Saint Arnold Fancy Lawnmower Review

Brewery: Saint Arnold Brewing Co. | Beer: Fancy Lawnmower
Style: Kölsch | ABV: 4.9%
Serving Method: 12 oz. bottle poured into pint glass

This is the second Saint Arnold offering in a series featuring my local microbrewery. Buying local beer both greatly reduces the carbon footprint of your pint and puts your dollar in the pocket of a local company. For the next beer I decided to jump to the opposite end of the spectrum. The Lovibond spectrum that is, har har.

Launched in 2000, Fancy Lawnmower quickly became one of Saint Arnold's signature beers. The beer is an award-winning Kölsch, having racked up one gold and two bronze medals in the Great American Beer Festival. The ingredient list reads pale malted barley, pale wheat, German Hallertauer hops and a type of top fermenting ale yeast that happens to ferment at lager temperatures. I have to admit, even though this beer is a Houston icon, I've never tried it. Let's see how it stands up.

Appearance: Golden, cloudy and effervescent with a thin head that dissipates quickly

Aroma: Floral and bitter, almost reminds me of sparkling apple cider

Taste: Crisp and bitter with citrus hints

Mouthfeel: Not as fizzy as its appearance led me to believe, cuts nicely

Drinkability: Somewhat bitter, but would be perfect for a hot Texas afternoon

Verdict: While Kölsch is not one of the styles of beer I usually reach for, this is certainly a beer I can enjoy. If I was outside in the heat at a ballgame, this would be an almost perfect choice.

Grade: B-

Saint Arnold Winter Stout Review

Brewery: Saint Arnold Brewing Co. | Beer: Winter Stout
Style: American Stout | ABV: 5.6%
Serving Method: 12 oz. bottle poured into pint glass

Reading Fermenting Revolution by Christopher O'Brien (book review to follow) really drove home how beneficial to the environment drinking local beer can be. With this in mind I decided to review some beers from my local Houston area.

Unfortunately, there aren't the number of craft-brewed offerings flowing from the Bayou City one would hope for. But fear not fellow Houstonians, I've sourced some great beers from a magnificent craft-brewer located right here in Houston, Saint Arnold Brewing Company.

Founded in 1994, Saint Arnold is the oldest microbrewery in the city. In neat a coincidence with my decision to pick this brewer, the company is run with sustainability in mind and even has a six-pack holder recycling program. Their lineup is made up of five regulars and five seasonal brews. The beer I've chosen to showcase here is one of those seasonal specials, their Winter Stout.

Launched in 1997, Winter Stout is the second winter seasonal from Saint Arnold, accompanying their Christmas Ale. The beer has been quite popular amongst SA customers and has even won a silver medal for sweet stout in the 2000 Great American Beer Festival. Using a blend of four kinds of malted barley and two varieties of hop, this beer should have some serious complexity and body.

Appearance: Pours a very dark red-brown (almost black) body with a healthy butterscotch head that settles into a small and almost Guinness-like cream

Aroma: Sweet and malty, almost reminds me of soured Guinness (and not in a bad way)

Taste: Absolutely bursting with flavor! Rich roasted malt body with definite dark chocolate, coffee and caramel notes

Mouthfeel: Feels cold, coats well and is not too fizzy

Drinkability: Initially it seems quite rich, but after a few sips it's a very sessionable beer (providing you like stouts)

Verdict: This a truly a brilliant example of an American Stout with the added bonus of being local. I really wish Saint Arnold would brew this year-round, but they say the demand is not there. What a shame. Looks like I'm going to have to find a case to stash for the summer.

Grade: A

Producers of Samuel Adams to Share Hops With Craft-Brewers in Need

Over the past few months, the ongoing worldwide hop shortage has affected all brewers, with craft-brewers feeling more of a crunch than the macros. To help ease the pain of its peers in the craft-brew world, Boston Beer Company (makers of Samuel Adams beers) has started a hop sharing program.

Up for grabs are 20,000 pounds of premium hops, half East Kent Goldings grown by Tony Redsell and half German Noble Tettnang Tettnangers from various German growers. This is no quick grab for easy cash from the hard-up brewers without good reserves, BBC will be selling these items at their cost. That's right, they are passing these hops on to those brewers that truly need them just because it's the right thing to do.

I think this program illustrates some of the underlying principles of the craft-brew mindset: brotherhood, sharing for the greater-good and the golden rule. BBC is probably the largest craft-brewer in America and they're showing they still care about great beer and those who brew it, not just their bottom line. Kudos.

Get more details from Boston Brewing Company's site

Lagunitas Cappuccino Stout Review

Brewery: Lagunitas Brewing Co. | Beer: Cappuccino Stout
Style: American Stout | ABV: 8.0%
Serving Method: 1 Pint, 6 oz. bottle poured into pint glass

I picked this bottle up a while ago and it has been languishing in my beer fridge ever since (as you can tell by the discoloration on the label). Coffee, stouts and dogs all rate quite high on my "favorite things" list, so I'm hoping this beer lives up to my expectations.

Appearance: Dark almost impenetrable red-black body with a tall, brown and fizzy head that settles quickly

Aroma: Nutty, hoppy, sweet, tones of roasted malt and a slight hint of coffee at the end

Taste: Surprisingly bitter with roasted malt and hints of coffee, you can certainly detect that 7.99% ABV lurking beneath

Mouthfeel: Velvety and smooth with mild carbonation

Drinkability: The pint goes down slowly and smoothly, but I might just leave it at one (especially with the alcohol content)

Verdict: I didn't pick up the coffee I was hoping to, but this is a fine bitter stout. A good beer to throw into the rotation every now and then, but not something I'd buy regularly.

Grade: C+

Young's Double Chocolate Stout Review

Brewery: Young & Co's Brewery PLC | Beer: Young's Double Chocolate Stout
Style: Milk/Sweet Stout | ABV: 5.2%
Serving Method: 1 Pint, 0.9 oz. bottle poured into pint glass

My dad has always been a fan of Young’s Double Chocolate Stout, so I’ve been familiar with it for quite a while now. Back when I was in college, I bought a four pack of this beer and promptly drank the first three, keeping the fourth because I'm a notorious beer hoarder (just ask my fiancee) While in my fridge, the can caused quite a stir at parties. I'd say a third of the people found the concept of “chocolate beer” disgusting, but the rest all found it intriguing. I can see why, chocolate and beer are two of the greatest things in this world, so think how great they could be combined!

For Valentine’s Day, my fiancee bought me a few pints of this, some new pint glasses and the tripod used in the picture above. Thanks Jamie!

Appearance: Impenetrable black body with thick, caramel brown head that lingers

Aroma: Has the creamy, sweet and malty aroma common to stouts with toffee and chocolate tones

Taste: Roasted malty body with coffee, toffee and (of course) chocolate, somewhat bitter hoppy aftertaste

Mouthfeel: Thick, smooth and creamy with a rich finish

Drinkability: If you like stouts, you can easily drink this for a session, even if it is slightly heavy

Verdict: A brilliant and interesting and a great alternative to my usual stout. Out of the bottle it's not as creamy as the nitro-can version, but still great. Take a trip away from the normal, you'll find it's well worth it.

Grade: A

Firestone Walker Releases Union Jack IPA

Friday, Firestone Walker announced their first India Pale Ale, Union Jack IPA. The beer is available on tap and in bottles in California and Nevada now and clocks in at 7.5% ABV, 72 IBUs and 10 Lovibond units. The brewery describes Union Jack as "citrus, pineapple, and a full chewy malt profile finish clean on your palate."

The India Pale Ale style originated during the 1700s when British brewers learned that adding large amounts of hops helped protect beer on its long journey to far away colonies. Union Jack has been double dry hopped and fermented in the brewery's oak barrel brewing system, imparting a unique character and body.

Visit Firestone Walker

Newcastle Brown Ale Review

Brewery: Newcastle Breweries Ltd. | Beer: Newcastle Brown Ale
Style: English Brown Ale | ABV: 4.7%
Serving Method: 12oz. bottle poured into pint glass

One of the world's classic beers and the standard Brown Ale, Newcastle has been brewed in England since 1927. Known in it's home town as "Dog" (as in "I have to see a man about a dog"), this beer is an absolute icon and I've been a huge fan since I started drinking beer.

Appearance: Medium to dark brown, clear with an almost non-existent fizzy head (tips for pouring a proper head with this beer, anyone?)

Aroma: Nutty and malty with a definite sweet hint

Taste: Deep body, medium malt character with no bitterness

Mouthfeel: Fizzy and crisp, nice aftertaste

Drinkability: Easy to drink and a perfect match with the traditional beer pairing: pizza

Verdict: Certainly no where near as good as from a tap, but still a great session beer from the bottle. If you're looking for something a little darker, this is a beer with a real bite you can drink all night long. Good dog.

Grade: A-

Austin Amber Ale Review

Brewery: Independence Brewing Co. | Beer: Austin Amber Ale
Style: American Amber Ale | ABV: 4.9%
Serving Method: 12oz. bottle poured into pint glass

This is Independence Brewing Co.'s flagship beer: an amber ale that draws heavily on the company's Austin appeal. The label design is brilliant, basing itself on the city's famous Greetings From Austin mural on South First Street. I've seen Independence's offerings increasingly in my local shops over the last year and I could resist this beer (or is it the label?) no longer.

Or maybe I nicked a six-pack from the brewery owner at my dad's 50th birthday party a few months ago and I'm just getting around to trying it out. It's a mystery. I love both amber ales and Austin, so expectations are somewhat high for this beer.

Appearance: Huge foamy head on top of a thick golden-brown body

Aroma: Citrusy and malty with hints of light hops

Taste: Very much an amber ale with a malty taste with subtle hop undertone

Mouthfeel: Moderately fizzy and sharp with a clean finish

Drinkability: Very easy to drink, I can see drinking this beer outside throughout a long Summer's day

Verdict: Not a bad attempt. It's surely no Fat Tire, but a very tasty and drinkable amber ale none-the-less. I'm delighted that both this company and this beer hold up to the lofty expectations its brilliant design ignited in me.

Grade: B+

Genesis and Blueprint

It is my opinion that too much can never be written about beer. So, with that in mind, I have set out on this quest to document my journey through the beer world. This blog will serve as a place for me to post reviews of all the beers I try along with any other thoughts I have relating to the world of beer.

The review format will be simple and consistent: an image depicting the beer and its bottle, some basic data about the beer, a blurb about the brewery and beer, comments on the beer's appearance, aroma, taste, mouthfeel and drinkability, and after all of that an overall grade and review. If this sounds familiar, it should. Almost every other website containing beer reviews uses the same elements. And for good reason, they're the best elements to review a beer with.

It's worth noting that I am far from an expert. Sure, I've tried a lot of different beers, I've read a lot of beer books, I light my house with beer neons and I've even bought some brewing equipment. But, when it comes to high-end beer analysis, I'm the first to point out I don't really know what I'm talking about. Yet.

Anyway, enough of all that, on with the beer!