Two Rows in Houston, Done

Turns out Two Rows in Rice Village is closing up shop, and boy the comments are a-flying on Beer, TX blog. As much as I thought Dos Rows' beer was kinda meh, it was a nice change of pace. They always managed too have a little something different on tap, maybe tried to do too much with the food. Not to mention Two Rows was surrounded by places like the Gingerman, Baker Street, and Lil Woodrows for beer, and was surrounded by Mi Luna's, Le Madeliene, Ruggles, and maybe another 20 restaurants for food.

Houston now has NO brewpubs. A city with twice the population of Jamaica has no brewpubs, and Portland has like 12. I think the competition is just too strong out here. If it's one thing Houston has, it's food. There is STELLAR tex-mex at like every other gas station, forget the restaurants themselves. Best of luck to the staff at Two Rows and screw the landlords who may have just tried to push them out. Crazy man.

Best of luck to the staff of Two Rows. Hopefully they can get that equipment and open up something a little more boutique brewpub in a less expensive part of town (read: anywhere but Rice Village). I wouldn't be surprised if one of these areas like Pavilions would put a flier on a brewpub. But we have a better chance of somewhere like old Katy or down in that 12,000 block of Westheimer. Regardless, I guess we'll just have to slam more Saint Arnold's and other local brews until someone can make a brewpub work in this town.

Virtual Tasting Beering

So these guys say we should all drink up and review a Colorado Beer for this new beer blogger conference. I don't have any beers from "the sponsors", but I do have some beer from Boulder Colorado in the kegerator. We heard tell of this conference way back and honestly I'm glad Ronnie Crocker put it back in our minds. We are supposed to crack open the beer at 8PM Central time. So I've got just over 2 minutes according to Microsoft.

Beer Log: Right now
State: Watching Hard Knocks on DVR, should be catching up on some work.

Twisted Pine Honey Brown Ale
I've got 90 seconds to kill, so today I totally clam up all day at this company recruiting thing we had all day today. The night before at the Meet and Greet I was Mister Orator, but today I just didn't find anything all that inspiring. Can actually make you look bad, but at times I'll do that. I'm more of a backroom guy when it comes to my business transactions. Actually I'm a natural at working out deals and decisions "off-line". Preferably over a beer. Oh it's time.

Crack it open at 8PM sharp, and this thing pours with a big foamy head in my dimpled pint glass. I'm liking the sugar sweet malt nose coming off of this beer. I've been on this lager kick lately, slamming a lot of Pilsner Urquell of all things, but an ale could work. I even get a good bit of cinnamon and caramel. Nice soft beer, has a decent caramel malt and all that rot. I'm liking the cinnamon flavor as well, but it has a nice lighter more subtle flavor of a true session beer. The aftertaste has a gentle chocolate and roast notes. Moderate carbonation that leaves the tongue tingly, though the Pine was able to keep the beer very drinkable. At first sip this beer is kinda plain, but as it warms a touch I'm getting a lot more flavor. Certainly not a braggot level amount of honey, but a light amount to keep it interesting. The head remains throughout the drinking experience, which helps a lot as the nose is carrying a lot of flavor. The roast and choco notes make a stronger statement as the beer warms to probably 52 deg F. Like the man in the stall said to the man waiting: "Give me time baby". I get a little more choco and some sourness as it warms up. Not bad at all for a session beer. 3 Stars.

One time for Twisted Pine and of course a song from my baby momma.

Now that's more like it: Hofbrau

Trying to get that Oktoberfest out of my mouth, I crack on a bone-chilling cold Hofbrau Maibock. DAMN I LOVE MAIBOCK. Right now, my four favorite things are in this order: my lovely daughter, maibock, the movie Snatch, and James David Manning youtube videos. Maybe it's just that nobody fricken makes Maibocks these days, it's all Traditional bocks, or dunkel lagers or vienna lagers masqeurading as bocks, any of course the same 4 doppelbocks.

Hofbrau Maibock
This one has a crisp syrup sweetness, some funk from th hops, and a little stank on it from the green bottle. And I'm loving it. Great syrup/caramel malt, crisp finish, with some bread. I like the way it just cuts right through your palette. 4 stars.

Shiner Oktoberfest

Finally getting back to the blog after some vacation, football watching, and moderate drinking over Labor Day.

Shiner Oktoberfest

Picked this up from the store maybe a month ago at Specs Downtown. Has a big head that has that malty caramelness of an okto. Just the right gentleness. So after a month, this beer tastes kinda sour already. Has it's malt and rather ale-like smoothness. But not getting it for me. High 2 stars. But I like that Shiner is getting in there with some new beers. Let's keep it coming.

The wife has the word "straw". The malt is so thin, not bitter. Trying to like it but feeling it's a little boring. She's of course a big fan of Okto (Widmer) and Ourtoberfest.