Brewing pumpkin beer comes with very little structure or rules that must be followed. You can find pumpkin beers with a base of a standard ale, a heavy stout, a coffee porter, a sour ale, a Märzen lager, and so many other styles that can be utilized with pumpkin.

Most pumpkin beers taste great, but my second reason for being so interested in this style is that pumpkin/yam beers were a popular style in early American societies. Many scholars believe that, around 1620, colonial brewers used pumpkins and squash—among many other adjuncts containing natural sugars—to help with fermentation. In Joshua M. Bernstein’s The Complete Beer Course, he explains:

“To stretch out the costly grain, crafty brewers grabbed anything and everything that contained fermentable sugars and flavor, such as Jerusalem artichokes, persimmons, spruce tips, molasses, corn, and pumpkins.”

When enjoying pumpkin beer, we can go out on a limb and say that we’re drinking ales and lagers similar to what colonials consumed over 400 years ago. Thankfully, our society has the resources to craft more palatable pumpkin beers than those brewed by our ancestors. Read on to learn about some of Houston’s own renditions of this broad style!

“Pumpkin Spice Oktoberfest” – Saloon Door Brewing

While I’m not sure how German brewers feel about it, I’m a big fan of using pumpkin to add a little fun to a classic Märzen-style lager.

This version of Saloon Door’s classic Oktoberfest lager has organic pumpkin puree and spices added. The brewers achieved a perfect balance in what I believe was the intent of this brew. The adjuncts are present and welcome but not too robust, allowing the base beverage to shine. I enjoyed the light scent of cinnamon and subtle taste of pumpkin upfront, with the malty, lightly hoppy finish you’d expect from a quality Oktoberfest/Märzen lager.

“Nightmare on 1st Street” – No Label Brewing Company

If you enjoy vintage slasher films like I do, you might appreciate this beer just for its name. Of course, it comes with cool artwork and marketing to match.

As fun as this beer is, drink it slowly—it clocks in at 9.27% ABV, making it the second-strongest beer on this list.

What makes this pumpkin beer unique is No Label’s use of an imperial amber ale as the base. The beer is bready and malty, with light notes of caramel or toffee. On top of that, cinnamon and ginger take center stage as the dominant flavors. No Label suggests pairing this beer with roast turkey, stuffing, and pumpkin pie, and I think they nailed it.

“Nightmare on 1st Street” is a perfect addition to this list of late fall treats, guaranteed to warm you up on a cool Houston night.

“Pumpkin Coffee Porter” – H Town Brewing Co.

H Town Brewing Co. may have been first this season to release a pumpkin beer in the greater Houston area.

“Pumpkin Coffee Porter” is a coffee porter first and a pumpkin beer second. It has a rich coffee flavor with a light scent of pumpkin to complement it. The beer’s consistency is on the lighter side for a porter, a welcome trait when enjoyed outdoors on a warm September afternoon.

“Yeller Weller Pumpkin Spice” – Elder Son Brewery

Elder Son Brewery has a seasonal milk stout called “Yeller Weller,” a semi-sweet, well-balanced dark beer with vanilla bean added. This October, they released both the seasonal ale and a pumpkin variant called “Yeller Weller Pumpkin Spice.”

This 5.7% ABV milk stout has light coffee and chocolate notes from its base beer, complemented by fall spices and pumpkin flavor. This beer is a sweet treat and my current favorite dessert beer in town.

“Pumpkinator (2024)” – Saint Arnold Brewing Company

No list of Houston-area pumpkin beers would be complete without our region’s most popular pumpkin beer: “Pumpkinator.”

This heavily layered, complex stout is perfect for sipping slowly. Each sip brings new flavors to the palate. The 2024 version offers robust notes of pumpkin, brown sugar, and molasses up front, balanced by the black coffee flavors typical of this style.

“Pumpkinator” earns high regard not just for its flavor but also for being brewed with real pumpkin—a brewing practice that seems to be fading.

Finally, one of my favorite things about “Pumpkinator” is the bottle. Packaged in a 22oz bomber, “Pumpkinator” can be enjoyed by one’s self, but it is quite a commitment. The other purpose of this size bottle is to enjoy it with someone you care about. 22oz of this beer with a friend or family member is the perfect vehicle to enjoy one’s company, share memories and
make new ones.

“Old Gourd” – Vallensons’ Brewing Company

Although the beers in this article aren’t ranked, Vallensons’ “Old Gourd” is my personal favorite of the season.

This ale contains real pumpkin, a rare but admirable choice among brewers. It’s packed with flavor, making other traditional pumpkin ales seem bland. The beer features squash flavors complemented by cinnamon and other spices. At just 5% ABV, it’s a flavorful yet sessionable option.

Honorable Mentions

Here are a few more pumpkin beers from the Houston area that I’ve heard great things about but haven’t tried yet. If you enjoy any beers mentioned—or others I’ve missed—let me know your thoughts!

• “Pumpkin Annihilation” – Spicy Pumpkin Barleywine – Excalibur Brewing
• “Gourd in the Stone” – Pumpkin Imperial Stout – Excalibur Brewing
• “Smashing Pumpkin” – Pumpkin Ale – Galveston Island Brewing
• “Haunted Toffee Harvest” – Pumpkin Toffee Cream Ale – Saloon Door Brewing
• “Scared of the Dark” – Pumpkin Pie Spiced Stout – Holler Brewing

Enjoy the rest of pumpkin beer season, Houston!

Cheers!

The post Pumpkin Beer Season is Still Upon Us, Houston first appeared on Houston Beer Guide.

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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

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Owner Marcus Wunderle and his wife Kinga have turned Baa Baa, the name’s sake of their children’s favorite nursery rhyme, into a well-known destination brewery for locals and travelers alike. First opening in 2016, Baa Baa soon made their presence known in 2017 with the release of ‘Cow Jumped Over the Moon’, the first hazy style IPA to be released in Houston area and have been pushing to perfect that style ever since. 

When asked what led Marcus into pursuing a passion for making IPA’s, he explained, “We used to travel a lot before we opened the brewery, and everywhere we traveled, we would be in search of beer. One of the things we really enjoyed were the hazy IPAs that came out of L.A. and Monkish was the best.” He went on to add, “That was kind of our target. We realized people were flocking to this style of beer. We thought first of all, what is this? How would you go about making this? And, will the people in Houston buy this? It turned out that they would and they were searching for it!” 

Aside from hazy IPA’s, Baa Baa now stands alone as the king of the fruited sour market with the ‘Candy Baa’ series, which has been released as well over thirty different iterations of fruited Berliner Weisse style beers over the years. The ‘Candy Baa’ releases are mostly 5% alcohol by volume or below and are more akin to a fruit slushy from the local convenient store than a beer. These beers have a cult like following all over the country.  Their annual release of the Barrel Aged stout ‘Tiny’ also attracts significant attention from craft beer connoisseurs. 

During my visit to the brewery, I had to settle a long-time personal curiosity.  I have noticed for some time that Beer Zombies (a very popular craft brewery in Las Vegas) stickers and tin tackers are visible at both Baa Baa and at the near by Fulshear area hangout The Growler Spot.  Baa Baa has done several collaborations with Beer Zombies in the past, but I had to know how a small brewery in Brookshire was so acquainted with this national powerhouse. The story I was told by Marcus was nothing short of epic! Unfortunately, I can only provide the very, very short version of it. 

“We just showed up! We crashed his party (BZ 420 Fest actually) which is an annual beer festival held in Las Vegas by Beer Zombies where numerous other national breweries are invited to pour and special collaborations are dropped. We tried to get in and we walked up with some of our beer and happened upon Chris Jacobs, the owner of Beer Zombies, who asked ‘Who are you guys?’ I told him we were Baa Baa Brewing, and after chatting with him and some people from other breweries in attendance, like Other Half Brewing out of Brooklyn NY, he let us is and got us set up. We’ve become buddies from there on out.”  

When asked for his version of the event, Jacobs was more than willing to expand on the story.

“So pretty much I was hosting the brewers pre party meet up at Beer Zombies and the Baa Baa team rolled up and just walked in. They came over, introduced themselves and said they came out for the festival and bought tickets to attend. They wanted to drop some beers off and let us know who they were.  They made such a great first impression that I put them on the list for the next year’s festival right there on the spot.”

This encounter has led to several wildly popular collaboration beer releases between Baa Baa and Beer Zombies over the years. 

Baa Baa Brewhouse looks to continue on its tradition of stellar, high-quality beer, and is grateful for all of the continued support from the beer community in what have become very difficult times for craft beer, not only in Houston but all over. With an expanding craft beer presence in the Brookshire/ Katy/ Fulshear area, I asked Marcus what his outlook for the future was and he explained, “We’ve seen some really positive growth out here. I don’t know about the rest of the industry, but out here we are seeing some good things happen. Our typical Saturday is better than it was six months ago, and better than it was twelve months ago.” 

 Visit Baa Baa Brewhouse at 539 FM 359 Rd S #7, Brookshire 77423. They are open every Saturday from noon to 5:30pm.

Visit Baa Baa online at @baabaabrewhouse on Instagram and by web at www.baabaabrewhouse.com 

All photos by and used with permission of Sophia Von Panda (@sophia_von_panda)IG

Candy Baa photo by and used with permission of Darius Gilmore (@mrgilmorespours) IG

The post Brookshire’s Best Kept Secret: Baa Baa Brewhouse first appeared on Houston Beer Guide.

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This August, Space Center Houston, the commercial visitor center adjacent to Johnson Space Center, teamed up with Bad Astronaut Brewery to host an event centered around a panel of NASA guest speakers, engineer Chris Matty, and seasoned Shuttle Astronaut Dr. Anna Fischer, sharing their stories of space ventures and answering questions from an audience of all ages. 

The event kicked off with a presentation of current NASA activities and initiatives, instantly sparking wonder with awe-inspiring views of Low Earth Orbit and the international space station. The room was filled with the importance of human space flight, as the beauty of stellar imagery captivated the audience faster than a beer funnel in a black hole. 

Of course, the challenges of space exploration are not only limited to human capabilities. Many of NASA’s efforts include robotic exploration of space, sending probes and terrain-based rovers to collect information to inform future human activities in the extremely inhospitable environments of space. The latest effort to return to the Moon and the lunar surface is encompassed by NASA’s Artemis Program, a monumental undertaking that aims to land the first woman and person of color on the moon to establish a permanent presence on our closest celestial neighbor. The pride of what was occurring right next door was more palpable than the cold brews experienced on this swelteringly hot day. 

The importance of large teams working towards a joint mission rightfully parallels the craft brew community in Houston. Most importantly, the Houston craft scene celebrates achievements as a whole city—as Space City. The commonality of successful brewing and accomplishing vital missions includes pushing boundaries, bridging new partnerships, and celebrating those who came before us.

As the SPACE NEWS and BREWS event ended, the interest in the room was at its peak. Once it ended, the NASA panel signed autographs and took pictures with all the families in attendance. Clearly, the fascination with space flight, combined with the love of craft beer, was a winning combination for Space City and its reputation. The Space Center Houston plans to expand more space events in the brewery scene and continue inspiring generations of technologists and explorers to advance humankind.

Houston Beer Guide will keep you tapped into the latest Space News and Brews events. Stay tuned in to lift off with us again soon!

Visit Space Center Houston online at https://spacecenter.org/.

The post Space News and Brews: Houston’s Craft Beer Scene Reaches for the Stars with NASA Collaboration first appeared on Houston Beer Guide.

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Hold up…is it actually Houston Craft Beer Month? Didn’t we switch that to March?

Well, that depends on who you ask. But you know what? Let’s celebrate anyway!

Back in 2021, the fine folks at Houston Beer Guide had a brilliant idea: let’s dedicate an entire month to celebrating the incredible craft beer scene right here in Houston. And thus, August was crowned Houston Beer Month. You can check out their very first article on the concept here. Whether you call it Houston Beer Month or Houston Craft Beer Month, the goal remains the same—a month-long celebration of everything that makes Houston’s local brews special.

Breweries across the city are encouraged to throw parties, brew special beers, and engage with their fans on social media throughout the month. In these challenging times, local breweries depend on loyal customers and social media buzz to keep their taprooms buzzing, their events packed, and their beers flying off the shelves.

Now, about that little switcheroo—last year, we made the decision to move Houston Craft Beer Month to March. Why? Well, anyone who’s spent a summer in Houston knows that August can be a scorcher. We realized that holding a beer festival outdoors in that kind of heat wasn’t the best idea for beer lovers or brewery staff. But just because we moved the festival doesn’t mean we can’t raise a glass to Houston craft beer in August, too!

And it seems the idea has caught on! True Anomaly’s Michael Duckworth has kicked off a new campaign to bring Houston Craft Beer Month back to August. Breweries from around town are joining in, offering special HCBM packages that include beers, cans to go, pint glasses, HCBM patches, and more—all at a sweet price. Plus, a portion of the sales from each package is donated to the Houston Food Bank to help support families in need.

This year’s participating breweries include:

• Elder Son Brewing
• Equal Parts Brewing
• Eureka Heights Brewing
• Frost Town Brewing
• Galveston Bay Brewing
• Holler Brewing Co.
• New Magnolia Brewing
• No Label Brewing
• Saint Arnold Brewing Company
• Spindletap Brewery
• Texas Leaguer Brewing
• True Anomaly Brewing
• Vallensons Brewing Co
• Lone Pint Brewery

Head over to the Houston Craft Beer Month page for all the details on this fantastic campaign benefiting The Houston Food Bank.

So, what are you waiting for? Get out there, grab a pint or five, and keep Houston’s beer scene alive and kicking. Show your support with your dollars and your social media shoutouts. Let’s make this August Houston Craft Beer Month one to remember!

Cheers!

The post Now is the perfect time to celebrate Houston Beer first appeared on Houston Beer Guide.

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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 for beer thus far. I know many of you readers have had your fair share of big, heavy beers in the last few months (I know I have).

Spindletap’s yearly springtime offering of their much sought after, “Juiceton” Double IPA at 8% ABV, has come and gone.  

Anyone who has made it over to Brash Brewing in the last several months may have enjoyed their popular “Vulgar Display of Power” Russian imperial stout at a whopping 14% ABV. 

Perhaps closer to the beginning of this year you had True Anomaly’s “Jupiter Drops” double IPA with lactose at 8.9%.

Of course, after this summer is over, we get to look forward to exciting fall time releases, like Saint Arnold Brewing Company’s “Pumpkinator 2024” imperial stout, and a multitude of other cool-weather, heavy-hitting Houston favorites.

If it is your prerogative to enjoy more big beers this summer as the sun stays up longer and our days get hotter, then you are a much bolder Houstonian than me. 

However, if you are interested in cooling down this summer with some of Houston’s lighter alcohol content beers without sacrificing awesome flavor, then I encourage you to continue reading this article.

The following beers are not ranked in any ascending or descending order. I think each and every one of these beers is a perfect summer-time refreshment, depending on what style ale or lager you happen to be craving.

1. “Pink” – Vallensons’ Brewing Company (Berliner – 4% ABV)

“Pink” is a Berliner Weisse style ale, that has some overlapping qualities to a sour, without quite as much tartness. It is light in consistency and is overflowing with cherry flavor. Given the style, you should expect this beer to be a bit sweet, but I personally would not consider it a dessert- specific beer. There are many beers available in this category that have a comparably beautiful color in the glass, but “Pink” is deceivingly better than the rest. It is slightly sweet, slightly tart, very refreshing, flavorful and completely crushable. It is no surprise that “Pink” has won several awards in the last few years. 

“Pink” is currently on tap at Vallensons’ Brewing Company at the time of this article’s publication.

2. “Pilsner Rešov” – Equal Parts Brewing (Czech Pilsner – 4.6% ABV)

Anyone who has done a little bit of reading about Czech pour styles or has spent any time enjoying beers in Europe, is probably quite refreshed when seeing a lager style beer poured with a head like the one in the picture here of “Pilsner Rešov” by Equal Parts Brewing.

Equal Parts Brewing has done an excellent job giving their visitors an authentic experience on how a cold-fermentation beer should be served, as well as how a high quality one should taste. 

In this article I won’t dive deep into different pour styles made famous by the brewers of Czech Republic, nor the Lukr side pour faucet that this beer was beautifully dispensed from. 

In my opinion “Pilsner Rešov” is about as close as we can get to the perfectly crafted pilsner that tastes exactly as it’s initial creators intended without leaving Houston. 

This pilsner has floral hop character, with nearly no bitterness. It finishes clean with a very faint note of pepper.

This award winning pilsner is currently on tap at Equal Parts Brewing at the time of this article’s publication. 

3. “Castle Pale Ale” – Walking Stick Brewing Co. (American Pale Ale – 5.1%)

For those of you looking for a slightly hoppier refreshment while remaining in the low ABV category, I recommend trying “Castle Pale Ale”. 

This is a British style pale ale with great hop aroma and relatively low bitter properties. This beautifully crafted beverage is slightly malty, but not quite as malt- forward as it’s amber color may lead you to believe. It is a refreshing ale with a ton of flavor for 5.1% abv. 

“Castle Pale Ale” is currently on tap at Walking Stick Brewing Co. at the time of this article’s publication. 

4. “Citrus Shandy” – Saint Arnold Brewing Company (Shandy – 4.5%)

If you are familiar with shandy as a beer style, then you likely know that a proper shandy consists of equal parts beer to lemon soda. Saint Arnold Brewing Company’s “Citrus Shandy”, is perfectly balanced between these two main ingredients that make up the perfect shandy.

The lemon and grapefruit soda in this beverage is citrus-y, (just as the can describes), and refreshing. Of course, just like any proper shandy, this is a sweet beer – but it still tastes like beer!   

I think balanced is a great word to describe this beer. This is a beautifully crafted lager, with the added refreshing compliment of Saint Arnold’s lemon and grapefruit soda. It is neither too bland nor too sweet. 

“Citrus Shandy” is available on tap and in cans to go at Saint Arnold Brewing Company. It is also available in cans to go at many Houston area grocery and liquor stores.

5. “Fire in the Hole” – Holler Brewing Company (Mexican Lager – 4.7%)

The last beer I will share qualifies as an incredible Houston beer at a low ABV to enjoy this summer – although this one may not actually cool you down!  

Spicy beers are not for everyone, but if you enjoy spicy food, then a little heat in your beer can really turn your pint into a party!

“Fire in the Hole” starts with a perfectly brewed Mexican style lager. Hot peppers used in the brewing process, provide this beer with some big flavorful adjunct notes that give off quite a kick. The spicy heat in this beer is presented evenly throughout the drinking experience. It may leave you never wanting to go back to a dressed Modelo. 

This beer is served ice cold at Holler Brewing Company and is available in multiple different serving sizes. If you are unsure as to whether you will like this hot and spicy beer, I encourage you to at least give it a try as part of a flight.

“Fire in the Hole” is currently on tap at Holler Brewing Company at the time of this article’s publication. It can also be purchased to go at their brewery if you provide your own clean growler. 

Houston’s craft beer scene is thriving, offering a vibrant mix of past achievements and future potential. The five beers mentioned are personal favorites of each style and not ranked in any particular order. I encourage you to try any of these beers and share your thoughts with me. Ultimately, the best beer is the one enjoyed in a place that makes you happy or with people you care about. Cheers to enjoying great beer this summer!

The post Beers under 5.2% to Cool You Down This Summer In Houston first appeared on Houston Beer Guide.

The post Beers under 5.2% to Cool You Down This Summer In Houston appeared first on Houston Beer Guide.

The idea for the collaboration initially started up as a conversation earlier this year between Malachi Willis of Eureka Heights and the duo of Harris and Dixon about bringing their “As One” series to Houston.  Said Casey Motes, Co-Founder of Eureka Heights, “Malachi saw some of the collaborations that Shannon and Marvis had done in Austin and reached out to them to see if we could be the first Houston brewery to collaborate with them. Engaging with and building up the Houston community has been one of the core values of Eureka Heights since its inception. The “As One “initiative of making craft beer more welcoming to BIPOC patrons aligned perfectly with what we believe craft beer should be all about, welcoming to everyone. One of the best ways to connect with someone is having (or brewing) a beer together and for this project, we got to do both.  

The As One series debuted in Austin in the Fall of 2022 when Harris and Dixon collaborated with St. Elmo Brewing as a way to support BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and People of Color) community charities, as well as include BIPOC artists to help design the can art for each release.  Portions of the proceeds of the sale of As One with Eureka Heights will benefit the non-profit organization Black Girls Do Engineer, which promotes STEM program education for girls aged 6-21. The can art for this rendition of As One is courtesy of local muralist and visual artist Alex Roman Jr. professionally known as  “Donkeeboy”.  

As for the future of the As One series, Dixon says that the goal is continue to collaborate with breweries in both cities moving forward, with For the Culture Brewing to be the next partner brewery in the Houston area to continue the series. 

All photos by and used with permission of Sophia Von Panda @sophia_von_panda (IG)

Eureka Heights Brewery is located at 941 W. 18^th St. 77008.

Follow on Instagram :

@eurekaheights – Eureka Heights Brewing

@urbanjunglebrew – Urban Jungle Brew

@themiddleman_atx – Marvin Dixon

@blackgirlsdoengineer – Black Girls Do Engineer

@donkeeboy (IG) – Donkeeboy

The post Eureka Heights As One Collaboration with Urban Jungle Brewing and The Middle Man first appeared on Houston Beer Guide.

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The first few years were not without their challenges, as the craft beer industry as we know it was just entering its infancy. “It was a rough go early on. Financially it was challenging. If you asked me at year six or seven if we would still be around in twenty years, I would not have confidently told you yes,” Wagner explained, then went on to add, “I always like to say after twelve years we were an overnight success!”

Reservations aside, thirty years later, Brock Wagner has guided Saint Arnold from an unknown upstart into a thriving Houston institution. What started out as a small industrial park brewery has turned into a regional brewing powerhouse that ranked as the Brewer Association’s 41st largest independent craft brewery in the United States in 2023. Saint Arnold has been named Brewery of the Year at the Great American Beer Fest twice (2017, 2023). The brewery has won countless medals at competitions both domestically and across the globe.

Most importantly, the impact that Saint Arnold has had on the Houston area and the craft brewing industry in Texas far outweighs any national ranking or medals. The brewery has been an instrumental philanthropic partner through sponsoring endeavors such as annual bike teams supporting Texas Children’s Hospital through the MS 150, as well as the Feast of Saint Arnold, the Houston Zoo, the Orange Show Center for Visionary Art, BARC Animal Shelter, Galveston Bay Foundation, Kids’ Meals, and many others too numerous to list. Saint Arnold has also been a devoted steward of the Texas Craft Brewers Guild going all the way back to day one.

“As pioneers in Texas’s craft brewing movement, Brock and the team at Saint Arnold have not only set a high bar for brewing quality beer but have also been instrumental in fostering the genuine spirit of community and camaraderie that continues to make the Texas craft brewing industry so special,” said Caroline Wallace, Executive Director of the Texas Craft Brewers Guild. “In fact, numerous craft breweries across Texas can trace their ‘brewing lineage’ back to Saint Arnold. From being one of the Texas Craft Brewers Guild’s founding breweries to playing a pivotal role in our legislative progress for Texas breweries and brewpubs over the years, Saint Arnold has really been a leader in the collective advancement of our industry.”

With thirty years in the ledger and a laundry list of accolades, being able to stop to enjoy the moment of this weekend’s upcoming celebration is nothing to be trifled with. Wagner is taking the moment in stride, almost to the point of underselling the significance. “I’m bad about celebrating milestones because I feel like people might think it’s a finish line where there is no finish line.” When asked how he plans to celebrate the occasion, Wagner added, “We have an amazing team and I have zero responsibilities the day of the party. I am going to take an Uber and start drinking beer. I get to come enjoy the festival like being a home brewer back in college again and the local microbrewery is having a party, and you can just show up and have a great time!”

The Thirtieth Anniversary Party is a weekend-long affair, starting with the official party on Saturday, June 9th. General admission tickets are still available and are required for entry into the event, which begins at 11 AM and features live entertainment from 2 PM until 10 PM. Parking passes are limited, and ride-sharing or other means of transportation are suggested for those attending. On Sunday, Saint Arnold is hosting a sold-out Thirtieth Anniversary Special Rare Cellar Event in the Beer Hall.

The highlight release for the party is the Thirtieth Anniversary Grand Cru, which debuted earlier this week through pre-sale, and is now available in individual bottles at retailers and on tap at select venues across the city. The release is a 16.8% ABV double-barrel Imperial Stout with Commitment as the base, which was then aged between two and four years in a variety of different bourbon and whiskey barrels. The barrels were then blended additionally in a series of Madeira, Tokaji, and Tawny Port barrels before being blended again.

Moving forward, Wagner is not looking at slowing down anytime soon. His goal is to continue to push the brewery and the craft beer industry in Texas further. “I want to see Saint Arnold as the leading craft brewery in Texas. We have a respected institution, which is one of those things you can’t quit. It’s very, very important for us to always be innovating and evolving. Everything we have done to get us to thirty years will not get us to the next thirty years. This is part of the moment where we celebrate where we are today, but we can never assume or take our guests and customers for granted. We have to keep winning our customers every single day.”

Purchase tickets to the anniversary celebration at https://www.saintarnold.com/30th-anniversary-party/

Special thank you to local craft beer photographer, Steve Fraga – photo credit on all images.

The post Saint Arnold: 30 Years of Great Beer and Community Impact first appeared on Houston Beer Guide.

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There were 16 residential lawns that I took care of on a weekly basis, with a refurbished zero- turn lawn mower, a weed whacker from Home Depot, and a small 8 foot landscape trailer that I pulled with a beat up F-150.

My good friend, Carl lived just diagonally across the street from my mother’s house, where I stayed, and his lawn was always a $25 cut. The second time that I had ever cut Carl’s lawn; he came outside and asked me if I liked beer. Although I don’t recall my exact response, I’m sure I told him something along the lines of really enjoying a Keystone Light here and there. Then Carl asked me “But, do you like REAL beer?”.

Before you know it there was a cold can of Nimble Giant by Troeg Independent Brewing in my hand. Admittedly, I didn’t love IPA’s at first. The bitterness wasn’t something I craved at that time. Although, enjoying a high alcohol content treat while having some laughs and bonding with my neighbor on a hot asphalt driveway every week became something I quickly started looking forward to.

Every Thursday from that week forward, Carl would always ask me if I’d like to be paid $25 for lawn service or if I would settle for $20 and a cold craft beer. Some may say it wasn’t a good deal for me; but I’m glad that I chose the second option every time.

I love Houston and I really enjoy living in Texas, as a whole. I will likely be here for all my foreseeable future, and I’m happy about that! That being said; I am a true New Englander at heart. I know it’s not an original choice, but I can never say no to a hazy, dry-hopped New England IPA. Beer is too exciting to stop at one favorite style though. I have so many favorites! My second favorite style has to be a Schwarzbier/ black lager. It’s not every day that one can find a new beer that is pitch black as night, with a consistency lighter than any stout or porter.

Outside of beer, I enjoy being active outdoors. Recently I have been playing recreational men’s league lacrosse on the True Anomaly Brewing Company team. It’s a great pace to sweat and get in a fun workout without getting too beat up. And of course; we enjoy our share of True Anomaly offerings. I also really enjoy country music and especially, Texas Country. I will go anywhere that these sounds can be heard.

I am very lucky to say that all my favorite hobbies outside of beer, are all complimented very well by having a beer at the end (or during). I suppose everything comes full circle!

Instagram: Greg_Shawinsky
Untappd: Greg_Shawinsky_5440

The post Contributor Introduction: Greg Shawinsky first appeared on Houston Beer Guide.

The post Contributor Introduction: Greg Shawinsky appeared first on Houston Beer Guide.

To celebrate that, Houston Beer Guide has turned the cameras around on a handful of local photographers that are integral to the Houston beer community as digital media content creators for several local area breweries.  Others have found a calling for photographing beer and have turned this into something more than a part time hobby.

Honestly, I don’t need to keep writing about all of these talented photographers. Their work speaks for itself. 

Josh Olalde

Josh is currently the Digital Content Manager at Karbach Brewing and a long-established beer photographer in the Houston area. Olalde got into photography through a love of movies and into craft beer though the influences of several of his co-workers at a factory job.  The two hobbies ended up melding together into a new passion of taking photos of beer, as well as a new career.  Olalde has got his first paying gig with Spindletap Brewing when Brody Chapman reached out to him on Facebook and asked his to take some beer spill photos for the brewery. Since then, Olalde has worked with other breweries such as B52 Brewing, 8^th Wonder, Southern Star, Fortress, Saint Arnold, Saloon Door, Bakfish, Galveston Island Brewing, Ingenious, Eureka Heights, and No Label Brewing.  Said Olalde, “It’s always nice to see your work printed, or out there in the wild. There’s a sense of fulfilment, for sure.” 

https://www.josholalde.com

@josh_olalde (IG)

Adriana Richey

Adriana “Adri” Richey, a native of Monterrey, Mexico, who was hired on at Saint Arnold Brewing in April 2022 as the Digital Content Manager for the brewery.  Richey credits her background in photography as a process that spanned many years. First was discovering the excitement of creating stories from participating in a school play at a very young age.  Many years later a college friend lent her a digital camera, and she found herself hooked on telling stories through photos.

Richey went on to add, “I believe that every beer has its own personality, and I love putting my camera to work to feature it. Whether it’s snapping a pic of someone enjoying a beer or highlighting our latest brew or dish, I’m all about finding fresh ways to tell our story.”

https://www.adririchey.com/

@adri.richey (IG)

Brian Ledden

A veteran of the beer photography industry going back to 2014, where he began shooting beer related photos and video content for Craft Pride in Austin. Though he primarily works in the Austin area, Ledden is no stranger to Houston beer, as he has done plenty of work with breweries like B-52 and Equal Parts Brewing. The majority of his work in the Houston area with beer photography has been done with No Label Brewing. When asked about his relationship with No Label, Ledden explained, “They’ve got a whole bunch of my work up around their patio and on their taproom menu displays.  It’s great to see how their brewery has grown over the years!”

https://brianledden.com/

@thebeerdtographer (IG)

Eric Rodriguez

Unable to see his family during Covid and use his camera to take photos of their events, he turned his attention to beer to pass the time. Rodriguez came across Josh Olalde’s Instagram and found inspiration to also take “nicer” beer photos himself.  “I sell beer for a living and was always given free beer a lot so I thought, why not?” said Rodriguez. Rodriguez and Olalde quickly became great friends, and help and encourage each other in their work.  Rodriguez added, “I’ve gotten to work with some fantastic breweries like Equal Parts, Frost Town, Bad Astronaut, DECA Brewing, North Shepherd Brewery, and my latest work is with Spindletap Brewing. Through this process I’ve connected with other breweries and photographers in various cities and states, and get to showcase all the amazing things our city and breweries have to offer.”

@ericrodriguez1.8 (IG)

Luis Montalvo Jr.

“I have been into photography for as long as I can remember. My dad had this old Nikon camera in his closet that I would love to sneak out and act like I was using. I was fascinated with the feel of it and how it worked. The way light and mirrors would make a printable image, and the way it worked similar to the human eye.” Montalvo mentioned.  Though having worked for some breweries in the Houston area in some capacity, such as Urban South, Craft Culture X, and most recently with Frost Town, Montalvo has never been officially in marketing for the breweries.  He is co-owner of the local beer marketing brand The Pint Exchange, who has been involved in countless collaborations and promotions across the Houston beer scene.  Among his favorite subjects to photograph are brewing/ distilling equipment and the people that work behind the scenes in the industry. Montalvo has also assisted Houston Beer Guide with projects, like the Houston Beer Block Party VIP session for which we are forever grateful. 

@luistpxmedia (IG)

@thepintexchange (IG)

Marcus West

West is a man of many talents, working not only as stalwart at True Anomaly, but also as a DJ and photographer.  West stated taking photos in middle school, but only in the last couple of years has he pursued a heavier interest in it beyond a hobby.  “I just decided to go down the rabbit hole, take a journey and be able to document life as I see it”, said West. Though his recent foray into the beer photography world, his ability to contribute to True Anomaly Brewing visually adds an extra dimension to the brewery. West also is a very highly valued photographic contributor to Houston Beer Guide.

https://www.visualsbywest.com/

@visualsbywest (IG)

Steve Fraga

Steve is no stranger to photography.  He was first spotted hanging around Saint Arnold circa 2001 with his camera in hand while on the brewery tour. Fraga admits this to be the case, saying, “I was always the guy with the camera at the Saturday tours and beer tastings”. Recently retired, Fraga began delving into the realms of beer photography during Covid as well.  Shortly after, Tim McGuire of Hot Tub Beers asked Steve to assist with shooting episodes of his weekly video blog. From here Fraga became known to Houston Beer Guide after documenting fellow contributor Sylvia in the hot tub with Saloon Door Brewing.  He has since become a key contributor to Houston Beer Guide as a contributing photographer for interviews and the annual Houston Beer Block Party. Fraga also is the videographer for the First Pour video series. 

https://stevefragaphotography.zenfolio.com/

@steve_fraga_photography (IG)

The post National Photography Month brings spotlight on area contributors first appeared on Houston Beer Guide.

The post National Photography Month brings spotlight on area contributors appeared first on Houston Beer Guide.