Follow my beer adventures on YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@BrewswithBeck

The post Spindletap Brewery Sampling with Dan & Sylvia first appeared on Houston Beer Guide.

The post Spindletap Brewery Sampling with Dan & Sylvia appeared first on Houston Beer Guide.

And we love him for it.

Thank you Dan for sharing your love for Houston’s haziest brewery, Spindletap Brewery.

chef kiss*

The post Video Reviews: Spindletap Brewery with Dan Beck first appeared on Houston Beer Guide.

The post Video Reviews: Spindletap Brewery with Dan Beck appeared first on Houston Beer Guide.

Here are my top IPAs picks of 2022 brewed right here in Houston and perfect to celebrate with on National IPA Day!

Heavy Hands Double IPA – Spindletap Brewery

Welcome back for the second year in a row! If you read my Valentines letter to this beer, you know my mad obsession with Heavy Hands DIPA from Spindletap Brewing. This beer pours milky bright yellow with vibrant hops qualities present on all corners. This IPA has a strong citrus kick making it the true definition of Texas juice bomb! It’s medium body and soft mouthfeel continues to delight my hop head senses with each sip. This beer packs a heavy punch at a hefty 8% and if you aren’t careful – this beer will knock yo ass out! Cans are generally available in the taproom year around and local distro markets like HEB. I recommend loading up on the case special at the brewery, because the 6 month shelf life is nice. Don’t believe me? Try it for yourself. You won’t want this hoppy adventure to end. Cheers to the heavy weight champ of Houston hazy beers!

Doc Hoppiday Hazy IPA – Saloon Door Brewing

This beer is my hoppy huckleberry. Coming in at 6.8%, this hazy New England style IPA from Saloon Door Brewing in Webster is an ultra smooth drinkable IPA with all the juicy characteristics hop heads crave. With all Citra hops and its bold tropical juice notes, this beer finishes dry with a slight hop bite on the end. You can always find Doc at the grocery stores (HEB and Total Wine for sure!). This week, I noticed a proper decision was made in the beer aisle.

Yellow Rose Smash IPA – Lone Pint Brewery

It wouldn’t be proper to leave out this Texas classic, Yellow Rose IPA from Magnolia’s Lone Pint Brewery. To be honest, I stepped away from this beer for a while due to some inconsistent quality concerns over the last two years but once I heard it was back in full swing and in environmentally safe 6 packs, I jumped back on the juicy train.

Named after a true Texas heroine, this SMaSH, Single Malt and Single Hop, IPA uses a butt ton of malt and hop released in 2012 called Mosaic (HBC 369). Whole cone mosaic hops are used for bittering, flavoring, and aroma in the kettle and is massively dry hopped for this beer’s mega citrus aroma. Believe it or not, this is still a fan favorite in the beer crowds with a dedicated following that I expect to see around for years to come.

Tanuki IPA – Back Pew Brewing

It’s easy to get lost in amazement by all the eye catching labels in craft beer but don’t skip over this core IPA from Back Pew Brewing in Porter Texas. Tanuki is brewed with a split grist of Pilsner/Maris Otter malt with cold-whirlpool Azacca/Sultana/Comet hops giving this beer 35 IBU of punchy citrus and tropical fruit flavors. It’s then fermented with a Kveik yeast for added pineapple pop before dry hopping near the saturation point of 2.2 lbs/bbl of the 3 hops above. It’s filtered crystal clear and is a super easy drinking citrus slightly piney packed IPA. Tanuki cuts you down to size on a mellow 6.4% ABV. You will be surprised how well the juice qualities and grassy notes balance out on this beauty.

Mini Boss IPA – Eureka Heights Brewing Co.

Launched in 2017, Mini Boss from Eureka Heights Brewing Co. has established itself as what I would call a classic Houston IPA. This double dry-hopped IPA is jammed full of citrus and tropical notes with Citra and Mosaic hops joining forces in this fruity IPA. This beer makes a great pair to gaming nights with buddies, a night out in Downtown with the friends or relaxing at your favorite camp site. You can normally find this beer widely available at most bars in download alongside equally great Eureka Heights offerings. Beer so good, you might even want to score a 19.2oz can to enjoy all by yourself. Do it, we won’t judge you.

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While you are at it, tell us what you are enjoying on this fine IPA day in Houston Texas! Hoppy IPA day, yall!

The post 5 Houston area IPAs you should be drinking on National IPA Day first appeared on Houston Beer Guide.

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The post Video Review: Velocirapator Doppelbock from Spindletap Brewery first appeared on Houston Beer Guide.

The post Video Review: Velocirapator Doppelbock from Spindletap Brewery appeared first on Houston Beer Guide.

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The post Video review: Ch-h-h-herry Bomb! Tessellations/Cherry and Black Currant – Spindletap Brewing first appeared on Houston Beer Guide.

The post Video review: Ch-h-h-herry Bomb! Tessellations/Cherry and Black Currant – Spindletap Brewing appeared first on Houston Beer Guide.

HEEEYYY !!! 

I’m Dan Beck (BREWS WITH BECK on YouTube), and how the hell are ya??!!      

I grew up in Coors Town (Golden, CO), attended CU Boulder (party / craft beer school) and have lived in Los Angeles for 20 years now pursuing entertainment, sports glory, and stellar beers. Beer used to be something I wanted cheap and good for beer bonging; but now that I’m an older/wiser/better looking man (chuckle) I’ve discovered quality over quantity.

I discovered the Houston beer scene in 2014 thanks to my brother-in-law who is an attorney in Houston.  He started my Houston beer education by taking me to Karbach and Saint Arnold which I found to have a nice selections of brews.  I’ve really enjoyed the Bishop’s Barrel series from Saint Arnold over the years for sure! In the years since, he helped me discover 8th wonder, Ingenious, Spindletap, Astral, Great Heights, Back Pew and a few more.    I have to give it up to Spindletap as the brewery that REALLY got me into Houston beer.  I’ve been a huge fan of New England IPA’s for quite a bit now, and I found Spindletap when I was still just discovering all of the NEIPA’s out there.  They have such good dry-hopped beers, cool people and a great brewery site! Over the last 10 years my absolute favorite beers tend to be barrel-aged stouts and NEIPA’s, but I make it a point to try ANY beer in order to be more well versed in all types of brews.

I look forward to laying down the law on Houston beers and pointing you in the direction of stellar cold beverages!

Check out two beer reviews from Spindletap Brewery in Houston Texas!

Dripped Out – Spindletap Brewery- 7%

Draped Up – Spindletap Brewery – 7%

The post New Video Contributor Introduction: Dan Beck first appeared on Houston Beer Guide.

The post New Video Contributor Introduction: Dan Beck appeared first on Houston Beer Guide.

Houston’s haze king, Spindletap Brewery is known for its juice forward india pale ales like as Houston Haze IPA, Juiceton DIPA ( also coming back this weekend!) and my long time favorite and recent love letter recipient, Heavy Hands Double IPA. Recently, I’ve noticed this brewery has been stepping out of the brew box, adding more focus to traditional beer styles for their taproom menu. While hazy New England IPAs continue to dominate the market, Spindletap has a talented team of brewers committed to keeping it old school too. As a result, you can find some of the cleanest drinkable lagers in town right along side of these juice bombs. How’s THAT for beer diversity? Calavera Lager, Spindletap’s Vienna style lager (4.8% ABV) can be found in 12oz cans (perfect for shotgunning btw..) and on draft everyday in the taproom. Looking for something even lighter? Rumor has it that a few new ‘non beers’ may coming our way from Spindletap too – more on that later, maybe! Regardless, that’s not why we are here today…..

Spindletap’s Pilsner Urkel is a nod of respect and beer geek admiration to the famous Pilsner Urquell, a lager beer originally brewed by Urquell Brewery in Plzeň, Czech Republic in 1842. This beer was the world’s first pale lager brewed with Saaz hops, pilsner malts and can be easily recognized for its shining clarity, golden color and clean old fashioned beer taste. The name and style is used freely but in the Czech Republic, only the original Pilsner Urquell is labeled a true pilsner, according to BJCP guidelines. After a quick chat with Andrew Tonder, head brewer at Spindletap Brewery, he explained that the brewing team will be continuing to focus on these traditional styles so that there is a beer for everyone who visits. Even those that don’t prefer hazy beers. Brewed with the same Saaz hops and pilsner malts as a base for its light body, this beer is a ode to all great German beer styles that continue to be enjoyed today.

No surprise here, this beer matches the appearance of its inspiration beer with golden straw hue and long lasting creamy white head. This beer is dry and cwiiiissspppy and leaves behind a slight corn flavor on the finish. Slightly floral on the nose from the noble hops, this beer also carries a beautiful aroma of breadiness, as there is no mistaking the complexity of the malt as you sip. The hop bitterness is prominent but not overwhelming. Nothing too fancy on the beer’s medium body but its medium to low carbonation makes for a very approachable beer, including non craft drinkers. This beer will make a perfect pair for your crawfish fingers for the upcoming season. Not to mention, the can art is super clever and eye catching, featuring one of my favorite 90s sitcom characters, Steve Urkel complete with his red suspenders and signature stance. Urkel once said in the Family Matters episode, “I can’t help it, Laura. I’m drawn to you. Like a moth to a flame. A bee to a blossom. A mouse to cheese.”

Absolutely! My thoughts exactly, Urkel.

This was a fine example of a traditional Czech Pilsner beer and I am excited to see more similar styles from the brewery soon. By the way, there is still some Urkel available for you to try so swing by the brewery and try it on tap or grab a 16oz 4 pack to go! The remaining cans from the release are going quick so don’t sleep on this one! Cheers!

The post Beer Spotlight: Pilsner Urkel from Spindletap Brewery first appeared on Houston Beer Guide.

The post Beer Spotlight: Pilsner Urkel from Spindletap Brewery appeared first on Houston Beer Guide.

If you’d like to have your event included, send an email to info@houstonbeerguide.com with the subject line “August Event Calendar.” Please include the date & time, a brief description of the event, the location, and a Facebook event link if available.

Thursday, August 3rd – National IPA Day

IPA Day Shirt – Available at Flying Saucer

IPA Day at Flying Saucer Downtown | 11am-1am | $3 IPA specials, one off casks and surprise release. Dozens of IPAs from Texas best and beyond including Brash Brewing, Alpine Beer Company, Eureka Heights Brew Co, Real Ale Brewing Company, Green Flash Brewing Co. and more.
More details on Facebook

IPA Day at Conservatory featuring Saint Arnold Art Car | 5pm-close | Try 5 variations Art Car, one of Houston’s best IPAs at Conservatory. Line up: Art Car, Grapefruit Art Car Dry Hopped w/ Amarillo Hops, Blueberry Art Car Dry Hopped w/ Mosaic Hops, Meyer Lemon Art Car Dry Hopped w/ Lemon Drop Hops, Double Dry Hopped w/ Citra & Galaxy Hops Art Car Cask.
More details on Facebook

IPA Day at Flying Saucer Sugarland | 5pm-12am | $3 (single) IPAs and $1 off Double/Imperial IPAs all day.
More details on Facebook

IPA Day Appy Hour at Holler Brewing | 4pm-close | Pair 3 of Holler’s IPAs with 3 types of chicken wings from T-Bone’s Sports Pub. The chicken wings are free while they last.
More details on Facebook

Saturday, August 5th

White Linen Day at Premium Draught | 12pm-4pm| Get ready for the art fair on 19th Street with Premium Draught and Holler Brewing. Premium Draught will have 5 Holler beers on tap. Each growler purchase includes a free Holler Brewing t-shirt to wear to White Linen Night. John & Kathryn Holler will be there to talk beer and pour beer.

White Linen Night and 2 Year Anniversary Party at Town In City Brewing | 6pm-11pm | To celebrate their second anniversary, Town in City is releasing their White Linen IPA – A hoppy wheat IPA brewed with Texas Grapefruit. They’ll have several small batch beers on tap as well as food an music.
More details on Facebook

Sunday, August 6th

Root Beer Float Day at Saint Arnold | 12pm-5pm | Saint Arnold will be serving root beer floats made with their root beer and Fat Cat Creamery’s Mexican Vanilla ice cream, as well as some special variations. There is no admission fee and it is a family friendly event.
More details on Facebook

Thursday, August 10th

Beer Dinner Cooking Demo at City Acre Brewing | 7pm-10pm | City Acre is opening their Victorian manor for a special beer dinner. Chef Rick will teach you how to prepare each course, which will be paired with City Acre beers. Be among the first to try their Passonfruit version of their mainstay pale ale, TXPA.
This is a ticketed event.
More details on Facebook | Ticket link

Friday, August 11th

B-52 Brewing Biere de Coupage Bottle Release | 3pm-? | B-52 Brewing is releasing their newest sour/wild beer: Biere de Coupage. It is “a blend of young saison and one-year old, oak-fermented sour saison dry-tead with a blend of five different tea varieties.” They have 1000 bottles available for $8 each, available while they last.
More details on Facebook

Saturday, August 12

Baa Baa Brewhouse Meenie Can Release | 10am-? | Baa Baa Brewhouse is releasing the second Hazy IPA in their “Ennie, Meenie, Miny, Moe” series.

Sunday, August 13th

Juice Fest at SpindleTap Brewery | SpindleTap will be releasing 3 Hazy IPAs: Their original Houston Haze, Juiceton (brewed with help from our resident NEIPA expert Larry Koestler), and Hops Drop. Each 4 pack will be $16, and purchases will be limited to 2 packs of each style.

SpindleTap Juice Fest – August 13th

Saturday, August 19th

Eureka Heights 1 Year Anniversary Party & Bottle Release | 11am-1pm| The VIP event starts at 11:30am and includes tastings of several varitations on their new Bourbon Barrel Imperial Milk Stout, Nuke the Whales. With the VIP ticket you’ll get special glassware and a 22oz bottle of Nuke the Whales to go. The regular admission party starts at 1pm and is free entry. You’ll get a chance to try several variation of Nuke the Whales throughout the day, plus a piñata, an ice cream truck, and birthday cake. Bottles will be available for sale to go.
This is a (partially) ticketed event.
More details on Facebook | Ticket Link

Sunday, August 20th

Happy Firkin Birthday to Flying Saucer Downtown | 11am-1am | Flying Saucer is celebrating their 17th anniversary with over a dozen special one off beers in firkins (also called casks) from local breweries.
More details on Facebook

Sunday, August 27th

Brews & Barrels at Saint Arnold | 11am-2pm | Saint Arnold is playing host to the Galveston Bay Foundation. Learn how to make a rain barrel and go home with a barrel and connector kit of your own. Admission is $40 and includes the barrel, the connector kit, and 2 beer tokens.
This is a ticketed event.
More details on Facebook | Ticket Link

September Preview

Sept 1-3: Brewmaster’s Craft Beer Festival at Moody Gardens
Sept 23: 7th Anniversary Party at The Almighty Moon Tower Inn

The post Houston Beer Events – August 2017 first appeared on Houston Beer Guide.

The post Houston Beer Events – August 2017 appeared first on Houston Beer Guide.

Photo: Larry Koestler

With the six-month anniversary of my challenge to local breweries to start brewing the hottest beer style in the country — the New England-Style IPA (NEIPA) — rapidly approaching, now seemed like as apt a time as any to check in and see where things stand, especially in light of the unexpectedly impressive amount of style-related activity we’ve seen during this timeframe.

It’s worth noting that there seems to be something of a dividing line among local breweries, with some fully embracing the NEIPA nomenclature — and it’s not going anywhere, with sites like BeerAdvocate and Untappd recognizing its ubiquity and distinctiveness from the classic West Coast-Style IPA and opting to finally categorize it as its own thing — while others seem reluctant to hop on what they presumably perceive as a regional bandwagon phenomenon, and instead have chosen to offer up their own interpretations that are generally described with non-location-based adjectives like “hazy.”

Regardless of what school of thought you subscribe to on the topic of “NEIPA” taxonomy, there have been a slew of beers released in the past six months that many would agree live up to the hallmarks of the NEIPA — aromatic, juicy, soft, creamy, hazy, massively citrus/tropical-forward, and relatively minimal bitterness. Also, while some consider “milkshake”-style beers to be a part of the NEIPA canon — which is totally fine by me! — I personally do not, as I find the flavor profiles of those beers to be different enough that I’m not quite convinced that they belong in the same category (though I could very well be persuaded otherwise! Admittedly I do not have anywhere near as much experience with milkshake IPAs), and so this list does not include those beers.

By my count — and, try as I might, it’s possible I may miss a few, as there really have been a lot of releases — the following should be a mostly comprehensive list of local beers that have been brewed in the style (this list only includes officially released beers, not pilot batches):

• 8th Wonder – S.L.A.B.
• B-52 – Wheez the Juice (16-oz. cans)
• Baa Baa Brewhouse – Cat and the Fiddle
• Baa Baa Brewhouse – Cow Jumped over the Moon (12-oz. cans)
• Baa Baa Brewhouse – Ennie (12-oz. cans)
• Baa Baa Brewhouse – The Little Dog Laughed
• Copperhead – Feeding Frenzy (12-oz. cans)
• Copperhead – Kangaroo Killer
• No Label – Sittin’ Sidehaze
• Sigma – 4X DH Medina Sod
• SpindleTap – Houston Haze (16-oz. cans)
• Whole Foods Market Brewing Co. – Detonate
• Whole Foods Market Brewing Co. – DL Double (hasn’t historically been one, but recent Untappd checkins would seem to indicate a revised recipe)
• Whole Foods Market Brewing Co. – Haze Phaze
• Whole Foods Market Brewing Co. – Hop Explorer X
• Whole Foods Market Brewing Co. – Hop Explorer XI
• Whole Foods Market Brewing Co. – NEAF
• Whole Foods Market Brewing Co. – Overcast
• Whole Foods Market Brewing Co. – Scattered Showers
• Whole Foods Market Brewing Co. – Spottie Oaty
• Whole Foods Market Brewing Co. – Steady Sippin’
• Whole Foods Market Brewing Co. – Tropical Storms

Which ones do I like best? Drop me a line on Twitter and I’d be happy to have a conversation about it.

The above doesn’t even include forthcoming Ingenious Brewing Co., which expects to open in Humble later this summer, and which I previewed back in February. The duo has had a busy spring, setting up free tastings across the greater Houston-area and further tweaking their already-delicious recipes while adding a slew of additional beers to their portfolio. Highlights include a revised Hop Delivery System, which is now a Double IPA, and Northeast Houston IPA, also retooled as a DIPA.

Photo: SpindleTap Brewery

And lastly, I’m excited to announce that I’m collaborating with SpindleTap and Boston homebrewer Rich Wein on a hazy, juicy double NEIPA called Juiceton, which should be out in cans in the first half of August. Juiceton will be a hazy, juicy AF DIPA clocking in at 8.0%, with the creamy, soft, pillowy mouthfeel you love, propping up heroic quantities of Citra, Mosaic, and Simcoe. Hit with multiple rounds of dry-hopping, this worthy successor to Houston Haze will deliver that massively tropical and fruit-forward hop flavor we all crave.

The post Houston Embraces the Haze Craze first appeared on Houston Beer Guide.

The post Houston Embraces the Haze Craze appeared first on Houston Beer Guide.

11 Below Lame Duck

Brand new can alert: this week, the first adorable-duck-adorned cans of 11 Below’s pale ale hit the market, so this one is good to get fresh asap. Bryce Baker, 11 Below co-founder, states that it’s “quickly become a favorite among staff and customers.” And although the can was designed by a Dallas firm (Caliber Creative), I have to agree with Bryce that “the artwork is pretty badass.” It’s hard to imagine a better beach can design, and the beer inside speaks for itself as well, as kegs move pretty fast all over town.

SpindleTap Houston Haze

I never expected to see Houstonians wait in line to take beer home from a brewery, but if it’s going to happen, it makes perfect sense it would be for SpindleTap Houston Haze, an insanely crushable NEIPA that blows away any other Houston attempts at the distinct and delicious style. “The excitement surrounding Haze has been fantastic and consistent,” founder Adam Wright says. And while this is likely the hardest acquire to get from this list, that will only get easier over time: “every batch we’ve brewed has doubled in size … Haze is the champ of the cans we sell out of the brewery.” The can features art apt for the oilfield-centric brewery: “the downtown skyline with a shadowed offset against a refinery outline,” with a “purple spectrum” that reflects the “haze” imagery. There may be nothing about an oil derrick or refinery that suggest cooling off, but in this case, as with so many buildings in Houston, the coolness is inside.

8th Wonder Weisstheimer

No summer is complete for me without cans of Live Oak Hefe, and now 8th Wonder brings some local competition: a “ridiculously drinkable and delicious Hefeweizen,” in the words of Ryan Soroka, 8th Wonder co-founder. At 5.4% abv, this summer seasonal is just strong enough to make you forget the heat for a little while and still light enough to allow enjoyment of a few cans in one go. The cans are pretty slick too, a play on a historic style Houstonians will recognize from the blue tiled street signs still present all over the city. 8th Wonder’s cans are all designed by local branding agency GoodProject, but for this project they also teamed up with the Blue Tile Project for additional art and signage.

Bakfish Defying Gravity

Bakfish planned to can their beers from before they even opened, acknowledging that cans are better for the environment, better for portability, and thanks to their ability to eliminate sunlight, better for the beer. Defying Gravity is just one of the canned offerings available now, not only beloved by fans on tap and in cans, but also co-founder Brian Allen’s personal favorite. The focus is a hoppy beer with some light caramel tones mixed in, “but dominated with tropical fruits like mango, papaya, and pineapple mixed with citrus fruits like mandarin oranges and tangerines.” If that doesn’t sound like summer refreshment to you, I don’t know what does. The cans feature art by Houston-based Brenden Polk Designs, and are available to-go directly from the brewery in Pearland as well as at nearby stores.

Southern Star Buried Hatchet

Southern Star has been canning beer in Houston since before most other breweries in this post even existed. “First to Can Craft in Texas” is a badge Southern Star happily displays on their cans, and they’ve earned that right. If you can imagine now, when the can explosion has taken over craft beer across the nation, there was once a time when Southern Star faced retailers that refused to carry their beer “because we did not have beer in bottles,” owner/founder Dave Fougeron recalls. Of course, you might not think of a rich, smooth stout as a “summer beer” but until very recently, no one thought of it as a canned beer either, and as far as I’m concerned, it’s always stout season in Texas. Buried Hatchet is a true classic, one of the state’s best beers, and the beer that Dave is happy to say he’s “most proud of,” and in his opinion is “one of the best stouts in the country.” I can’t say I’d argue against that. Interestingly the artwork on the can is the inspiration for the name, and not the other way around. Art director Michael Draper drew the now iconic buried hatchet, and from that image, the beer was named. Dave points out “an old pull ring buried in the dirt” as an homage to the beer can’s long history.

Brazos Valley Willin’

If you know me, you know I love Mosaic. It’s my favorite hop, or as I call it, the “cheat code.” So Brazos Valley Willin’, a new mosaic pale ale that also features comet hops, hits the spot, “crushable yet hop forward and perfect for the Texas heat,” according to Production Manager Avery Clayton. The can features a “strong, take no BS, Texas woman,” also prominently displayed in all Brazos Valley Brewing artwork, and designed by Evan Hill, a childhood friend of the brewery’s founders. Willin’ joins a family of Texas IPAs designed to cool you off better than air conditioning, and this particular can gives Houstonians a great reason to visit the brewery in Brenham – after all, I can’t think of anything else out there that could be so refreshing.

Saint Arnold Raspberry AF

Of course, no list would be complete without a beer from Houston’s oldest brewery, Saint Arnold, and no list of summer-friendly cans would be complete without something as refreshing as Raspberry AF. Raspberry AF, according to brewer Aaron Inkrott, was a “truly collaborative effort,” and unlike many fruited beers, actually uses “100% fruit” ensuring it’s “great to drink again and again.” Of course, Saint Arnold’s cans are fairly iconic, but the artwork designed by in-house marketing guru and freestyle rapper, Jeremy Johnson, truly conveys summer. The art is supposed to invoke “a peaceful, serene picnic scene abruptly interrupted by the AF,” according to Jeremy. Saint Arnold only recently started canning, but their cans have really taken off, with many releases being can-only. And it’s paid off: Raspberry AF, with its juicy, “pleasantly tart,” flavor that built off the excellent Boiler Room, is an incredible beer perfectly packaged for a picnic or anywhere else your summer takes you.

The post 7 Canned Beers to Drink This Summer first appeared on Houston Beer Guide.

The post 7 Canned Beers to Drink This Summer appeared first on Houston Beer Guide.