Saint Arnold Wee Heavy

Houston's Saint Arnold Brewery is coming out with a limited-edition Wee Heavy over the next few days, so keep your eyes peeled for it. I sure hope they're bringing some to Austin. The details from their website:

Reserve No. 4: Wee Heavy
Cases Made: 823
Date Brewed: December 20, 2006
Date Bottled: February 20, 2007
Original Gravity: 1.0835
Final Gravity: 1.021
Alcohol: 9.5% ABV
Description:

This is a Wee Heavy that one of our brewers has been working on for a couple of years and the final results are well worth the wait.

The color is deep ruby on its way to black with bright clarity (especially considering it is unfiltered) and a thick, tan head. It has a nose of Irish coffee with hints of peat. The body is sweet and creamy — not thin, not heavy. Almost refreshing, if a beer this big can be described as such.

Caramel malt, smoke, coffee and orange come in and out of focus several times as the beer moves across the palate, then it finishes with a light spiciness. We again used our St. Arnold yeast which added a nice layer of complexity to this already multifaceted beer. Enjoy at 45°F or warmer.


EDIT: Got some! As one of the comments says, if you go to Grape Vine you have to ask for it, and they will only sell you two six-packs at a time to avoid hoarding. It's called Divine Reserve No. 4, actually, and oh my it really is divine. Among heavy-alcohol, heavy-flavor beers I'd rank this right up there with Sierra Nevada Bigfoot. And they balance it just right — too often, "big beers" such as this just get overwhelmed by the alcohol and it drowns out the other flavors. Not this one. The flavor notes they mention above are correct, and I also get images of strong, ripe fruit as well. My wife just happened to serve some delicious whole grain bread (which she picked up at GVM while she was getting me the beer) and gouda cheese, which complemented the beer very nicely. Between this and the sixer of Sierra Nevada I grabbed last night, I'll be well-fortified against this cold front that is supposed to come tonight.

Bill for Texas microbrewers finally filed

On Monday, Rep. Jessica Farrar of Houston filed the bill that Friends of Texas Microbreweries have hoped for — if passed into law, it would allow brewers that make less than 75,000 barrels per year to sell their product on the premises of their breweries. Winemakers are already allowed to do this; beermakers are not. This would be a wonderful thing for us beer drinkers, and would bring extra profits to hardworking people who really care about making quality beer.

Track the progress of the bill here.

Also, I will be covering the bill for The Austin Chronicle here.

Brother Thelonious available in Texas now

They had me at the bottle — much like the way Old Rasputin sucked me in. And like Rasputin – made by the same brewery — the beer inside did not disappoint. North Coast Brewery's homage to both Belgian abbey ale and jazz hypergenius Thelonious Monk is now available here in Austin. I found some at Central Market after their "big beers" class last week. It tastes as good as any abbey I've had — nutty, with faint hints of cinnamon and chocolate. At some point, I'm going on a mission to try everything North Coast makes, because as I've blathered many times previously, if these guys have made a mediocre beer yet, I haven't had it.

Big Beers at Central Market

Dumbass that I am, I went to the Big Beers tasting at Central Market and then in a haze managed to lose my tasting notes. However, Bobnoxious graciously offered to cover for me by posting his own account of the evening over at his blog, which is just as well, because I haven't had time and his rendition is far funnier than mine would have been anyway.

Great Ben Sargent cartoon

The Austin American-Statesman's fantastically talented political cartoonist combined two of my favorite themes today: British beer and Bush-bashing.

Spring is in the air

I'm starting to see spring seasonal beers show up in the stores. Sierra Nevada Bigfoot Barleywine was already a favorite of mine from last year (like Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, but with about twice as much alcohol), Sierra Nevada IPA is back, and I've already sung the praises this year of Saint Arnold Spring Bock.

Ones I haven't tried but would love reports on:

New Belgium Springboard (made with oats!)
Redhook Copper Hook
Anchor Bock

Any other seasonals out there I should know about?

(And if you just can't give up on the Christmas beers yet, I saw some Avery Old Jubilation at H-E-B just now.)

Upcoming St. Arnold beer events

Saint Arnold appeared to me in a dream — well, actually, he sent me an e-mail — and notified me of some Austin beer events involving Houston's Saint Arnold brewery. I'm not sure why they don't list specific locations, but I'm sure you can figure it out. Damn, I am so sorry I have to miss the one tonight, but I don't think my kid would forgive me if I didn't join her for dinner on her birthday. While you're drinking glorious IPA, think of how lucky you are to not be with me at Chuck E. Cheese's.:

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 6pm- There will be a special Elissa India Pale Ale, Cask Conditioned keg tapping, along with free Elissa pint glasses (while beer & supply lasts!), at that great little 'pints & plates' place near Barton Springs and Riverside.

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 22, Waterloo Records, 5pm-Storyville- With guitarists David Grissom and David Holt, the Double Trouble rhythm section of Chris Layton and Tommy Shannon, and the high energy vocals of Malford Milligan, a Storyville show, along with lots of free Saint Arnold beer, is legendary.

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 23, Waterloo Records, 5pm-Asylum Street Spankers-Exploring childhood from both kid and adult perspectives, the Spankers sing of the joys and anxieties of growing up-with some fresh, tasty Saint Arnold.

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 28, Waterloo Records, 5pm-Grizzly Bear-Magical, haunting melodies are Grizzly Bear's Mainstay. A band that wont jilt you: they always craft their songs from start to finish-and meticulous instrumentation and arrangements, as well as drinking a bunch of Saint Arnold beer, are their specialty.

THURSDAY, MARCH 1-several locations-the release of Divine Reserve #4. A Wee Heavy, This one will be a a good, strong, sweetish Scotch Ale. There will be places all over town(far north, far south) that will have it, albeit, a limited amount. But the good news is, that Austin is getting a little more than in the past. Please! No hoarding!

SATURDAY, MARCH 3, Whole Foods-6th/Lamar, 4-6pm-Chili Cookoff featuring Texas beers. Tofu Chili-vs-Chili w/ beans-whatever you like, it all goes down good with cold Saint Arnold beers!

MONDAY, MARCH 5, Texas Beer Tasting! 8pm-$30-Come out to meet your local brewery folks, and sample the freshest beer in town(guaranteed)! Hint-4th St near Guadalupe.