Feast of Saint Arnold, Benefiting Texas Children's Hospital

For my Houston-area readers, a press release from Saint Arnold:

Saint Arnold Brewing Company Launches Week-Long Celebration and Fundraiser

HOUSTON, July 11, 2011 - Saint Arnold Brewing Company (www.saintarnold.com), the oldest craft brewery in Texas, wants to make the Texas Children’s Hospital IBD Center the leading center in the country for the treatment and study of IBD related diseases. With that in mind, on Friday, July 15, the brewery will host the Feast of Saint Arnold, culminating a week of activities to celebrate St. Arnold and the craft of brewing, which will raise funds for Texas Children’s Hospital IBD Center / Gastroenterology Clinic.

The Feast of Saint Arnold will feature dishes prepared by Scott Castell of Brenner’s. Each dish incorporates a Saint Arnold beer or root beer. Dishes of beef, pork, seafood and poultry will fill each table, and diners will be invited to sample each. They can either eat with utensils or their fingers, whatever feels right. Plus, this is no black-tie affair. In fact, it’s no tie or jacket affair. Just come hungry and casual.

“At Saint Arnold Brewing Company, we focus on two things: beer and community,” said brewery Founder/Brewer Brock Wagner. “We feel we are at our best when the two come together. The Feast will be the crown jewel of the week of events. We are imaging a feast like from Beowulf, but without Grendel or his mother visiting. We think St. Arnold himself would be proud.”

The Feast of Saint Arnold Week honors St. Arnold of Metz, for whom the brewery is named. St. Arnold was renowned for his piousness and generosity to the poor as well as his promotion of beer as a safe and healthy beverage. His actual feast day is July 18.

As part of the celebration, Saint Arnold Brewing will also have special beers available, in addition to their regular offerings. The special beers include chardonnay barrel aged Brown Ale with cherries as well as barrel aged Farmer Brown's Ale.

Tickets for the Feast are $85 with at least $50 per ticket going to the TCH IBD Clinic. The event is sold out. Doors will open at 7 p.m. on Friday, July 15, and The Feast of Saint Arnold will commence at 7:30. The Great Hall at Saint Arnold Brewing Company is located at 2000 Lyons Ave. in Houston.

Other events during the week include:

Monday, July 11: Starting at 2 p.m., Ginger Man, will feature rum barrel aged Winter Stout, Divine Reserve No. 11 on cask, bourbon barrel imperial stout on cask, and an auction. One dollar per pint plus a portion of auction proceeds will be donated to TCH IBD Clinic.

Tuesday, July 12: Starting at 5 p.m., Boondoggles will tap a cask of Divine Reserve No. 11. One dollar per pint will be donated to TCH IBD Clinic. Then, starting at 7 p.m., Petrol Station will tap a cask of Brown Ale, barrel aged with cherries. All proceeds will be donated to TCH IBD Clinic.

Wednesday, July 13: Starting at 7 p.m., Rudyard’s joins the celebration with a Saint Arnold Ale dinner. Tickets are $60, with $10 per ticket donated to TCH IBD Clinic, plus $1 per pint. For reservations, call 713.521.0521

Thursday, July 14: The Flying Saucer will tap a cask of Divine Reserve No. 11 and promises more surprises when that runs out. One dollar per pint will be donated to TCH IBD Clinic.