Beers Reviews

A perfect beer for a Houston Winter

Last weekend I had the fortunate time of visiting Equal Parts Brewing, located a stone’s throw from Ninfa’s on Navigation. The beer that drew me to them was a new release that they brewed in collaboration with Country Malt Group. Neo-noir is a Munich Style Dunkle brewed with a new chocolate malt from Bestmalz in Germany that uses a different kilning process, lending it more chocolate flavors without the astringent bitterness you can sometimes get from traditional chocolate malt.

The beer came out a mahogany brown with a slightly tan head with an aroma that was milk chocolate with a hint of roastiness that balanced out the sweetness. On the first sip, I was blown away by how light the beer was. The weather was just warm enough for me to be sitting outside, but this beer is light enough it could have been 90 degrees and I would still have enjoyed drinking it outside. After I got past the lightness, I was struck by a slight citrus note that quickly gave way to the chocolate and roast I had picked up on the aroma. This finally led to a slight toasty spice, reminiscent of rye toast, that rounded out the whole beer. 

While I was visiting, I had to have what is one of my favorite lagers in the Houston area, Loggerbier. To make it even better, they had it on slow pour. I am typically hesitant to order a slow pour as sometimes bars and breweries don’t actually pour it slowly, just use a side pull tap but pour like a normal beer. Equal Parts does it right. The beer took about 8 minutes to pour as they layered the frothy, meringue like head with patience. When they handed it to me, the foam jiggled like a dollop of hand whipped whip cream. The beer itself was a clear hay color with a sweet white bread aroma with a hint of lemon. On my first sip, I got loads of water cracker maltiness with a hint of that lemon, finished with just a hint of minerality. The mouthfeel was super light. Every time I have a good slow pour, I am amazed at how much it changes the beer. I tend to get a little more of the hop aroma than is in the beer normally, while the bitterness is toned down. The lower carbonation in the beer doesn’t make the beer heavier though, if anything it is almost light on my palate. 

With how mercurial Houston winters are, it is tough to have a beer I would recommend as a perfect beer for the season. Neo-noir is just that beer, light enough for a warm day in shorts, roasty enough for a cold night around the firepit. My only complaint is that it is taproom only, so you are going to have to head over to their brewery and grab it while you can!

a-perfect-beer-for-a-houston-winter

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Josh is a Houstonian, born and raised. He loves all styles, from crispy pilsners to leathery wild ales. Follow him on Instagram at @AManandHisPint.

Related Articles

  • Beers under 5.2% to Cool You Down This Summer In Houston

    Beers under 5.2% to Cool You Down This Summer In Houston

    June in Houston! Anyone who has spent any time in our incredible city during the summer months knows that it is hot outside now and getting hotter! Although, that does not mean we have any reason to slow down when it comes to enjoying Houston’s local beer scene. It has already been a great year

  • Headed out West to meet Downtown Dusty

    Headed out West to meet Downtown Dusty

    Katy residents are fortunate to have a mayor who not only supports but savors craft beer. William “Dusty” Thiele and No Label Brewing Co. have collaborated on an Amber Lager to honor his contributions to the city they proudly represent. Dubbed “Downtown Dusty,” this amber lager is currently a seasonal offering, but I’m making a

  • Stout Fest 2024 at Excalibur Brewing in Old Town Spring

    Stout Fest 2024 at Excalibur Brewing in Old Town Spring

    When is the right time to drink a stout? The answer is ‘right now’. If you’ve read any of my articles or ever had a conversation with me about beer you’ll know that I’m all about that stout life. When I heard Excalibur Brewing in Old Town Spring announced the 2nd annual Stout Fest 2024, you know

  • Free & Easy N/A Belgian White from Karbach Brewing

    Free & Easy N/A Belgian White from Karbach Brewing

    Before you assume I’m doing a “dry January”, correct yourself right now. Full disclosure, I didn’t purchase this beer either. Karbach was kind enough to ship a few cans to me so here we are. You guys remember the last time I went on the hunt for a good N/A beer right? It didn’t end

  • A Beer To Remember in 2023

    A Beer To Remember in 2023

    As we say goodbye to 2023, let’s take a moment to reflect and remember all the tasty #HoustonBeer we enjoyed this year. Many beers stood out but only one beer can be crowned the beer to remember this year. We asked our contributor team and they delivered with their comments on which beer was their

POST YOUR COMMENTS

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Name *

Email *

Website