Random Beer News

Hooray, I'm trying to get back to blogging more consistently! Some random news and notes, soon to be followed with some reviews:

• Beers from Austin's new Thirsty Planet Brewing Company are now available for purchase. A recent Facebook/Twitter post from them reported "Thirsty for a Buckethead IPA? Go grab a pint or two at Houndstooth at 4200 north Lamar or the Black Sheep Lodge at 2108 south Lamar. We will be at The Flying Saucer and The Draught House on Friday." Thirsty Planet is one of 10 new brewers in the Austin area that I recently profiled in The Austin Chronicle.
• Shiner 96 is coming out of retirement! Originally a limited-edition beer brewed to mark Spoetzl Brewery's 96th year of operation, it's being revived as Shiner Märzen-Style Oktoberfest. This makes me happy – I've enjoyed all their anniversary beers and wanted them to become regular parts of Shiner's lineup. Thanks to Jeffrey out in Fredericksburg for the tip.
• All beer at Central Market is currently 20% off. All of it. I decided to get some of the pricier stuff that I've shied away from lately: Real Ale Devil's Backbone, Independence Stash IPA, Breckenridge 471 Double IPA, and Unibroue Terrible, as well as an old favorite, Saint Arnold Elissa IPA.
  
• So, I hear there was some beer festival in Austin this past weekend. And you might wonder why I made almost no mention of it here or in the Chronicle. Well, because I'm not omniscient. I have to know these things are coming, and no one with the Great Austin Beer Festival reached out to let me know about it. I discovered it totally by accident on the internet in late May, by which time our food coverage schedule for June at the Chronicle had already been set. I might have made it out to the event, but frankly, I couldn't afford the $40 price tag and by then had already made plans with family and friends. Then again, perhaps they didn't need press coverage – I hear their tickets sold out. But anyway, if anyone from the event is wondering why my paper completely ignored it, it's because, as far as I can recall, neither I nor my food editor ever got a single e-mail or phone call to make us aware of it.
• ADDITION TO ORIGINAL POST: Speaking of festivals, on July 4 there will be something in Buda called the Texas Brew-B-Que. Among many other things, the press release they sent me promises 30 brands of beer. With that many, I presume some good ones will be in there. Also, beer games, including Beer Games including: Beer Pong Tournament, Flip Cup Tournament, Quarters Tournament, Cornhole Tournament, Washers Tournament, Strong Man Keg Toss Contest, and Beer Trivia Contest. And they say 5,000 pounds of free BBQ! Sounds good, although I can't make it.