Great Taste, More Fulfilling
By urbanhoustonian at October 11, 2011 | 2:29 PM | Print
When I was growing up, my father kept his fridge stocked with Miller Lite. To this day, whenever I am forced to go with a domestic beer, Miller Lite is my first choice.
However, I try not to drink domestic beer very often.
You see, right before I graduated from TCU (Welcome to the Big 12!), I joined the Flying Saucer’s UFO Club. The UFO Club offers you the chance to attain beer immortality with a plate on the wall at your local Flying Saucer. You do this by tasting 200 different beers from their ever changing menu. I attained immortality on April 9, 2004 with plate #149. It’s inscription reads,
“Launched in Cow Town, landed in Space City.”
From this experience, I learned there are beers I like, and there are beers everyone should drink regularly.
Throughout this entire time, I was aware of Saint Arnold Brewing Company, and had a couple of friends who were devotees of this holiest of Texas beers. I often smiled at the mention of Fancy Lawnmower Beer, realizing how perfect the idea of a cold beer would be after an afternoon mowing your yard in the Houston sun. However, when I tasted my first Lawnmower, I did not like it at all. This is proof our taste buds do evolve, as Lawnmower is now my favorite Saint Arnold brew, followed closely by Summer Pils.
It wasn’t until last week, while listening to Brock Wagner and Lennie Ambrose at SchipulCon, I realized Saint Arnold belonged on Houston Monthly. The reasoning is simple:
- Saint Arnold is brewed right here in Houston, Texas.
- Saint Arnold is a HUGE supporter of the Houston non-profit community.
- One Pot Show Down
- Life is too short to drink domestic beer.
As I said before, I prefer Fancy Lawnmower Beer and Summer Pils, but those are just two of the many brews Saint Arnold offers. If you are going to become a true acolyte of Saint Arnold, you should start at the Brewery itself. They recently relocated to an old HISD Food Services building just north of Downtown Houston. It’s bigger, it’s better and they’re producing record amounts of their beers. Tours are $7, and include a souvenir glass. After the tour, you can sample the various beers to discover your favorite. Talk to the guys and gals serving you, they’ll help you find your holy grail of ale!
Saint Arnold brews six beers (Amber, Brown, Weedwacker, Fancy Lawnmower, Elissa IPA and Root Beer for you folks that don’t drink alcohol.) The also have seasonal brews (Bock, Summer Pils, Oktoberfest, Christmas Ale, Stout and soon-to-be released Pumpkinator.
There is also the elusive Divine Reserve, but you can’t possibly tackle that most blessed of brews until you’ve tried the rest.
As always, drink responsibly, and always make it a Houston brew.
