If you’ve ever been to Lovelady, Texas, you’ve probably heard of Stesti Brewing Company. And if you’ve had a beer in Houston, you might know “Stesti Steve”—not his real name, but that’s what he goes by on IG. He’s been repping Stesti for the last 7 few years. Jackie and I recently got the chance to visit Stesti Brewing Company latest expansion, the Stesti Food Hall and Beer Garden – right in the heart of Midtown, and let me tell you—it’s a must-see.

Remember the old Conservatory on Prairie? Yeah, kinda like that but better. Well, this new taproom sits in a similar food hall setting with 7 different and unique restaurant concepts, all under the management of the brewery. Brewing still happens at the primary brewery in Loveland and transported to the beer garden.

And it’s not just beer on tap here—the beer garden also offers margaritas and wine. Feeling fancy? There’s even a cocktail bar inside for those extra spicy moods.

While there’s plenty of seating throughout the complex, the best spot is right at the bar with our host, Steve.

We chatted with him about how much the craft beer scene has changed over the years, especially from his early days working with a well-known distributor. He walked us through several beers on tap, and here’s the scoop:

• Czech Mex: A more tart-than-wheat flavor, super approachable.
• Sex with a Ghost: An interesting brew made with hops handpicked by the brewer’s wife in Colorado. This mix of hop varieties made for a refreshing session ale.
• Summer Pilsner with Pomegranate: Fruity and delightful.
• Tractor Juice: A light, country-style spin on the classic Pilsner Urquell, clocking in at just 3.7%—perfectly refreshing.
• Dark Lager: My personal favorite, with a light body and smoky, roasted cocoa aroma.

After sampling a few beers, we hit up some of the food hall booths to check out the offerings and decided on lemon pepper wings with fried okra on the side—absolutely delicious. Vendors booths include: The Coffee Garden, Xeo Yum, Phat Bastard Pies, The Greedy Chicken, Xica, Foreign Grill. There is also a pizza bar being planned too!

How about some Sunday Funday? Their Oktoberfest event is also coming up on Sunday Oct 27, this will be a perfect time to celebrate with live DJ, craft and cocktail samples and our favorite German brass band, The Homebrewed Brass Ensemble. Stay till 4pm to watch the Malia Hula hut dancers.

If you’re looking for a new place to enjoy Houston’s perfect patio weather, make sure to stop by Stesti Beer Garden in Midtown. You won’t be disappointed! Tell Steve we sent you!

Stesti Food Hall and Beer Garden is located at 606 Dennis St. in Houston Texas.

SUNDAY – THURSDAY 11:00AM – 10:00PM // FRIDAY & SATURDAY 11:00AM – 12:00AM

THE COFFEE GARDEN IS OPEN DAILY – PARTICIPATING RESTAURANTS ARE OPEN FOR BREAKFAST 7AM-11AM

The post Patio Season is Here: Exploring Stesti Beer Garden in Midtown first appeared on Houston Beer Guide.

The post Patio Season is Here: Exploring Stesti Beer Garden in Midtown appeared first on Houston Beer Guide.

The lineup for the event included Backyard Brewing, Galveston Bay Brewing, Elder Son Brewing, Under the Radar, Devil and the Deep, Devin’s Spiked Root Beer, Strong Arm Brew Works, Houston Cider Co. and New Magnolia Brewing. To commemorate the event, two different custom taster glasses were available for purchase at the event, courtesy of Drete Customs.(@dretecustoms on IG) 

The participant breweries for the event lined up in their respective tents outside of Star Sailor in the parking lot, which created an organized and free flowing event to walk around and offered goers a chance to speak with many of the owners and head brewers of the attending fermented libation enterprises one on one! 

Galveston Bay Brewing brought out Bolivar Bock, and a 6.0% ABV traditional style Bock that just very recently released by the brewery. Galveston Bay Head Brewer Skyler Forshage was on hand for the event and was very pleased to be able to share this with the fest goers. I am never one to turn down a chance for a new release, and Bolivar Bock was perfect, refreshing way to start the day.  

Another pour that caught my attention was the Vanilla Crème Spiked Soda from Devin’s Spiked Root Beer. Devin’s root beers are all wine based, gluten free, and a sneaky 8% ABV for all of the four versions they had on hand. Being one to step out of my comfort zones at times, I went for the cream soda flavored root beer, which is not even remotely close to being something I would go out of my way to get usually.  Devin’s managed to tone down the over-the-top vanilla flavor in this to make a smooth and enjoyable beverage that’s only for the adults! 

When asked, Marin Slanina, owner of Star Sailor, mentioned that the planning for this event came together after a successful event at Brewchachos back in September. Star Sailor is already gearing up for their Third Anniversary coming up in December, and if Sunday’s turn out is any indication, that party will be packed.

Follow Star Sailor on social media for most up to date upcoming event details.

@star_sailor_htx (IG) 

https://starsailorhtx.com

The post Star Sailor hosts very first Fallfest Brewfest first appeared on Houston Beer Guide.

The post Star Sailor hosts very first Fallfest Brewfest appeared first on Houston Beer Guide.

Pride Month unofficially kicked off on Saturday, June 3rd at Counter Common Beerworks and Kitchen. Counter Common hosted the release of a new collaboration beer between the brewery and Houston beer scene mainstays Cole Wehner and Brett Chynoweth of the HTown Beer Guys.
Rye’d With Pride, a 6% alcohol by volume (abv.) India Pale Lager (IPL) dropped at the Bellaire area brew pub. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of the beer will be benefiting Grace Place, a Montrose area charity serving youths of all sexualitites that are homeless or experiencing housing issues. Their site is https://www.montrosegraceplace.org/.

Rye’d With Pride was brewed with rye malt and dry hopped using a combination of Centennial, Idaho-7 and El Dorado hops, then lagered for 8 weeks to perfection. This beer came out with the promised notes of the rye malt culminating in a very refreshing and pleasant pour. Rye’d is one of those beers that is crushable as advertised.

The release was accompanied by several vendor tables, including one run by Cole and Brett, who were auctioning off HTown Beer Guys merch and canned succulent plants. The auction raised an additional $250 for Grace Place.

Turn out for the release event filled Counter Common, and plenty of Rye’d was poured for the capacity crowd. Rye’d With Pride will be available on tap at Counter Common until the beer runs out, so don’t wait on dropping by for a pint.

Counter Common Beerworks and Kitchen is located at 5413 Bellaire Blvd, Bellaire TX. 77401

Follow on Instagram @countercommon https://countercommon.com
Follow on Instagram @htownbeerguyshttps://beersqueersandcheers.substack.com

The post One Offs and Short Batches # 2 : Rye’d With Pride – Counter Common Beerworks & HTown Beer Guys first appeared on Houston Beer Guide.

The post One Offs and Short Batches # 2 : Rye’d With Pride – Counter Common Beerworks & HTown Beer Guys appeared first on Houston Beer Guide.

So what makes an exceptional craft beer pub in Houston? Coincidentally enough, Star Sailor hits the mark on all my top criteria points. Here are just 5 reasons you should drive to the Heights for a visit to one of Houston’s newest craft beer bars and boutiques. Star Sailor HTX is located at 1710 W. 18th St. Houston Texas in the heart of Greater Heights.

1. Shop: The Boutique

Talk about supporting local – this bar has it all! Star Sailor features a beautiful selection of local wares including Pop Soap body products, scented candles, branded Stella clothing, Hoppy Heat hot sauce, Space City Snax michelada mixes, and hand crafted jewelry created by the talented The.Gypsy.Girl – a long time #Houstonbeer supporter, and so much more! Check the entry table for free #ProperGlassware to take home for your collection. On occasion, you might even see Budz Bee Farm honey jugs and jars from the bees I help raise in Pearland. #shamelessplug

2. Beer: Booze Selection

The brew selection here at Star doesn’t disappoint and the full beer menu can always be found on a rotating TV screen in the corner area at the bar, convenient for staring at while ordering. Thank goodness, there is no chalk boards here – cringe. Expect to always see H-town offerings including Equal Part Brewing, Holler Brewing, Spindletap and Independence Brewing (in cans) from our friends in Austin on the daily. Stouts, crispy lagers of all sorts, fruity sours and of course, IPAs every day of the week. If you don’t like beer – first what are you doing here and second, dont worry – Star has a selection of wine, meads and ciders for your delight! We know you guys like seltzers too – no short selection here with everyone’s favorite Topo Chico offerings. Sundays are mimosa days and Star makes a great brunch spot. Still new to that “craft life” or and need something to maintain your cool? Yellow Bellys (Coors Banquet in 12oz stubby bottles) are always cold here and honestly, oh so satisfying. Overall, something for everyone. Check!

3. Food: Burgers & Breakfast Tacos & Kitchen Collabs

Looking to have more than 3 beers or wanna kick it for a while with friends? Don’t forget to feed that empty stomach with quality kitchen meals while you are here. I haven’t tried the famous ‘David Flores smash burger’ yet but I hear it’s a must have. On my last visit to Star, I indulged with one of my favorite morning meals – simple bacon breakfast tacos complete with red salsa on the side for dinner. During my birthday party at Star I snacked on the cheesy quesadillas, which served its purpose as a beer sponge and easy handheld dinner while hanging out. Being no strangers to the ‘fellowship of the kitchen’, you will often see food collaboration and events happening to add to your dining/beer pairing experience. Keep an eye out for these ticketed events as they go fast! Maybe I can convince David to make pozole soon for me one day? *wink wink hint hint*

4. Community: Showing Love to #HOU

In true Houston beer culture, Star Sailor understands the value of giving back to the community. This bar has raised funds each month through beer and food purchases towards organizations like Meals on Wheels America and Planned Parenthood. Recently, they wrote a donation check to the Montrose Center – a local organization that helps address the gap in accessible and affirming mental health services to the LGBTQ+ community of HTX. Check out the recent Texas Beer Experience podcast (starting at 9:30) at Star Sailor to learn more about these charity events from Marin herself. It’s so much easier to spend money on beer when I know I am contributing to a greater cause. Keep up the amazing work!

5. Service: The queen mermaid herself, Marin Slanina

Anyone that has been in the local beer scene long enough in Houston knows that owner, Marin Slanina is our #HoustonBeer sweetheart. From years of running operations at B-52 Brewing in Conroe TX then giving Urban South HTX liftoff last year, Marin has a few years of hospitality under her belt and that charm has certainly rubbed off on her baby, Star Sailor. If she is not here in Houston, she’s shaping the future with her role as Chief Culture Officer at Wiley Roots Brewing Company in Greeley, Colorado. Smart, talented, dedicated and charming – one thing is for sure, she will make you feel right at home at Star Sailor. As a result, the staff mirrors that energy and passion she brings and always provides that Texas sized WELCOME. Don’t blink – Marin is a super busy lady running this operation but you can always count on her to make time for #HOU. Facts.

Bonus Reason #6 – Houston Beer Fest this weekend at Star Sailor Saturday Aug 28th

Houston Beer Guide is closing out Houston’s first “beer month” with tasty beer, good friends, and as always, the best H-town party you can imagine right here at Star Sailor. Stickers and #HoustonBeer tees will be available for sale alongside other cool vendors pop ups. Bar opens up at 3pm so expect ongoing traffic all afternoon. Many HBG contributors will be present so introduce yourself and let us know why YOU love Houston beer. For you night owls, reverse happy hour at 9pm with $3 beers. Oh my! Did someone say dance party? Check out the official taplist tomorrow morning. We hope you will join us in celebrating Houston beer!

If you can’t make it out this weekend, no worries!

Swing by Star Sailor any day of the week, have a burger + beer and give some high-fives to the whole Star crew for me!

Cheers!

The post 5 stellar reasons to visit Star Sailor HTX first appeared on Houston Beer Guide.

The post 5 stellar reasons to visit Star Sailor HTX appeared first on Houston Beer Guide.

After a 2017 filled with controversy for the Treadsack group, D&T remained as one of the three entities in the company’s portfolio, alongside Down House & Johnny’s Gold Brick. The closure of their Thai restaurant Foreign Correspondents (with attached Canard cocktail bar) on North Main was shortly followed by the shuttering of the Bernadines / Hunky Dory restaurant compound on Shepherd. In the wake of a spate of lawsuits and unflattering press reports about the turmoil swirling around the Treadsack group, many D&T fans were more than a little concerned for the future of the place. Fast forward a few months and D&T seemed to be staying the course, albeit with a great deal of staff turnover, including the departure of general manager Amber Miller and her husband Jason Moore – who together had been standard bearers for the craft pedigree of the little icehouse since it opened in 2013. Regardless of the change it seemed as though D&T seemed to be holding on through the tempest, keeping its status as a bulwark of Houston craft beer and a neighborhood focused watering hole, but apparently a sale was in the works.

New ownership will keep D&T open, but changes are evident. Gone are the ‘pay it forward’ chalkboard, the daily selection of happy hour specials served in pints or Mason jars, the jukebox, the kitchen and even the original sign (replaced, sadly, by a new black and white logo). I noticed that the specialty bottle beer selection and beer engines were gone, although the staff told me they still had the cask service equipment and would use it as they needed it, and there’s a new list of cans and bottles. Set-ups are no longer listed on the menu, but the staff confirmed they are not pursuing a liquor license, so those might still be available. The frozen shandies also remain as a popular holdover from the old menu.

The new sign at D&T Drive Inn | Photo: D&T Drive Inn via Twitter

Arrived are a nearly complete staff turnover, a tap wall aiming at being 100% Texas beers, and a set of specials that feels aimed at being a neighborhood stopover type place, with industry night, big-ass beers and such. Weekday happy hour is every day, 2-7pm, and includes 22 oz pours of lower ABV/low IBU brews at pint prices. I had ‘big ass’ pours of Saint Arnold Orange Show and Southern Star Spring Pilsner in the ~6-7 dollar range.

HopDrop is using D&T as a source for delivery for the area, so there is a crowler machine behind the bar to meet those needs, but it didn’t seem like crowlers were an option for takeaway from the bar – just branded full size glass growlers.

The old D&T food menu is gone and the notoriously small kitchen is literally shuttered. For the time being they are hosting a Venezuelan arepas vendor on Thursdays and food trucks on other nights. They told me they aim to build out a full kitchen into a shipping container inside the back patio area, and aim to serve a more full-featured menu than the tiny space in place would allow. Additional plans include adding coffee service, and opening in the mornings as a coffee shop with breakfast from the to-be-built kitchen. They also plan a regular Sunday brunch.

Big changes in progress for one of the best craft beer bars in the city. Here’s hoping the careful tap wall curation that had come to define D&T can carry on in some fashion.

The post D&T Drive Inn Is Moving in a New Direction first appeared on Houston Beer Guide.

The post D&T Drive Inn Is Moving in a New Direction appeared first on Houston Beer Guide.

Photo: Nathan Kiergaard

While Thistle Draftshop Owner Mary Thorn never planned to become an entrepreneur, she says the thought was always in the back of her mind. An accountant, her interest in beer led her to apply for a position at Saint Arnold Brewing Company several years ago. She worked there for seven years, sparking a passion for the beer industry.

“I fell in love with the craft beer industry. I thought it would be complementary to combine interests when it came time for something new to do, and the shop became my next adventure,” Mary said.

The adventure officially begins today as the new craft beer bar and retail market celebrates its grand opening with a ribbon cutting by the Spring-Klein Chamber of Commerce at noon at 5210 FM 2920 #100.

Just a few of the tap handles at Thistle Draftshop. | Photo: Nathan Kiergaard

Part bar, part bottle shop, and part restaurant, Thistle Draftshop keeps the emphasis on local. Houston-area beers are heavily represented on the shop’s 60 taps, including 2017 GABF Gold winners Eureka Heights Buckle Bunny and Saint Arnold Pumpkinator, and the refrigerated case features bottles and cans from almost every local brewery.

You can check out Thistle Draftshop’s taplist on Untappd: untappd.com/v/thistle-draftshop/

Thistle Draftshop’s local-first philosophy doesn’t end there. Locally sourced produce and meats are prominently featured on the menu. The shop’s fare includes crispy Brussels sprouts, broiled oysters, artichoke hummus, burgers and wings crafted by Chef Ernesto Villareal, formerly of The Grove.

Thistle Draftshop Chef Ernesto Villarreal and Owner Mary Thorn | Photo: Nathan Kiergaard

The shop’s local cred is furthered by the addition of General Manager Jake Thorn to the team.  Mary said she thought hard about hiring her son as GM, but his experience at Ritual and strong leadership skills made him a natural choice.

Unique to the bar and take-home beer concept, Thistle Draftshop also features an event space which Mary plans to use for talks with local brewers, beer tastings, hosting beer podcast recordings and Beer Judge Certification Program classes, in addition to parties.

Grand Opening – December 29th

Thistle Draftshop is opening their doors full time on December 29th. The ribbon cutting begins at noon, but festivities continue until midnight. They’ll have complimentary appetizers and beer specials. Many Houston-area brewery representatives will also be on-site to answer questions and mingle with patrons.

The post Thistle Draftshop Is Now Pouring Beer in Spring first appeared on Houston Beer Guide.

The post Thistle Draftshop Is Now Pouring Beer in Spring appeared first on Houston Beer Guide.

There, I said it.

Just 6 months ago this wouldn’t have been even mildly controversial. Fast forward to today, and the parent of D&T (Treadsack) has shuttered 4 of its 7 restaurant and bar concepts amidst a great deal of controversy, and has retreated to doing business at Downhouse, D&T and Johnny’s Gold Brick. It would be easy to simply dismiss D&T as just another hapless victim of a failing corporate parent but the quality of the beers on tap and the knowledgeable staff fly in the face of that generalization. I just can’t help but hope for the best for everyone there.

This is not to make apologies for the sins of the father, but D&T’s 4th anniversary party this coming weekend is an event worth celebrating and enjoying. D&T has earned its place as one of Houston’s classics, and the tap list this weekend is reflective of that.

D&T has a selected list of beers to be tapped on their Facebook page. It’s not a long list, but highlights are:

• Founders KBS and 512 IPA w/Grapefruit paired with breakfast cereals (on tap at opening at noon)
• Gigantic/3 Floyds Axis of Evil
• Boulevard Rye on Rye on Rye
• Saint Arnold Bishop’s Barrel 16 and 17
• Sierra Nevada Bigfoot 2014
• …and a number of others.

I also heard a rumor of a vintage barrel-aged Great Divide Yeti keg that’s been hanging around in the cold box just for this day.

The bar also plans on using a unique method to turn their taps over as the day proceeds – a common problem at anniversary parties. They’ve bought an air horn, and whenever it blows on Saturday everything on tap is $3.

They’re also holding a raffle for a mixed box of Saint Arnold Bishop’s Barrel bottles.

Regardless of the troubles of Treadsack, celebrating the success of D&T is a worthy exercise. Here’s hoping we can all toast them for years to come.

D&T Drive Inn 4th Anniversary Party

Saturday, May 27th & Sunday, May 28th
1307 Enid St, Houston, TX 77009

The post D&T Drive Inn Celebrates 4 Years first appeared on Houston Beer Guide.

The post D&T Drive Inn Celebrates 4 Years appeared first on Houston Beer Guide.

In the past, Flying Saucer has only offered about ten different labels from the cellar at any given time. However, manager Josh Justice looked at bars that consistently have an extensive cellar list available, like ChurchKey in Washington, D.C., and realized that all of the incredible beer he receives shouldn’t just sit in the back for special occasions. Instead, it should be celebrated and enjoyed with friends. For this initial cellar opening, Saucer is releasing 65 of their 200 or so labels, then sitting back to see where this new menu will take them. After almost two decades of business, Josh is excited to be walking into new territory.

Saucer has made it quite easy to explore the new cellar menu. All of the new bottles are on the regular bottle menu, sorted by style. They are mixed in with the everyday bottle selection, so don’t be surprised to see Firestone Walker XVIII near Arrogant Bastard. The hope is that this idea takes off, and Flying Saucer can host a larger cellar menu for everyday purchase. I am seriously excited to see this happen and to see what bottles Flying Saucer will pull out of the cellar next.

A few highlights of the new list: 2008 Avery Mephistopheles, 2013-2015 vertical of Brooklyn  Black OPS, 2008 & 2009 Avery Samael’s, 2013 BFM Abbaye De Saint Bon-Chien Grand Cru Rum Barrel, and more Firestone Walker special release than I could ever hope for.

Check some photos and the full list of beers being released below, then go catch some rare and incredible releases at Flying Saucer!

Full Cellar List:

• Avery Beast (2008)
• Avery Callipygian
• Avery Mephistopheles (2008)
• Avery Old Perserverance
• Avery Rumpkin (2014)
• Avery Rumpkin (2015)
• Avery Samael’s (2008)
• Avery Samael’s (2009)
• Avery Tweak (2014)
• Avery Uncle Jacob’s (2013)
• Avery Uncle Jacob’s (2015)
• BFM Abbaye De Saint Bon-Chien (2013)
• BFM Abbaye De Saint Bon-Chien Grand Cru Sparkling Wine Barrel
• BFM Abbaye De Saint Bon-Chien Grand Cru Rum Barrel
• BFM Square Root 225
• Brooklyn ‘K’ is for Kriek
• Brooklyn Black Ops (2013)
• Brooklyn Black Ops (2014)
• Brooklyn Black Ops (2015)
• Brooklyn Cuvee Noir
• Brooklyn Hand & Seal
• Brooklyn Quintaceratops
• Brooklyn the Discreet Charm of the Framboise
• Brooklyn Wild Streak
• The Bruery Rueuze
• The Bruery Saison Rue
• Cascade Figaro
• Cascade Sang Noir
• Chimay B.A. Grand Reserve
• Dogfish Head 120 Minute IPA (2012)
• Dogfish Head 120 Minute IPA (2016)
• Dogfish Head Red & White
• Firestone Walker Helldorado (2016)
• Firestone Walker Parabola (2014)
• Firestone Walker Stickee Monkey
• Firestone Walker Sucaba (2016)
• Firestone Walker Velvet Merkin (2013)
• Firestone Walker Velvet Merkin (2015)
• Mikkeller Spontancherryframboos
• New Belgium Le Terroir
• North Coast Old Rasputin XVII
• North Coast Old Stock (2013)
• Oskar Blues B.A. Ten Fidy (2016)
• Prairie Apple Brandy Noir (2016)
• Prairie B.A. Bomb (2016)
• Prairie Birthday Bomb (2016)
• Prairie Pirate Bomb
• Real Ale Sisyphus (2013)
• Real Ale Sisyphus (2014)
• Saint Arnold Bishop’s Barrel 12
• Saint Arnold Bishop’s Barrel 14
• Saint Arnold Divine Reserve 12

The post Flying Saucer Downtown is Opening the Cellar first appeared on Houston Beer Guide.

The post Flying Saucer Downtown is Opening the Cellar appeared first on Houston Beer Guide.

1st Course: Autumn Kolsch paired with smoked trout and bean puree, picked carrot, and a pretzel crostini

This beer has an Oktoberfest grain and hop bill, but it is fermented with a Kolsch yeast strain. Due to the Oktoberfest grain bill, it’s much darker than a traditional Kolsch. It has a light body and a sweet biscuity finish. It’s quite balanced and easy to drink. They brought this beer out well in advance of the first course, and I had to pace myself so that I would have enough beer left to drink alongside the food. The smoke of the trout added to the “fallness” of the beer. It made me look forward to enjoying that first backyard campfire of the year. I didn’t really notice the lingering sweetness of the beer until I got to the carrot. The vinegar cut the sweetness and in the next sip of beer, the sweetness was accentuated. This became a fun little game of killing and accenting the sweetness until I ran out of carrot.

2nd Course: Real Deal Stout & a duck confit stuffed potato dumpling in broth

This beer was a collaboration with Real Ale Brewing Company in Blanco. Along with the typical roasted malt, they included oats in the grain bill. This isn’t the thick bodied stout that Houston’s beer nerds have been clamoring for, but it’s very close. In stouts, there’s an ideal ratio of chocolate and coffee flavors. Too much coffee can be harsh and too much chocolate can turn an otherwise full bodied beer cloyingly sweet. This hits that ratio right down the centerline. From the first sip, I knew we were taking home a crowler. The dumpling was the size of a baseball and it was very hearty. The combination of a stout and a meaty dish almost always works. After a stein full of beer and a 9% stout, the crowd definitely got louder and the atmosphere softened quite a bit.

3rd Course: Hop Explorer VI & a veil schnitzel, potato/celery root puree, and a runny quail egg

In the Hop Explorer series, WFM Brewing takes the same grain bill and plays with different hops. As the name suggests, this is their sixth variation, brewed with Equinox, Citra, and Centennial hops. I haven’t had any of the other 5 in the series to compare, but this is one is very well executed. It has pine in the aroma, it’s a little cloudy, and it has a juicy orange-forward flavor. It’s not NEIPA IPA juicy, but it’s definitely juicy by Texas standards. I can’t say this is the best IPA in Houston, but it’s good enough that I took home a crowler after the event. This pairing was fun to play with. Runny eggs are usually breakfast food for me, so I’ve never considered how they pair with beer. The yolk cut the carbonation and bitterness of the beer, resetting my palate. The veal and the potatoes didn’t bring much to the pairing, but they were very tasty. It felt like the schnitzel was added to check the “Oktoberfest” box, but I think something with a spicy mustard, to accentuate the bitterness of the beer and spiciness of the mustard, would have been a lot of fun here and paired better with the beer overall.

4th Course: Peach Nectar Honey Wheat Ale & a rolled vegetable salad and golden beet vinaigrette

This beer demonstrates what makes WFM Brewing unique. Bruised peaches that would not have sold in the produce section were pulled aside by Dave, steamed, and added to the beer. The peach was a subtle, but noticeable presence and complemented the honey malt backed grain bill. (Side note: if you’ve never tried honey on fresh peaches, you’re missing out.) I was surprised that this only had honey malt and not actual honey because this beer finished very sweet. Other than the fruit & vegetable theme, the vegetables didn’t add much to the beer. The vinegar component of the golden beet vinaigrette again cut the sweetness of the beer, which I thought was just a touch too sweet overall.

5th Course: Barleywine & Apple Strudel

Normally, I’d be disappointed to get such a good beer in a 9oz snifter, but at this point we’d had 4 courses of food and almost 3 full pints worth of beer. We were very full. The barleywine takes you on a roller coaster of sweet up front, bitter in at the middle and a sweet finish. It’s more in the vein of an English barleywine than the overly hopped American versions. The finish left nuances of figs and dates. And apple pie and barley wine? Those definitely work well together. The Chantilly whipped cream was especially delicious.

I’m generally dismissive of beer dinners. I usually find them to be overpriced, with small servings of needlessly fancy food and small servings of beer that I can easily find at a bar or a store shelf. This one blew me away. Each of the 5 courses had a full serving of food and a normal sized pour of beer. While not every pairing was perfect, my wife and I left stuffed and a little buzzed.

I’ll be honest, a few months after WFM Brewing started up, I tried a variety of their beer and I wrote them off as a corporate gimmick. Between then and now, something drastic has changed. The beers are phenomenal. After the dinner was over, we walked down to the bar and bought 2 crowlers to go. If you haven’t been to check out their beers, or you went a while ago and wrote them off like I did, please go back. If you’re skeptical, most draft pours are $2 on Thursdays. These beers deserve to have people talking about them.

Whole Foods provided me with a ticket to this event, and I bought an extra for my wife.

The next Whole Foods Market beer dinner is Wednesday, December 7th featuring beers by Real Ale Brewing, including the Real Deal Stout collaboration beer mentioned above.
Tickets are available here.

Follow Whole Foods Market Houston on social media to find out about other events:

https://www.facebook.com/WholeFoodsHOU
https://twitter.com/WholeFoodsHOU

The post Whole Foods Market Beer Dinners: What to Expect first appeared on Houston Beer Guide.

The post Whole Foods Market Beer Dinners: What to Expect appeared first on Houston Beer Guide.

Petrol Station was in on the craft beer movement early on in Houston, and I got to talk with owner Ben Fullelove, owner of Petrol and Brash Brewing, about the upcoming anniversary party this Saturday, Nov. 5.

Evan: Beer laws in Texas limited you at first; did you feel like it was going to be a lost cause to bring Brash to Texas and hang on to Petrol?
Ben: Pretty much. Three-tier laws hadn’t changed that much since the 1930s, then a lot changed in a short amount of time. I jumped right on it. My dream was opening Brash in Houston before my 40th birthday. I started building it when I turned 38, so the law change was perfectly timed for my vision.

E: What beers are you looking forward to on Saturday?
B: Definitely excited about KBS, Red & White, Sucaba, BB15, Vietnamese Speedway, of course HSF (Hammer Smashed Face). Really, all of the beers we have for Saturday are fuckin’ awesome. It’s great to see so much amazing beer being offered to Texas.

E: You’ve seen the Texas, specifically Houston, landscape change drastically in the past few years. Anything that is getting you excited in the Texas scene right now?
B: To me, the future of craft beer is local beer. While it is exciting to see the best breweries in America bringing their beer to Texas, it’s more exciting to see a quality local beer scene happening.

E: How many people have been around since the first day of Petrol, besides you?
B: Zero employees but quite a few regular customers have been there since the beginning.

E: The Rancor has been voted as one of Houston’s best burgers multiple times. Was it always the plan to have top-notch eats along with beer?
B: Things kind of happened organically. We were in the right place at the right time with the growth of craft beer. Our food takes us to the next level. We’ve become more of a neighborhood pub and the food has played a big role in that.

E: What beers are you currently drinking?
B: I’m really digging IPAs from Wicked Weed in Asheville, NC; IPAs from Fort George in Astoria, OR; and Alpine Nelson, all of which I drink when I can get my hands on them. Locally, [Saint Arnold] Art Car is always great.

E: I always feel like when I go to Petrol, it’s this hidden gem even though it is wildly popular. Do you want it to expand to more locations?
B: No. I get asked a lot about opening a location in The Woodlands or Sugar Land, but it’s just not something I’m interested in. Petrol is its own thing, and I think it would be hard to duplicate and maintain a genuine feel.

E: Any particular beers you really wish you could bring to Texas?
B: Not really. I look forward to more great local breweries opening. No beer is going to be as fresh as local beer.

E: On a personal note, can you save me some Odell Jolly Russian since I am going to miss the party?
B: Haha, I’ll see what I can do.

I hope everyone who is able to, makes it down to Petrol on Saturday. Their parties are always a blast, and you never know what surprises they might pull out of the cellar. And, seriously, someone grab me a growler of Jolly Russian.

Check out the taplist here: https://www.facebook.com/PetrolStation/posts/10154428166150751

Editor’s note: In light of Karbach’s recent acquisition by global beer behemoth Anheuser-Busch InBev, BBH with Chocolate is being replaced with 11 Below Big Mistake Barrel Aged Russian Imperial Stout. Petrol’s remaining Karbach kegs will be tapped on Wednesday, November 9th, with all proceeds going to the Texas Craft Brewers Guild, which lobbies the legislature to protect Texas breweries from the practices of companies like ABI.

Petrol Station Anniversary

Saturday, November 5
9 AM – ?

985 Wakefield Dr
Houston, Texas

The post Petrol Station Celebrates Anniversary this Saturday first appeared on Houston Beer Guide.

The post Petrol Station Celebrates Anniversary this Saturday appeared first on Houston Beer Guide.