Last Night's Tipple

One of the major problems with beer is that it spoils easily. Before the days of refrigeration, this was a major problem in any climate but especially in hot and tropical regions. Shipping beer to India was particularly problematic for British brewers. What to do, what to do? Well, ever-resourceful, British brewers developed a style of beer called India Pale Ale. Beginning in the 1780s, various brewers began to make a high-alcohol, heavily-hopped variant of a pale ale (which, to modern sensibilities, isn't particularly pale). This makes sense: both alcohol and hops inhibit bacterial growth, and bacteria are what cause beer to spoil.

Every microbrewery that has pretensions to quality has an IPA in its repertoire. There are two reasons for this, I think. First of all, it's relatively easy to make. Secondly, hops are to beer what peat is to Scotch: many of the customers who inhabit the high end of each market are of the opinion that more is better. Saint Arnold Brewery, not wanting to disappoint the hopheads, came out with their Elissa IPA in 2004. It is named for the sailing ship Elissa, which is a museum in Galveston and which is a ship of the sort that would have transported IPA to India in the 19th Century. My overwhelming impression of it is that it's very hoppy, as it should be. I liked it, but I can't give more extensive tasting notes because I drank it with some spicy (for me) Thai food and was consequently sucking it down rather than savoring it.

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.

Last Night's Tipple

Mamacita decided that she wanted to sit outside last night while Papi Chulo grilled the hamburgers, so, given the fact that it was hot and sticky, something light and thirst-quenching seemed appropriate. Saint Arnold's Summer Pils fit the bill very well. Saint Arnold Brewing Company is the only craft brewery that I know of in Houston, and I like their beer a lot. The Summer Pils may not be Pilsner Urquell, but it is bitter, clean, flavorful, and well-made. Just the thing for a sticky summer evening. If only it could do something about the mosquitos, too.