Saint Arnold's Bishop's Barrel No. 4 Review

Brewery: Saint Arnold Brewing Co. | Beer: Bishop's Barrel No. 4
Style: Weizenbock | ABV: 9.9% | IBUs: ~40
Serving Method: 12 oz. bottle poured into tulip glass

For the fourth beer in the successful Bishop's Barrel series, Saint Arnold has brewed up a big Weizenbock brewed with cocoa nibs and aged in Woodford Reserve barrels.

The majority was brewed a year before bottling, with 10% of the final product being a fresh batch to bring back the weizen yeast character which had faded in the barrels. The cocoa nibs employed came from Tejas Chocolate.

Here's how Saint Arnold describe the finished product:

The taste starts with bourbon and a rich maltiness. Chocolate and a light banana flavor emerges, reminiscent of a banana split made with chocolate ice cream.

I've been a big fan of the Bishop so far, let's see if the streak continues.

Appearance: An inky black body that lets no light escape, save a few highlights of brown if you force the issue. Up top, just over a finger of tannish head that fades in average time, leaving great lacing.

Aroma: A mix of dark malt, musty dark fruit, licorice, vanilla, bourbon, lots of oak, and a hint of booze as it warms.

Taste: Just like the nose. A big, bold mix of very dark fruit, licorice, vanilla, leather, bourbon, and oak over a solid backbone of dark malt. Clearly related to the other beers in this series. The alcohol is masked masterfully, never showing its head. Lots of barrel in the finish, along with dark fruit and dark malt.

Mouthfeel: Medium-full bodied and velvety with smooth medium carbonation and a full finish. Nice slickness from the alcohol throughout.

Drinkability: Drinks just as you’d expect given the alcohol content.

Verdict: As with most beers in the Bishop’s Barrel series, the barrel really is front and center here. It’s more than just barrel through, with plenty of big and enjoyable Weizenbock character complemented by the barrel. Without the barrel it would be a good beer, with it, it’s something more.

Grade: A

Note: While this review is being published in November, the tasting notes contained within were taken when the beer was fresh in August.

Saint Arnold Bishop's Barrel No. 3 Review

Brewery: Saint Arnold Brewing Co. | Beer: Bishop's Barrel No. 3
Style: Russian Imperial Stout | ABV: 11.5% | IBUs: 49
Serving Method: 12 oz. bottle poured into tulip glass
Here we have the third release in Saint Arnold's Bishop's Barrel series, and already we're seeing some retreaded ground.

Like the first release in the series, this is a Russian Imperial Stout aged in Woodford Reserve barrels. The differences being that it was aged for 12 months instead of 10 and that the house Saint Arnold yeast was used in place of the less estery yeast in the first release.

I was a fan of the first release, though wanted a bit more body. Sounds like I may just get my wish here.

Saint Arnold use the same description for this as the first release:

A pleasant sipping beer with the bourbon both present but not overpowering as you work your way through the glass. Oddly easy to drink for a beer this strong.

Let's jump back in and see what has changed.

Appearance: An inky black body with hints of red around the edge. Up top, just over a finger of tannish head that fades slowly, leaving good lacing.

Aroma: Bitter chocolate, cola, molasses, a hint of something lactic, booze, and lots of bourbon barrel character with a balance of oak and vanilla.

Taste: The base features dark chocolate, dark coffee, dark fruit, and well-toasted dark malt, but is on the lighter side as far as intensity goes for the style. There’s lots of barrel character on deck to compliment, with lots of vanilla, oak, and bourbon character. Taking a small nip of Woodford Reserve while sampling, it’s clear to see the influence here. Everything meshes well and it’s well balanced. The booze is apparent throughout, but never imposes. Dark malt, oak, and bourbon in the finish.

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied and creamy with silky smooth medium carbonation and just a little warmth from the booze. Doesn’t have the same thinness issue as the first release.

Drinkability: Drinks a little faster than the double-digit alcohol content and style would suggest.

Verdict: Plenty of deja-vu here, to be sure, as this is rather close to the first installment of the series. The yeast change is noticeable, making things a bit more full-bodied and creamy. However, that extra two months in the barrel hasn’t made much of an impact. The base beer is still just a little bit less intense than I’d prefer, but the barrel again comes through beautifully.

Grade: A

Note: While this review is being published in November, the tasting notes contained within were taken when the beer was fresh in May.

Saint Arnold Bishop's Barrel No. 2 Review

Brewery: Saint Arnold Brewing Co. | Beer: Bishop's Barrel No. 2
Style: Old Ale | ABV: 7.8% | IBUs: 13
Serving Method: 12 oz. bottle poured into tulip glass

Time for a fresh old Saint Arnold beer, as we have a new Bishop's Barrel release to review. Bishop's Barrel is Saint Arnold's new experimental barrel-aged series, and the second installment just dropped. I was a big fan of the first release, so I've been looking forward to trying this one.

Luckily for me, it was released on President's Day and I had the day off, so I braved the elements and waited again outside Petrol Station here in Houston with a rowdy crew of beer geeks and was able to score a few bottles to bring home.

This time around, we have Saint Arnold's Christmas Ale (an Old Ale) aged with cherries in Chardonnay barrels. It was brewed in November 2011, racked that December, and finally bottled earlier this month (February 2013). 54 barrels were aged, yielding 1,146 cases of finished product.

When it came time to bottle, the brewers discovered that two of the barrels had taken on Brettanomyces wild yeast character, while another two barrels had taken on sour lactic bacteria character. Instead of dumping these barrels, after testing they were added to the final blend, and will hopefully add a little funk to the proceedings.

Saint Arnold describe the finished product as:

[L]ight malt up front, chardonnay in the middle and finishes try with a distinct tartness. The cherry throughout is a light note, never dominating.

A funky barrel aged beer from my hometown? Let's get to it!

Appearance: A hazy red-orange body with bright orange highlights. Up top, a half a finger of whitish head burns out almost instantly, leaving the faintest ring around the edge and no lacing.

Aroma: Sweet, tart, musty juicy cherries over biscuity malt and mild barrel character.

Taste: A mix of tart, sweet, and juicy cherries, white wine, caramel malt, vanilla and oak from the barrels, and just a hint of spicy booze. There’s a lot going on here, but everything is balanced rather nicely. Juicy cherry and biscuity malt in the finish.

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with velvety-smooth medium carbonation and a drying finish.

Drinkability: Goes back about as you’d expect given the style and alcohol content.

Verdict: Bishop’s Barrel 2 is an interesting and thoroughly enjoyable beer. There’s less barrel character than the last release, but it’s still all rather solid and a total departure from the base Christmas Ale. I was hoping for a bit more funk and/or sour character, but when am I not?

Grade: A-

Saint Arnold Bishop's Barrel No. 1 Review

Brewery: Saint Arnold Brewing Co. | Beer: Bishop's Barrel No. 1
Style: Russian Imperial Stout | ABV: 12.0% | IBUs: 49
Serving Method: 12 oz. bottle poured into tulip glass

Saint Arnold has been busy substantially increasing its portfolio substantially over the last few years. Along with new year-round and occasional brews, they've created two new series to accompany their Divine Reserve series. The first is Icon, originally conceived as a series of new beers iconic of their respective style. The second is Bishop's Barrel, a collection of inventive small-batch beers that have been graced with a period of barrel aging.

For now, Saint Arnold is releasing Bishop's Barrel via bars and restaurants. I've heard the logic is that this will help reward their loyal on-premise accounts and cut down on hoarding. Luckily for me some of these accounts chose to sell their bottles to-go and I was able to scoop up the first release after lining up outside Petrol Station here in Houston with a bunch of other beer geeks.

First in the Bishop's Barrel series is a big Russian Imperial Stout aged in Woodford Reserve bourbon barrels. It was brewed in December 2011, racked in January 2012, and finally bottled in October 2012. Only 48 barrels were aged, resulting in just 948 cases, hardly enough to satiate the Saint Arnold army.

Saint Arnold describe the finished product as:

A pleasant sipping beer with the bourbon both present but not overpowering as you work your way through the glass. Oddly easy to drink for a beer this strong.

Let's crack open the barrel and see what lies inside.

Appearance: An inky black body with the subtlest of red highlights around the edge. Up top, half a finger of tannish head that fades in average time, leaving good lacing.

Aroma: Dark chocolate, molasses, licorice, booze, and a hell of a lot of barrel character with plenty of oak and vanilla.

Taste: The base beer has a decent amount of the typical dark chocolate, dark coffee, and dark malt Imperial Stout flavors, but is on the less-intense side. Again, there’s lots of big barrel on the edge (vanilla, oak, and full-on bourbon). Everything meshes well. The booze is masked well; it’s apparent throughout, but kept in check considering the amount here. Dark toasty grain, oak, and a hint of booze in the finish.

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with velvety smooth medium carbonation and just a little warmth from the booze. Lighter in body than most of the style.

Drinkability: Drinks just a little faster than the healthy double-digit alcohol content and style would suggest.

Verdict: As a showcase for barrel aging, Bishop’s Barrel is off to a strong start with number one, as there’s heaps of barrel character all around this beer. I’m in love with the barrel character, but the base beer is just a little too thin in flavor and body for this to get absolute top marks. Can’t wait to see how this ages and what’s up next from the series.

Grade: A

Note: While this review is being published in 2013, the tasting notes contained within were taken when the beer was fresh in 2012.

Saint Arnold Announces Movable Yeast Series

Earlier this week, Saint Arnold announced the release of their "Movable Yeast" series of beers. This new line is all about the different flavors yeast can impart on beer. To showcase these flavors, the series will feature existing Saint Arnold beers fermented with a different strain of yeast.

Saint Arnold will brew up a batch of the base beer and split it into two 60 barrel fermenters. There, the "control" will be pitched with the usual yeast strain, while the new beer will be pitched with the new strain. Each beer will get a clever new name and be shipped off in kegs to restaurants. According to founder Brock Wagner, the brewery is hoping restaurants will serve the two versions side-by-side, so consumers can really get a feel for how much the yeast has changed the flavor profile of the beer.

The plan is to release a new beer will be each quarter. First up in the series is Weedwacker, which is based on the company's popular Kölsch, Fancy Lawnmower. Weedwacker will be fermented with a Bavarian Hefeweizen yeast, which will impart the traditional clove and banana flavors. Also, in a nod to the Hefeweizen tradition, the beer will be served unfiltered.

In November, Saint Arnold plans to release "Altared Amber," which is Amber Ale pitched with Belgian Trappist yeast. Planned for February is Bitter Belgian, which marries Elissa IPA wort with Belgian Trappist yeast. Following that in May, Brown Biite will combine Brown Ale with Alt yeast.

You'll be able to find the Moveable Yeast series in select Texas restaurants starting August 16th. You can find more information on the company's Facebook page.

Image via Saint Arnold

Saint Arnold Oktoberfest Review

Brewery: Saint Arnold Brewing Co. | Beer: Oktoberfest
Style: Märzen/Oktoberfest | ABV: 6.0% | IBUs: 24
Serving Method: 12 oz. bottle poured into pint glass

First brewed back in 1997, Saint Arnold's Oktoberfest is the company's popular fall offering. While a somewhat traditional Oktoberfest beer, it has a bit of a trick up its sleeve. Initially planned to be a lager (standard for the style), a test batched brewed with the company's proprietary ale yeast was such a hit that the recipe was switched to an ale.

As for the rest of the ingredients, the backbone is built from three types of Munich malt, while Czech Saaz and Hallertauer hop varieties provide flavor and bitterness. Here's the brewery's description of the finished product:

A full bodied, malty, slightly sweet beer celebrating the Autumn harvest. This rich beer has a round malt flavor and an above average alcohol content perfect for a cool fall evening.

Believe it or not, but this is the last remaining Saint Arnold year-round or seasonal beer to be reviewed here on PintLog. Until they release something new, the only Saint Arnold reviews left to post are Divine Reserve releases. Let's see if they can go out on a high note.

Appearance: A barely hazy, reddish-orange body capped by a little less than a finger of bubbly and tannish head that recedes quickly and leaves little lacing.

Aroma: Lots of rich caramel malt accompanied by fruit, mild spice, nuts, and a hint of smoke.

Taste: A mix of dark fruit, mildly bitter and earthy hops, nuttiness, and just a hint of dark chocolate over a solid caramel malt backbone. The aftertaste features rich cereal grains and a hint of earthy hops.

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with good carbonation and a dry finish.

Drinkability: Very drinkable, this would be a great choice for the dinner table or the beer garden.

Verdict: A solid Märzen, Saint Arnold's Oktoberfest is a tasty and drinkable taste of fall. Something to look forward to each year, like most of this brewery's seasonal releases.

Grade: B+

Saint Arnold Amber Ale Review

Brewery: Saint Arnold Brewing Co. | Beer: Amber Ale
Style: American Amber Ale | ABV: 5.5% | IBUs: 31
Serving Method: 12 oz. bottle poured into pint glass

Well, it took a few years, but I'm finally getting around to reviewing Saint Arnold's flagship brew. First brewed way back in 1994 as the company's first official offering, Saint Arnold Amber Ale has been the top dog ever since.

Released after just six test batches were brewed, the initial version of Amber Ale was actually closer to an India Pale Ale. While that wouldn't be the end of the world in today's beer climate, back in the bleak days of the mid-nineties it was a bit of an obstacle for an uninitiated public. After just three months on the market, the brewers made some changes, and the recipe has stayed the same for the last 15 years.

Cascade hops are employed for bittering, while hop flavoring comes from both Cascade and Liberty varieties. The backbone is built from 2-row pale and Belgian Caravienne malts. Here's how Saint Arnold describe the finished product:

A well balanced, full flavored, amber ale. It has a rich, malty body with a pleasant caramel character derived from a specialty Caravienne malt. A complex hop aroma, with a hint of floral and citrus comes from a combination of Cascades and Liberty hops.

This is a beer I've enjoyed while out and about many times, but I don't think I've ever actually brought a six-pack home. I'm looking forward to taking some time to really see what makes this beer tick, so let's get to it.

Appearance: A slightly hazy, golden-amber body with a bubbly whitish head that recedes quickly and leaves good lacing.

Aroma: Citrusy and herbal hops over a toasty caramel malt base. Much hoppier than the average Amber.

Taste: Lots of juicy fruit and hop flavors. Not quite as hoppy in the mouth, but still probably hoppier than average for the style. Underneath, a sweet and toasty malt backbone. The aftertaste is toasty with a hint of juicy fruit.

Mouthfeel: A smooth, medium body with moderate carbonation. Dries a little in the finish.

Drinkability: Excellent; this would make for a great session beer.

Verdict: Saint Arnold's Amber Ale is a very solid example of the style, and really fits the bill of a brilliant session beer. All of the juicy fruit and hop notes make this a more attractive proposition than most of the Ambers I've tried.

Grade: A-

Saint Arnold Texas Wheat Review

Brewery: Saint Arnold Brewing Co. | Beer: Texas Wheat
Style: Kristalweizen | ABV: 4.9% | IBUs: 18
Serving Method: 12 oz. bottle poured into Weizen glass

First brewed back in the 1994, Saint Arnold Texas Wheat was only the brewery's second official offering. Developed in front of a local homebrew shop, it was initially known as "Kristall Weizen"—a reference to the beer's style. Kristalweizen is a German style of wheat beer that is essentially a filtered version of Hefeweizen.

While most American wheat beers contain less than 30 percent wheat, Texas Wheat is built with half malted wheat and half 2-row barley. Perle hops are employed for bittering, while Liberty hops are used for flavoring. The beer now uses the same Kölsch yeast as the company's Fancy Lawnmower, but used the brewery's proprietary ale strain for its first ten years.

Here's how Saint Arnold describe the beer:

A refreshing, flavorful filtered wheat beer [and] the perfect beer to accompany a meal or for a summer's day. The wheat contributes a lighter flavor while maintaining a rich body. The beer has a light hop profile -- just enough to give the beer balance and complexity.

It may not be the perfect time of year for this beer, but let's just close our eyes and pretend its 100 degrees outside.

Appearance: A slightly hazy pale straw body with a huge white head that features brilliant retention and spotty lacing.

Aroma: Sweet, grainy wheat accompanied with apple, citrus, and a slight hint of floral hops

Taste: Sharp lemon and apple over a tasty and grainy wheat backbone. Towards the end, there's enough of a bitter hop dimension to add more complexity. Clean. The aftertaste is grainy with the barest hint of alcohol.

Mouthfeel: Medium-light bodied and velvety with smooth carbonation. Dries in the finish.

Drinkability: Excellent, as you'd expect from any wheat beer worth a damn.

Verdict: Saint Arnold has created a solid Wheat beer, perfect for a Summer's day here in Texas. While it may not the most complex beer in the world, it does its job well.

Grade: B+

Saint Arnold Brown Ale Review

Brewery: Saint Arnold Brewing Co. | Beer: Brown Ale
Style: English Brown Ale | ABV: 5.3% | IBUs: 24
Serving Method: 12 oz. bottle poured into pint glass

Saint Arnold's Brown Ale made it's debut back in 1995, and was originally brewed to celebrate the brewery's first anniversary. It went over so well that it became one of the cornerstones of the lineup and has been brewed ever since. Saint Arnold promise the beer will be sticking around for quite some time, as it's the favorite of brewery owner Brock Wagner's wife.

Designed as an English style Brown Ale, it took a little tweaking to get the recipe just right. Apparently, the key to the flavor profile the brewers were after was a splash (0.5% percent of the overall malt bill) of chocolate malt. The full ingredient list is composed of five varieties of malt, three types of Pacific Northwest hops, and a proprietary yeast strain.

Saint Arnold describe the beer as "A beautiful, deep copper brown ale [with] a full, malty body with hints of chocolate, a touch of sweetness and a light hop flavor" and are particularly fond of pairing it with food. Their highest pairing recommendation is pecan crusted snapper, which sounds pretty awesome.

Regrettably, I have no snapper on hand, so I'll just have to review the beer as is.

Appearance: Crystal clear, but not the color you initially expect from a Brown Ale. This is a somewhat lighter and more orange interpretation of "brown." Up top, an off-white colored head that splits quickly and leaves little lacing.

Aroma: Sweet, roasty malt with plenty of fruity, nutty, slightly chocolaty qualities. It smells darker than you would expect looking at it. Perhaps some light alcohol notes as it warms.

Taste: Sweet, slightly bitter, roasted biscuity malt accented with chocolate, nut, and fruit notes. Despite not having much hop character, this still has good balance. The aftertaste is roasty and dry.

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied and smooth with moderate carbonation. Nicely dry.

Drinkability: Lighter in intensity and body than many Brown Ales, this is above average.

Verdict: Saint Arnold Brown Ale is just a little thin for me, I'd love to see a little more oomph in the malt backbone. But, that being said, this is still a tasty and sessionable little brew well worth a try.

Grade: B

Saint Arnold Announces Divine Reserve 9

Hot off the heels of the release of their Divine Reserve 8, Saint Arnold has announced the next brew in the exclusive series. Divine Reserve 9 will be brewed today and tomorrow for release in either November or December. It will be an "Imperial Stout Pumpkin Ale," which sounds pretty interesting, if nothing else. The Divine Reserve series is the perfect time to experiment, and I'm happy to see Saint Arnold getting creative again. Here's what founder Brock Wagner has to say about DR9:

It's like a chocolate pumpkin pie, and 10% ABV. My complaint with pumpkin ales is typically the body of the beer doesn't carry the spice. It was a challenge to come up with enough pumpkin too. Apparently, when it's not Thanksgiving, stores don't stock much pumpkin!"

With all of the excitement and disappointment we saw a few weeks back with DR8, I wish you the best of luck getting your hands on DR9 later this year.

UPDATE:

Saint Arnold Divine Reserve 8 Review

Brewery: Saint Arnold Brewing Co. | Beer: Divine Reserve 8
Style: Strong Scotch Ale/Wee Heavy | ABV: 9.3% | IBUs: ~25
Serving Method: 12 oz. bottle poured into tulip glass

Saint Arnold's single batch Divine Reserve series has become the stuff of legend here in Houston. There are no set rules for the series and it's proven to be quite the opportunity for experimentation, so it's always a bit of a surprise when the newest release is announced. Previous releases include an Imperial Stout, a pair of Barleywines, a Double IPA, a Quadruppel, and a dark Weizenbock.

Divine Reserve 8 is the second Strong Scotch Ale in the series, but the recipe is all new. It was inspired by homebrewer Phillip Kaufman’s winning entry in the 2009 Big Batch Brew Bash. Philip purchased many of his ingredients from Brew-It Yourself, the same store I use for my homebrewing supplies and ingredients, which really gives me the itch to dust off the brew kettle.

As for the version that hit the shelves, the malt backbone is composed of a mix of 2-Row, Biscuit, Dark Crystal, Amber, Peated, Caramunich and Wheat varieties while Hallertau Tradition hops are added early in the process and Hallertau Hersbruckers are added towards the end. A traditional Scotch Ale yeast is employed and the beer is unfiltered.

Here's how Saint Arnold describe the resulting brew:

The taste opens with sweet malt and spice, then the alcohol comes up with a light residual sweetness on the finish. A balanced smoky flavor is in this beer from start to finish, although it never is the dominant character.

Unfortunately, not everyone was able to get their hands on DR8. Despite this being the biggest batch of the Divine series thus far at just over 1500 cases, many seekers went home empty handed. The current brewery simply doesn't allow for more Divine series to be brewed without cutting into the production of other Saint Arnold beers. Until the move to the new brewery takes place, it appears demand will surpass supply.

Appearance: A murky, nearly opaque orange-brown body capped by about a finger of tan head that dissipates in a minute or so and leaves little in the way of lacing.

Aroma: Rich caramel malt accompanied by lots of booze and lovely smoky notes.

Taste: A complex malt body with lots of toffee, caramel, and brown sugar notes. There's a subdued peaty smokiness throughout, adding lots of character. The alcohol content is reigned in masterfully, leaving just the right amount to add depth without ever getting in the way. It's bitter and smoky in the aftertaste.

Mouthfeel: A medium-full body with good carbonation and a little warmth from alcohol.

Drinkability: Certainly a beer meant to be savored, though not a full-blown sipper.

Verdict: Divine Reserve 8 is a solid example of the Strong Scotch Ale style, something that's sorely lacking on the shelves here in Houston. Hopefully now with two Scotch Ales from the Divine series under their belts, Saint Arnold will brew one up on a more regular basis. I'm looking forward to how this release ages and evolves over the years.

Grade: A-

Saint Arnold Summer Pils Review

Brewery: Saint Arnold Brewing Co. | Beer: Summer Pils
Style: Czech Pilsener ABV: 4.9% IBUs: 41
Serving Method: 12 oz. bottle poured into Pilsener glass

This review is a part of an article on summer seasonals as part of the monthly beer blogging project The Session.

Well, it's officially hot here in Houston, and has been for quite some time now. With such a stifling climate, it's no surprise that our local brewers over at Saint Arnold brew up an immensely popular summer seasonal.

Summer Pils, released back in 1997, was Saint Arnold's first ever lager. The recipe has varied a little over the years, with the final formulation settled upon in 2006. Tie-dye is featured prominently on the label, and has become somewhat of a calling card from the brewery, even showing up on their 1957 Bentley (which can be yours for the price of just 200,000 Saint Arnold six-pack holders).

I had a bit of a task in deciding what style of Pilsener to list this beer under, as the malt backbone is provided by German Pils malt, but the hops are Czech Saaz and Hallertauer. I ended up settling on Czech style, mostly due to Saint Arnold describing Summer Pils as "a true bohemian-style" Pilsener. Here's how they describe the flavor:

Crisp and refreshing, this beer is perfect for a hot summer day. Saint Arnold Summer Pils has a delicate, sweet malt taste complemented by an abundant hop aroma and flavor.

Well, it's not getting any cooler just sitting here, so let's crack a bottle and try to beat the heat.

Appearance: A clear, pale straw body with a thin white head that disappears rapidly and leaves no lacing.

Aroma: Classic Pils in the nose. Grassy, lemony noble hops over a pale, slightly grainy malt base.

Taste: Up front, the same grassy, lemony noble hop profile found in the aroma. Saint Arnold claim 41 IBUs, but I never would have guessed that high. Underneath, the German Pils malt backbone provides a little body and sweetness, but ultimately knows its place. This really showcases the noble hops well. The aftertaste is grainy and lightly bitter.

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with crisp carbonation. Clean and dry finish.

Drinkability: Excellent, as you'd expect from a Pilsener.

Verdict: Saint Arnold have brewed up a great Summer seasonal for Texas. It's kind of a mix of the German and Czech Pilsener style, and the result is an tasty, highly drinkable hybrid.

Grade: A-

Saint Arnold Elissa IPA Review

Brewery: Saint Arnold Brewing Co. | Beer: Elissa IPA
Style: American India Pale Ale | ABV: 6.6% | IBUs: ~60
Serving Method: 12 oz. bottle poured into pint glass

A few Summers ago, I spent a Labor Day weekend with my family in Galveston. One of the highlights was looking out at the water and seeing an interesting dark shape on the horizon (in a scene very close to the one depicted on the bottle). After a few seconds, it dawned on me that I was staring at a tall ship. Seeing something so ancient looking juxtaposed against the modern world was something really special. I'm sure if I had been 15 years younger, that I would have thought it was a pirate invasion for sure.

The tall ship was the Elissa, a barque from 1877, and a major Galveston attraction. When Saint Arnold decided to try their hand at brewing an IPA a few years ago, they decided to name the beer after the Elissa. Not only was it a perfect tribute to a local landmark, but the Elissa was exactly the kind of ship that transported IPAs to India in the first place. Saint Arnold also donates a portion of their proceeds from this beer to help preserve the Elissa.

Released back in 2004, Saint Arnold's first IPA was finally able to exist once a reverse osmosis system was installed in the brewery to strip out the high levels of calcium carbonate levels here in Houston's water supply. They decided to use only one hop variety in the beer, my favorite hop variety, the Cascade. The Cascades are added three times throughout the brewing process and then once as a dry-hopping in the fermenter. The beer is unpasteurized and contains no additives or preservatives. Every now and then, the brewery takes a portion of Elissa, dry hops and cask conditions it for a traditional Real Ale experience in local pubs.

Back when I was first experimenting with good beer, this was the first IPA I tried. At that point, I had no idea what an IPA was - I just knew that the Elissa was awesome and every Saint Arnold beer I'd sampled up to that point was brilliant. I took the six-pack home and promptly poured a glass. BAM! It hit me in the mouth with a massive bitter punch, the hoppiest beer I had ever had by far. To be perfectly honest, it was quite unpleasant at first, and it took quite a while to finish that first glass.

As I slowly worked my way through the six-pack over the course of a few weeks I got somewhat used to it, but it was still rather extreme. Of course today, it's just a good session beer for me; something to pick up when I'm in the mood for hops but not after a big beer. This beer is a constant reminder of how much your palate changes on this journey.

Appearance: An ever-so-slightly hazy, bright golden-amber body with a mass of bubbles working their way up. On top, a finger of dimpled and fluffy off-white head with brilliant retention and good lacing.

Aroma: Citrusy, floral, and piney Cascade hops over a solid biscuity caramel malt base. Inviting.

Taste: In the flavor profile, the hop character is made up of mild bitterness and leafy notes with a good bit of the citrus stripped out. I'd like to see more of the perfumey citrus flavors you usually get from Cascade hops, but what is left is nice. The malt backbone is biscuity and mildly roasted. This is a very balanced IPA, but I'd be happy to see a bit more focus hop character. The aftertaste is bitter and biscuity.

Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied with a good amount of carbonation. Mildly dry.

Drinkability: Well above average for the style. One of the most sessionable IPAs I've tried.

Verdict: Elissa is just an easily drinkable, moderately hoppy beer. It's certainly not the hoppiest IPA out there, and I'd like to see more of the traditional Cascade character, but it makes for a brilliant session beer for hop fans. A Houston institution in the making.

Grade: A-

Saint Arnold Christmas Ale Review

Brewery: Saint Arnold Brewing Co. | Beer: Christmas Ale
Style: Winter Warmer | ABV: 7.0%
Serving Method: 12 oz. bottle poured into pint glass

It's that time of year again, time to review a Saint Arnold Winter seasonal. Last Winter, I reviewed Winter Stout, this time it's Christmas Ale. Saint Arnold introduced Christmas Ale back in 1995 as their first ever seasonal brew. The style, according to the brewer, is Old Ale. However, other sources list it as a Winter Warmer. As Christmas Ale, to me at least, more closely resembles the profile of a Winter Warmer than an Old Ale (it isn't aged for one), that's what I'm listing it as. If you think I might be mistaken, please weigh in with a comment.

Saint Arnold describes the beer as a "rich, hearty ale perfect for the holiday season with a malty sweetness and spicy hop character." They use five different types of malted barley in Christmas Ale, making it a very sweet and alcohol-filled proposition. It must be working, because the beer has won two gold medals at the Real Ale Festival, a bronze at the World Beer Cup and silver at the World Beer Championship.

Appearance: Perfectly clear rust-red body you could read a newspaper through. With a regular pour, the head can be disappointing, but with just a little more aggression you can easily get a solid finger's width worth. The head rapidly recedes into a simple ring around the edge of the glass, and leaves minimal lacing.

Aroma: Spice and sweet dark fruit over a rich, boozey malt backbone. Reminds me of a Scottish Ale in some ways (though with much more banana).

Taste: It's much the same in the mouth: a solid, sweet malt character with lots of spices to match. Anything besides spiciness from the hops is subdued here, in keeping with the style. The alcohol is certainly noticeable, but complements the other flavors, rather than clashing with them. It's snowing tonight in Texas as I write this, and the booze is certainly welcome.

Mouthfeel: Chewey and medium-bodied with alcohol warmth throughout. As you'd from a Winter Warmer (especially with the somewhat lackluster head here), carbonation is on the moderate side.

Drinkability: With the 7% ABV, the buzz will catch you well before you get sick of the taste. On a cold Texas night like tonight, Christmas Ale makes a welcome friend throughout the evening.

Verdict: Whenever I check the beer aisle, I always check to see if it's time for the next Saint Arnold seasonal to come out. Christmas Ale is just another great reason to be on the lookout. Nicely balanced malt and spice, with a good splash of booze, it's a proper winter warmer. Well worth picking up, especially at the bargain prices you see here in the Houston area.

Grade: B+

Saint Arnold Healthier Than Ever

My "local" brewery and Texas' oldest craft brewer, Saint Arnold, reached a major milestone in the first half of this year. Through the end of June production exceeded 10,000 barrels, (obviously) putting the company on track to produce over 20,000 barrels this year. It seems that this year, by far, will be the biggest in the company's 14 year history.

The production figures so far this year mark a 29% increase over the same point last year. 29%. In fact, the amount of beer these guys have already cranked out in 2008 is roughly equal to their entire output for 2005. For comparison, the Brewer's Association reports that the craft-brew market as a whole is grew at a steady 6.5% over the first half of the year, 22.5% less the Houston brewer. And all of this in a year of great economic slowdown and increasing prices due to the cost of inputs and transportation.

However, this isn't a sudden jump for Saint Arnold, looking back over the company's growth figures for the past 5 years or so, they consistently grow between 20-30% each year. It's not hard to see why either, Saint Arnold has a wonderful portfolio of beer and brilliant marketing. Next year, Saint Arnold is moving out of their current, somewhat cramped, location to a new (historic) location. This will allow them to double brewing capacity, and hopefully give the devoted masses that make the pilgrimage each Saturday for the "tour" a little more room to stretch out.

Check out the Saint Arnold offerings I've reviewed here on PintLog so far: Winter Stout, Fancy Lawnmower and Spring Bock. Want a different Saint Arnold beer reviewed? Ask for it in the comment section!

Saint Arnold Spring Bock Review

Brewery: Saint Arnold Brewing Co. | Beer: Spring Bock
Style: Bock | ABV: 6.4%
Serving Method: 12 oz. bottle poured into pint glass

After a couple of diversions, we return to a beer from the Saint Arnold Brewing Company. My initial plan was to review around five of Saint Arnold's offerings in a row to give a nice (uninterrupted) profile of the brewery. Well, life has a funny way of getting in the way sometimes, but we're back on track (for now).

Next up, we have another of the brewery's seasonal offerings, Spring Bock. Compared to its fellow bottom-fermenters, the bock style of lager is strong and requires a few more weeks of lagering (cold storage). It originated in medieval Germany as a beer to celebrate Spring and mark the end of the brewing season. In German, bock means billy-goat, explaining why so many bock labels (although not this particular one) prominently feature goats.

Saint Arnold introduced Spring Bock in 1998 as the company's second foray into the world of lager. The beer is brewed with five kinds of malt (no adjuncts) and won a silver medal in its class at the 1998 World Beer Cup. In their description of the beer, Saint Arnold delivers a pretty overt dig at their rivals down the road in Shiner:

"By law in Germany, to call a beer a bock it must be brewed to a high starting gravity and thus to a high alcohol content. Our beer follows these guidelines. There are many beers in the United States that use the term "bock" for their beers which aren't really bocks. They may be perfectly good beers, but they're not bocks. They are just dark colored light bodied American lagers."

Ouch. They do have a point though, Shiner Bock weighs in at a paltry 4.4% ABV, while Spring Bock has a decisive advantage at 6.4% ABV. Let's see if the beer lives up to the smack-talk.

Appearance: Clear copper body with a decent creamy head that dissipates quickly

Aroma: Nice balance of malt and hops with just a tinge of booze

Taste: Roasted malt and citrusy hops dominate weaker tones of dark fruit, grains and nuts with the alcohol slipping in right at the end

Mouthfeel: Creamy and smooth with a good amount of carbonation

Drinkability: Goes down smoothly with a nice bitter aftertaste, I could easily drink a few of these despite the alcohol content

Verdict: Spring Bock is a well-balanced dark lager with rich malt and crisp citrus hiding above-average potency. With this beer Saint Arnold is really forcing me to rethink my standards for a good bock, and I love them for it.

Grade: A-

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