Hello, sorry again for the gap between submissions. Life as
always has taken me to yet another new place with new beverages to try. This
time I am going to be in the great state of Texas. Although not widely known
for their craft beer scene, perhaps more so for BBQ and rodeos, Texas has had a
few brews which I have enjoyed.
First I will start with Real Ale Brewing Company from Blanco
Texas their Devil’s Backbone which is a Belgian style tripel was pretty solid.
Although wheaty (for those following along know I’m not much of a fan of wheat
beer) it had some good slightly fruity undertones and sat at a solid 8.1% ABV.
Next is Saint Arnold Brewing Company, they are based in
Houston and claim to be the oldest craft brewery in Texas. I tried their Spring
Bock. I liked it, darkish amber color with a slightly malty taste and a hint of
hops at the end. That said, I’m thinking I still prefer the Namahage Bock from
Akita’s Aqulia Brauhaus.
While at a local restaurant here in Denton it was suggested
to me to try Rahr & Sons Iron Thistle from Fort Worth Texas, which is a
strong scotch ale style, similar in flavor to Founder’s Dirty Bastard. It has
8% ABV and a fairly sweet malty taste. Overall I really enjoyed it.
Following that we have Lakewood Lager from Lakewood Brewing Company
in Garland Texas. I wasn't blown away by this one, I liked it, it had
reasonable flavor. A decent blend of hops and malts, I’d say leaning towards
bitter hops. Not bad, but I’ll definitely be trying something new before I
revisit this one.
Another from Rahr & Sons is the Ugly Pug black lager. I
really was drawn to this one because of the dog on the bottle, I really like
the artwork. It is overall a good beer though, similar in taste to Guinness if
I had to compare it to something, but in my opinion, much better.
Next I’ll mention two at once, the Revolver Brewing’s
Sidewinder and Blood & Honey. Now, these two drinks tasted pretty damn
similar. The sidewinder was a bit more of a pale ale taste, slightly more hops,
but the Blood & Honey was almost the same. Lots of spices, they tasted
almost like a seasonal pumpkin beer without the pumpkin. They were ok, just not
what I was expecting. I’d be interested in checking out other stuff from this
company, but likely not these again.
Now we have two IPAs from different parts of the country. First
from Colorado there is Odell Brewing Company’s IPA which was quite good. As an
IPA drinker I really enjoyed this one. It had a slightly piney scent and wasn't
too bitter, very drinkable. Next is Boulevard Brewing Company’s Pop-up Session
IPA, lower ABV for an IPA at 4.2, it was ok. I don’t think I’d get it again. The
hoppy flavor was not too strong, it was very drinkable, but overall I feel when
compared to other IPAs there are better options out there. The only thing I can
say for it was that it came in an interesting 6 pack box. I hadn’t seen
anything like that before.
Lastly we have Sierra Nevada’s Nooner pilsner and Dogfish
Head’s 60 Minute IPA. The Nooner pils wasn't bad. I could easily see myself
drinking that on a weekend just hanging out with friends. It would be a perfect
summer beer to have at a BBQ or party. I’ll definitely be looking for this
again in the future. The 60 Minute is a great go to IPA, hoppy with a slight
lemon taste, a noble beer overall.
Thank you readers for taking the time to check out my most recent discoveries, hopefully there will be more to come before too long, Cheers!
