Texas summer just go hand in hand. But no matter how hot you get; glass bottles are a big no-no when it comes to keeping you cool in the water. With that in mind, we’ve put together a list of delicious refreshments that’ll keep your summer wet and wild without the hazards of glass.
Not only are these all glass-free, but all the beers are lower in alcohol so you can get the most out of your time in the water! We even threw in some ... Read More

American Craft Beer Week - Spec's Wines, Spirits & Finer Foods

Top Texas Craft Beers

Spec’sology Blog, Beer

American’s love for craft beers has continued its meteoric rise for good reason – they’re great beers! From the robust porters aged in bourbon barrels to the salty gose and unique sours, to all kinds of IPAs, and whatever else they think up. We just can’t seem to get enough of them!
So, in honor of American Craft Beer Week, we’re listing some of our Texas favorites to help you narrow down your choices because if American craft beer has given us anything, it’s an almost overwhelming n... Read More

Best Spring Beers - Spec's Wines, Spirits & Finer Foods

Best Springs Beers

Spec’sology Blog, Beer

It’s officially springtime! And more importantly, winter is done trapping us inside! We are also moving away from winter’s dark, thick beers that kept us full and warm during the cold season. Lighter spring beers are here to refresh your hibernating palate! Check out our list of spring beers to enjoy starting ASAP!
Best Spring Beers
Sierra Nevada Hazy Little Thing
Sierra Nevada chills their fermenters at slightly higher temperatures than normal so the haze doesn’t fade, then they skip the ... Read More

New Wines, Spirits & Beers for 2021

Spec’sology Blog, Beer, Spirits, Wine

It’s January so you’ve probably finished reading all the 2020 recaps and are beyond ready to move on and leave those 365 days as far behind as possible! We feel you. So, what’s new for beverages in the year 2021 you ask? Well, settle on down and get ready to have your happy hour future read by the experts.
2021 will see the continued rise of hard seltzers as more and more brands get in on the action with new and unique offerings.
Online wine education courses skyrocketed during quarantine ... Read More

Best Pumpkin Beers 2020 - Spec's Wines, Spirits & Finer Foods

Best Pumpkin Craft Beers

Entertain

It’s fall and you know what that means, pumpkin everything! From coffee to ice cream to potpourri, it’s hard to step outside and not get a whiff of this seasonal gourd. And what better way to celebrate pumpkin season than with a delicious craft beer? With so many pumpkin beers to choose from, we figured we’d give you a list of some of our favorites, so you can celebrate the season the right way!
New Belgium Voodoo Atomic Pumpkin – 6.4%
New Belgium is known for their Voodoo Ranger I... Read More

Summer Beers - Spec's Wines, Spirits & Finer Foods

Suds of Summer

Spec’sology Blog, Beer
There’s nothing better than hot summer days and long summer nights, especially when you have the perfect summer beer keeping you refreshed while you sweat from dawn to dark! You could spend precious time searching for a new summer favorite, but we went ahead and put together a list of ours to ensure you don’t have to miss a moment of summer fun! Dogfish Head Slightly Mighty IPA Low-carb beer can be satisfying too! This refreshing 4%’er offers the aromatics of your favo... Read More