Pioneer Lager

Saint Arnold

Let me lead and say to get this beer you will have to go to the Saint Arnold Beer Garden in Houston, TX. Having said that I promise the trip will be worth it.

This is a beer was originally made at the Pioneer Brewery in the Czech Republic. So how did it get to Houston? Some to the Saint Arnold crew where in the Czech Republic for hop picking and stopped in to the Pioneer Brewery which is about an hour north west of Prague. While visiting the brewers there let the Saint Arnold brewers look around and look at the recipe for Pioneer Lager and even allowed them to bring the recipe back to brew in Texas. That is how brewers are.

While the story is great the beer is better. It is a slow pour and is served European style meaing it will come with a lot of head. Made with Pilsner malt as the base malt and Chez Saaz hops. (The batch I had only used Saaz). The flavor is of old world lager and brings me back to my youth. Coming in at 5% it is on the high side for a traditinoal Chez Lager but still with in the range. This is made on Saint Arnolds Pilot sytem which they added last year.

If you like lagers and you can't afford a quick trip to the Czech Republic then this is the next best thing.

Math is Hard

Galveston Island

Galveston Island has made a wonderful mistke and they have owned up to it. So what have they done? Well the story is that someone made a math miscalculation and doubled the hops duringt the dry hop portion of the brewing cycle. Perhasp an engineeing student? LOL

The results is a really great double IPA.

The beer pours with great head and lace which is maintianed throughout the session. This beer has Mosaic and Simcoe hops which is normally a combination that I am not a fan of but I must say that in this case it works great.

If you like Double IPA's then this is one to try, perhaps in a hamic or on the beach!

Listeners asked so here are a few Shandy / Radlers

Definitions:

A radler is a refreshing, low-alcohol beer cocktail, traditionally a mix of lager or wheat beer with lemonade or grapefruit juice. It's known for its effervescence and thirst-quenching qualities, making it popular in the summer. The name "radler" is German for "cyclist," as it was popularized by cyclists in Germany. 

A shandy is a mixed drink typically consisting of beer or cider combined with a citrus-flavored beverage, most commonly lemonade. It's a popular drink in many parts of the world, particularly in Europe and former British colonies, and is known for its lower alcohol content compared to regular beer. 

I should say that most Shandys and Radlers in the United States tend to have more alcohol than traditional English and German styles which would have been around 2%.

Peach Raddler

Altstadt Brewery

Altstadt has set the mark for Shandy / Radlers with their Peach Raddler. This is a classic German beverage!

When you open the can you can smell the peaches and this peach theme continues through out the drink.

It pours with nice head and carbonation. From the first smell to the last drop this is peach. Altstadt takes a peach soda and adds real peach fruit juice to it to make a beautiful blend. This is an idle drink to enjoy under the shade of a big oak tree on a late summer evening with a nice breeze.

I am not usually a Raddler fan but I can make an exception for this one.

Caution: if you do not like peach then this is not for you.

Raspberry Shandy

Spoetzl Brewery

This shandy blew me away. I was not expecting the explotion of Raspberry when I popped the can top but there it was, wham!!!

The beer pours great with good head and lace. As you pour you are hit with ...... RASPBERRY!!! I am very happy that my friends at Spoetzl have provided the star actor in such plentiful abondance. Yes there are snoze berrys!!!!

This would go great with chees cake and I am tempted to mix it with Black Plague Ale form Brigadoon!

This is also a great beer to enjoy under the shade of a tree perhaps in a hamock!

Lemonade Shandy

Spoetzl Brewery

When life gives you lemons, make beer. Brewed with agave, premium 2-row and wheat malts, and Spoetzl Brewery’s very own lemonade, Lemonade Shandy helps take the edge off the summer heat.

The beer pour great. You can smell the lemonade and you can taste it. It is made well with no off flavors but for me I would rather my lemonade with out beer in it.

Mango Shandy n

Spoetzl Brewery

This pours great with awesome head and good lace. Once poured you can smell the Mango. At this point I had high hopes for this beverage.

Then I took a sip. The Mango is up front and taste awesome but then you taste the lemonade and the battle is on! Unfortunetly from that point on there was a war of flavors in my mouth! I truely believe that if they look out the lemonade that this would be a great drink.

Maybe you can use it as a shrimp marinade or as part of a mango pico for fish tacos.

I was not a fan but it is made well. The battle was just to much!