Last Night's Tipple

Saint Arnold Fancy Lawnmower beer is a Kölsch, meaning that it is a pale beer without as much hop character as a pilsner, top-fermented at a relatively low temperature. It tastes and behaves like a lager, but because it's top-fermented, it technically is an ale. The Kölsch style originated in Cologne, and Cologne remains the city most associated with it.

Saint Arnold's stated goal in developing Fancy Lawnmower was to produce a lighter beer appropriate for consumption during Houston's hot, muggy summers (after, for example, mowing the lawn, hence the name). They have succeeded in doing this. The beer is pleasant, thirst-quenching, and very drinkable. I first tried this beer about three years ago, and I eagerly await its release every spring. I don't buy a ton of beer, but I will buy this when I see it. I don't know whether it would qualify as a perfect example of the Kölsch style or if it's the best exemplar commonly available, and I really don't care. I like it, it's reasonably priced, and I will continue to buy it.

It appears that Saint Arnold has a not-insubstantial hit on their hands with Lawnmower since Shiner has aped them in creating a Kölsch of their own.