Saint Arnold Moves Into the Top 50

The Brewers Association has released its Top 50 Craft Breweries list for 2009, and good news for Texas: Saint Arnold has joined Spoetzl on the list. The list is based on sales volume.

Spoetzl (based in Shiner, the maker of Shiner beers) was a given — they ranked fourth in 2008, and held onto that spot in 2009. For overall breweries (including the megacorps), Spoetzl ranks ninth.

This is the debut on the list for Houston's Saint Arnold – they just made the cut at 48th. (Last year they were 51st – d'oh!) Well deserved, too – they rival Austin's Live Oak as my favorite Texas brewery. Rare is the occasion when I leave Austin's Ginger Man Pub without having at least of one of St. Arnold's cask-conditioned Elissa IPAs, and I almost always have at least one variety of St. A in my fridge.

Texas technically had two breweries on the list last year, but one of them was Pete's. Although owned by San Antonio's Gambrinus company (which also owns Spoetzl), Pete's connection to Texas is only financial – the company was founded in California is now contract-brewed in New York.

Congrats to Gambrinus for turning Shiner around from near-extinction back in the 1990s to a brewing powerhouse today, and to St. Arnold for its continuing growth into the consciousness of America's beer lovers.

Hooray for Beer!

Clark just sent me this link noting that this is the 75th anniversary of the relegalization of beer in the United States.

Also, I just got this message from the good folks at St. Arnold's:

It was 75 years ago today,
FDR thought we'd gone astray.
The economy was at a nadir,
And nobody could enjoy a beer.
So he modified the Volstead Act,
Prohibition shall not remain intact,
"Beer must be allowed!"
The cheers in response were loud.
Away with the legacy of Carrie Nation,
Toasted people with their favorite libation.

On April 7, 1933, beer was again legalized.  It was not until 8 months later that the entire Volstead Act was repealed allowing for the sale of wine and liquor.

So raise a Saint Arnold this evening and toast to the 75th anniversary of beer being legalized again!

MONDAY, APRIL 7, Ginger Man, 6pm- Saint Arnold Pint Night! Stop in to celebrate the repeal of Prohibition, have a cold Saint Arnold Spring Bock, and get a free pint glass (while they last). BONUS: I will be giving away two(2) prime seats for Ray Romano' show tomorrow night at The Austin Music Hall at this promo-there will be a trivia question, so know your Saint Arnold history!