Two years ago I decided that in 2021 I was going to do a vertical taste test of the ‘19, ‘20, and ‘21 variants to see how the taste and complexity changed throughout the years of aging. I had never aged cans before, so I was curious how well the beers held up and how they changed. Plus I enjoy the progression of the boy on the cans, who is growing up and always getting in trouble. He must’ve been the big mistake, since this beer sure isn’t!

The 2021 variation was exactly like described above. The bourbon taste smacked you in the face, but the beer was still delightful with chocolate and caramel notes. 

For some reason the 2020 version was my least favorite of the three, albeit still solid. The beer had lost some of its crispness and carbonation, but really didn’t lose much of its bourbon flavor.

Finally the 2019 version, two years of waiting really did this beer well. It lost a fair amount of its harshness from the bourbon, and instead was super smooth from the moment of the first drink to when the taste dissipated a while later.

My anecdotal recommendation is to wait two years to drink your Big Mistake, if, of course, you have the patience. Though if you can’t wait, there is no mistake in when you drink it.  

The post Make No Mistake: 11 Below’s Big Mistake is as Good as it Gets first appeared on Houston Beer Guide.

The post Make No Mistake: 11 Below’s Big Mistake is as Good as it Gets appeared first on Houston Beer Guide.

Everyone knows about the game of craps, right? Even if you have never played yourself, you have surely heard the commotion from these high paced tables in Vegas. Players giving high fives, rejoicing after hot roll sequences of sevens on the come out roll is all part of the fun. When the table is hot, everyone wins. Part of the excitement of the game is the never ending action especially when the shooter hits the winning point with a table full of place and field bets. Complicated yes, but just like most casino games, craps is no different than poker and the fact is, you can’t win if you don’t bet big. The brewing team at Saint Arnold did just that with this beer.  

Our patron Saint brewery of Houston, Saint Arnold Brewing Company took that gamble with this eclectic choice of hops for their latest year round offering. This latest beer innovation is a double IPA weighing in at a hefty 9.2% abv and after tasting it, I have no doubt that we will all win with this choice.

It’s picture perfect clarity shines bright through today’s choice glassware . **All hail the queen of tejano music, Selena.  26 years gone but never forgotten. **  

The subtle aroma of fresh honey dew and tropical fruits aren’t enough to overshadow this beer’s boozy breath.   The hop bill includes Pahto, Citra, Citra Incognito, Mosaic, Mosaic Incognito, and Galaxy. The taste on the flavor is very fruit forward with pineapple and melon.  At 71 IBUs, the beer carries a familiar bitterness but finishes extremely clean and refreshing. A non confrontation unity of characteristics from both West and East coast style IPAs. It is unique and loud but leaves the palate quenched for more. This beer truly stands out in a category all its own and I am glad to have tried it.

Make a gamble with this beer, and place your bets! Just like the label reads, you might as well double down! We are in for a great year of wins with this delicious choice from Saint Arnold.

The post Beer Spotlight: Double Down Double IPA – Saint Arnold Brewing Co. first appeared on Houston Beer Guide.

The post Beer Spotlight: Double Down Double IPA – Saint Arnold Brewing Co. appeared first on Houston Beer Guide.