Shiner ALE?

Looks like our friends at Spoetzl got a hair up their you know what and made a fricken pale ale! Shiner has always been that ice cold lager of Texas, but I cannot wait to blog this one up.

Beer Log: Right now

State: Watching UFC 143 Pre-fight press conference on youtube, pretty sleepy.

Shiner Wild Hare Pale Ale

Man I hung out with the boys last Saturday night very late, and I don't think I have recovered, and it's THURSDAY. Dammit I must be getting old. Moving on. Beer pours with the hugest head I've ever seen on a Shiner beer. Lasting power with an amber color. The beer has a very nice oatmeal cookie and English muffin thing. I'm getting something like the cinnamon toast the baby likes so much. The beer has a light english muffin and toast flavor. The hops are moderate and it's very balanced with the moderate caramel malt. Extremely clean with no butter flavor that I get from so many craft pale ales. I think the Southern Star Pine Belt has it beat in intensity, but this one is very sessionable. I could see me slamming a lot of this at a tailgate in the summer time. High 3 stars.

Get your Shine On

So Shiner (the folks that got me into craft beer) have come out with a new seasonal Dortmunder and a Double Wheat for the 102nd anniversary beer. The Dortmunder calls itself an ale, which I believe the first version was a lager. My non-craft beer bud light folk love it. It's a basic light lager when I prefer my lagers at least at Premium Lager strength. Of course the bigger the flavor the better.

Beer Log: Right now
State: Stuffed with the wife's spaghetti, watching Princess and the Frog again with the kid

Shiner 102: Double Wheat
Picked up a sixer of this one today at Specs on Barker-Cypress. Has a very very clear appearance, no haziness at all. The nose is a little leaven bread thing going on, as well as the taste. Moderate carbonation and a nice saaz hop thing going on. I can get a sense of the wheat beer, some light bread and banana, but that's it. I guess if I were thinking a Double Wheat beer, I'm thinking of those big Imperial Wheat beers like Sam Adams or the Wheat Wine from Boulevard. This one has the hoppiness of a premium lager or dortmunder. The body is reminiscent of wheat, kinda like St. Arnold's Lawnmower. The 6.2% ABV is greatly masked however. Very very soft beer. You put this on one during summer time and or even just yesterday, it would do well. As the temperature plummets to below freezing, drinking this beer now ain't gonna get it. Hopefully they'll hold out until March with this beer. I think more brothas would give this one a shot. I'll give this a low 3 stars for now. Gotta love that Shine though...

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.

Shiner Oktoberfest and Red Steel 2

So the baby is finally asleep and the wife is out painting the town red. I copped the game Red Steel 2 for Nintendo Wii last week and it is the BALLZ. I'm loving the sword fighting and then the gunplay. You really have to wind up and swing to get a strong sword swing. I'm over there sweating up a storm while playing the game, as I play to win.

Anyway the wife and I hit the Spec's Downtown to hunt down Abita SOS and whatever else is new. It's over 100 degrees outside, I'm changing shirts after being outside for 30 minutes, my lawn is cooking like plantain grease, and I'm all over Wal-Mart looking for testicle deodorant. That must mean IT'S OKTOBERFEST TIME IN HOUSTON!!!

Beer Log: Right the hell now
State: Starting to crash a little bit as I was up late shooting the sh1t and hitting the high gravity stuff at the Saucer last night.

Shiner Oktoberfest
Nose has a toasty biscuit thing going on, didn't see that coming. Maybe some veggie and caramel malt as it warms up. Perfect white head and clear copper color of the Oktoberfest style. The beer has a light sweet malt flavor with moderate hops. Kinda bleh to me with the bitter finish, not sure how noble that is. I'm getting some copper metal flavor about 3/4 of the way back. Dammit man. Upon slamming a big bit of it down, there's nothing to get fired up about with the lighter flavor. If they told me this was an amber lager, I'd believe it. I'll give it some time while I fire up the Red Steel 2.

An hour after slicing and dicing cats on RS2. Beer is more refreshing, but and with the warmup there's a little more of that malt showing through. Rating High 2 Stars.

Running through Shiner Family

So I'm doing a little beer arts and crafts with our beer labels, mod podging the TV trays with some beer labels. Just labelled up one of our TV trays with some of our rare find beers. It was a task just not filling it up with Boulevard and Allagash beer labels. Anyway, I wanted to make a Texas one and sure enough I don't have any Texas labels at all. So all that means is I'm hitting the store for some Saint Arnolds Amber and the Shiner family sixpack.

I just realized that of all the Shiner family beers, I do indeed think their Hefeweizen is the best. Followed by the Bock and then the Shiner Blonde. Thankfully these beers are lightweight stuff on the weightwatchers, so I just had at it today. Still got to give Shiner some props for being the 10th largest brewer in America. With the Shiner Hefe being the only Shiner beer other than the Bock that I've seen on tap or at stores around the country, it's got some good wheat beer and decent hops going for it.

Shiner, Otter Creek, Belhaven: Who you kicking out of the hot tub

Beer Log: April 28, 2009
State: Hell if I remember...

As much as we downed it back when I first got into Shiner Beer after moving to Houston, I figured the 100 Year anniversary and the anniversary pack would be a great time to formally review some old favorites.

Shiner Hefeweizen
Oh man, this one is everywhere. It's at the Hooters, the mega beer stores in Maryland. It used to be one of their biggest sellers until the Black Lager took the Texas beer world by storm. Wheat and light ester/vegetal nose. Strong white poofy head with lightly clouded straw color. The taste comes in two phases, first you get thee nice banana and light bread, followed by some wateriness and metal. Leaves my tongue feeling very tingly (nullus). The aftertaste itself is pretty metallic as well. I considered giving it a low 3 Star for nostalgia, but metal is bad for you in this case. 2 Star.

It's a shame, as this bottle should have been pretty fresh with it has a nice 100 Year anniversary label on it and whatnot.

Later on that day while eating a Pale Ale turkey burger, pale ale baked beans, and some three cheese mac and cheese (with brie no less).

Otter Creek World Tour Sphinx
Ah some beer inspired by the Motherland. I purposefully did not read up on it as I was curious what this elixir would taste like. We picked this up while in Maryland. Smells of honey, grapes, and sugary sweetness. The taste is an awesome grain and honey (though not a mead) with a superquick finish and a delicate body. It's got a light gold color with a fleeting white head. It took me a while, but I was reminded of some of the various types of tea that are always at various conferences and conventions. Then it hit me, chamomile. As it warmed up it more chamomile like, and less beery. It was light and refreshing and I really appreciate what Otter Creek was doing. 3 Stars.

Apparently Otter Creek has put together a long series of beer based on different and historic styles, calling it a "World Tour".

Our 12th "stop" on the World Tour: "Sphinx" is an Egyptian-inspired multigrain ale brewed with Vermont honey and chamomile. The Ancient Egyptians were the first to brew beer, and they also were the first to grow many of the grains we use today. We brewed this golden ale with spelt, millet, rye, oats, barley, and wheat; for a well-deserved tribute to the ancient inventors of beer.

The Otter has been traveling the world in search of unique, interesting and unusual brewing styles. Whenever he finds something new and exciting, he teams up with our Brewmaster Steve Parkes and our capable team of brewers to produce Otter Creek's interpretation of the world's best beers. These unique brews are available in 22 ounce bottles and on draft.

The next day:

Belhaven Twisted Thistle IPA
An English version of our American IPA. Nice. Getting a great caramel light citrus hop, it certainly smells balanced. Clear with a light gold color. Massive poofy strong white head. This tastes like a nice basic IPA with a thin body. Strong hops for a regular beer. I would say it's on the low end of an American IPA in its strength, more like an American Pale Ale. In fact, it reminds me of a thinner Sierra Nevada Pale Ale. High 3 Star.

Shiner Smokehouse

Shiner has a new beer out, and we picked up a bottle in Fredericksburg. Apparently you can buy beer by the bottle out there. In Houston, you are married to a six pack. But it looks like Shiner is getting into the smoked beer. Not bad for a brewery that many are saying is not even a craft brewery. Shiner is staying true to Texas with it's Texas themed beers. We already had Holiday Cheer with the Texas pecans and peaches and now they are getting into mesquite smoke. If Shiner had commercials, you could also hear the guy in a cowboy hat on a ranch somewhere talking about that Mesquite smokey flavor in a Helles Lager.

State: Chilling, eating some fried rice
Beer Log: Right now

Shiner Smokehouse
Smells kinda smokey and a little malty. Pretty smooth and crisp. A touch of smoke and not much of an aftertaste. Clear fried rice looking color. Has a little dryness as well. I don't think I've had enough Mesquite flavored anything, but I can't tell. I do get a little spice as it warms. Low 3 Star.

I was a little concerned that it would smell and taste like bacon. Not bad at all, but I'd rather have the bock out of the bottle or even the 100. Seems like Shiner is content to take it easy on the flavor. As much as it upsets many craft beer folk, it's going to 1) get some units sold, and 2) fit in well with these 100 deg F days we've been having out here.

Kosmos Reserve, Shiner

Beer Log: March 24, 2009

FINALLY we reach the 100 year anniversary of Shiner. I'm sure I've blogged on here before that it was indeed Shiner Beers and mainly Shiner Bock that made me stop drinking Miller Lite and start drinking craft beer. Texans are pretty proud of Shiner even if our Texas Beer Connoisseur community doesn't think so. Saint Arnold's in Houston is going to make a run at the title, but many still consider Shiner Bock to be the Beer of Texas.

So anyway, in addition to their commemorative 100 year anniversary beer, they put out a Kosmos Reserve. Kosmos Spoetzl who eventually came to own the now Spoetzl brewery. Here a link if you want more information on the history. But Spoetzl brewery put out this beer in honor of Kosmos himself. They actually sold it ONLY in a party pack with beers like Shiner Blonde (forgot how much I enjoyed that one) and Shiner Hefeweizen (forgot how much I did not enjoy that one).

Shiner Kosmos Reserve

Golden color with a strong white head. It has a lager and veggie smell. The first thing I taste is metal, then some icky hops somewhere on the tongue. If I ever ate copper, that's probably what it would taste like.

And that's all I have in my book. This beer gets the big "WHAT THE HELL?" I don't know if M. Kosmos actually brewed this recipe, but there's probably a reason they focused on the Bock. After kicking some arse with Shiner 99 and Shiner Holiday Cheer, they just kinda went the other way. I know Spoetzl is staying true to the art and tradition, so perhaps I just got a bad bottle... from a brand new beer... from a brewery a good 100 miles from my house... at the best beer shop in the State. Actually, I just went to beeradvocate and apparently a lot of us are getting that "metal malt" thing. I think all of us just had very high expectations.

I haven't seen it on tap anywhere in Houston and doubtful I'll be buying another party pack of Shiner Beer. In Texas, that's like buying a Miller party pack. Oh well. Be like that sometime. Saint Arnold you're on the clock... oh is that Divine Reserve #6 in my cellar?

Shiner 100th Anniversary

Finally back in Houston. We had a great time at the Inaug. and I'll do a post about it along with some beers I had while out there. But I feel like commemorating what we have witnessed, and what's better than Shiner Commemorator, the 100th anniversary beer from Spoetzl.

Beer Log: Right now.

State: chillin, just ate some rice with butter, watching Wheel of Fortune.

Shiner Commemorator

Smells a little bready, a little malty. Red copper color with a quick dissipating white head. I get a little chocolate and syrup on there as well. Taste is a decent amount of malt and bread. The second draught reveals a bit more of the dark malts, like syrup and whatnot, but not as strong as the doppelbocks I've had in the past. It does taste pretty good and just gets sweeter the more you drink it. Medium to high carbonation with a low hop presence. The finish is pretty fast as well. 3 Stars. It could be the alcohol, but the more you drink it, the more you like it.

I was hoping that Shiner would have hit the bricks with that 100th Anniversary. I think it would have been so badass if they just came out with a Belgian Tripel or something. They normally stick with the German and Czech style beers. Of the 5 anniversary beers, I'll have to say this one could be my favorite followed closely by the Helles Lager, Shiner 99. Congrats to Spoetzl and the good folks in Shiner, TX. Here's to another 100 years!

Magic Hat and Christmas Special

Got myself a variety pack of Magic Hat in Charlotte when I was there last, and picked up the Shiner Winter beer recently. We were thinking that this may be Shiner's heralded 100 year anniversary beer, but not so. It's just a seasonal. Shiner was selling this beer only in 12 packs, but just recently went down to 6 beers. But this is one of the first of my Winter Seasonal Beers.

Magic Hat Circus Boy The Hefeweizen
Cloudy and orangish straw. White strong head. Nose has a little Orange Peel and ester. Nice breadiness is the first I get, withlittle to no AT. Low on the orange peel stuff. Low carbonation,nice. There is some noticeable bitterness in the middle of thepalette. Warms to a little more orange and bitterness. I've had similar hefes, but I'm more partial to witbier. Good mouthfeel and very drinkable. Midlevel 3 Star for me.

Wikipedia has cascade hops in this one. Who uses Cascade in a hefe?

Shiner Holiday Cheer
Pours dark copper color. Smell in bottle and on head is of apricot/peaches as the dominant note. Cocaine snorting sniff gets me a little malt, probably too cold right now. Light tan colored head. My first draught: first get a touch of malt, then peaches/apricot, then maybe some other fruitiness,then of all things roasted malt in the aftertaste. Mouthfeel is not quite there for a wheat beer I like. The hops on the aftertaste are coming in a little stronger now. Kind of icky hops, like a German hop. The bottle says it has pecan and I can see a little nutiness now on the finish. Very nice sweet beer, and I love apricot in a wheat beer. Just seems to work very well. Once I nail my Belgian witbier homebrew, I'm going for the apricot in extract. Good low carbonation, especially as it warms. I'll stick it with 3 Star right now, but a 3 Star for me, thanks to the ickiness. As the title is "Holiday Cheer" and it has Christmas Colors, I'm going to count this in the Christmas beer category.

Magic Hat Participation Lager
Strong white poofy head on top of a straw colored beer. It's got that lager smell with a little sweetness, maybe Munich malt. Could be smelling fruit. Tastes of a basic harsh hops and a little gritty. There is some Munich in there as well, but the high carbo and medium drinkability overpower this lager. Almost reminds me of my homebrewed lager,which is not all that great. The finish is nice and quick.The malt bill makes it better than an MGD, so I'll give it a high 2 Star. Perhaps in a better time of year with some food it would be better. But at least we are participating in democracy. OBAMA BUMAYE.

UFC 88 and Bottled Beer

Well were watching UFC 88 at Champps, getting fired up and eating way too many buffalo wings. The waiter was cool as all get out and kept bringing us free bottles of Shiner Bock. In between yelling "It's OVER" prematurely during the fights and whatnot, I happened to notice I could get a nice flavor out of Shiner out of the bottle. Got the slight high carbo, but also got that light chocolate and light syrupyness that I get in the more hardcore bocks. The waiter then brought out a glass that was broken, so he brought out some pilsner glasses for the third beer. In the glass, I just was not getting as much flavor at all. What the hell is this? Anyone ever experience somethhing like this. The fourth beer (in a bottle) was back to normal and the reason I starting drinking SB in the first place.

I only had 4 SBs, so I wasn't even tipsy. Although you couldn't anyone else that, as when my boy Rashad Evans dropped Chuck Liddel like a sack of potatoes, I was the only, and I MEAN ONLY guy who got fired up and hype. Normally at Champps you get a portion of the crowd that just wants to see the action (like it seemed like for all the undercard fights), and a smaller portion that is actually rooting for one guy. The more we thought about it at while trying Scotch at Downing Street, I was the only guy even making noise at the knockout. Normally a big knockout is just a clustereff with people clapping hands and a couple of guys trying to sneak out without paying the bill. Luckily we paid the bill quickly and got THE F&CK out of there before someone tried to holler at me.

Spezial and Divine

Well it's good to be home, and it looks like we have two new beers for your arse. We bought a Six Pack of Shiner Spezial Leicht and at long last we drove 25 miles one way for St Arnold's Divine Reserve #6.


June 12, 2008
Shiner Spezial Leicht (btl to plastic cup)
We picked up this six pack and met some friends in Galveston, TX. I'm starving out on the beach with a salty taste in my mouth. It was straw colored and smell vegetal, like a lager, with a white head. We drank it ice cold (like the bottle says) and it tastes of low breads and low noticeable hops. It's definitely a light beer with little to no aftertaste. It finishes quickly, yet has high carbonation and moderate drinkability. Not my favorite, but it serves its purpose.


June 13, 2008
Divine Reserve #6 an American Barley Wine (btl to pilsner glass)
Now that we got that out the way, we commenced the journey to find DR. This beer is a small batch of beer who's recipe is brewed by the St. Arnold's Brewing Company, yet comes from the winner of a homebrewing contest. We tried to get DR #5 a few days ago (a Russian Imperial Stout) only to find out that this sh*t sells out within HOURS of its release. So we are nervous as heck and find all the various beer bars that may have it. We settle on the Flying Saucer, though that means we'll need to drive all the way downtown to get it. Small price to pay even with these gas prices. The wife and I did not even eat before getting this beer or even wait for the waitress. We sat outside, got a beer from the bar. Bad move on the food.

The smell is of flowery hops, some grapefruit and spicyness in there. It's got a thick tan head, and pours orange at first with auburn color as it fills the glass. The first thing we notice is the bold full body. Lots of hops and great thick maltiness to balance. Velvety finish with medium carbonation. It was a little warm as well PERFECT. It is beers like these are the reason brothas start beer tasting in the first place. It's smooth and creamy. The more I drink it, the more malt and hops come out. We don't sip it but drink it a little fast, and both of us get kinda tipsy as the 9.4% ABV starts to take affect. Awesome wow beer. My only problem is that I think it's too hopped up to be a Barley wine, more like a Double IPA or Imperial IPA to me. But whatever, I ain't a beer judge. St. Arnold's hit this one out the park. It's no wonder I'll probably never taste it again.

Shiner 99!

Date: April 17, 2008
State: Slightly Hungry

The boys at Spoetzl have put out their 99th anniversary beer, and loh and behold it's a Lager. But at least it's a Helles Lager. I really can't wait to see what the 100th Year beer is.

Shiner Helles Lager
It's kind of bronze and bubbly. I drank it very cold, and it's a light mouthfeel. It's kind of like a sweet lager. Not bad, but nothing I'd go crazy about.

Shine on Me

Beer Log: February 8, 2008
State: Hungry, eating spaghetti

Back with the Shiner. They brought the 96 back out and are selling it as Shiner Dunkelweizen. Never tried anything with the word "Dunkel" in it, but I understand they roast some of the malt here.

Shiner Dunkelweizen
Dark red color with a fleating white head. Malt, citrus and spice in the scent. Tast has some light roasted malt, slight cinnamon. Low carbonation and hops, very dinkable and goes down quick. Light bady. The beer tastes sweeter and just better when it's warmer, kinda reminds me of a stout. Another great one from Shiner, though I know we have a lot of hater out there.