Available now in Austin, although I bought this bottle in FL. I brought it back thinking we would never get it here. I was super amped to try this, so to damper my expectations I went to BeerAdvocate and read the lowest reviews for this beer. I do this a lot with beers. It was very good, maybe a bit thin, but the cocoa flavor was pretty damn tasty. I saw this at Whole Foods for $11.50 (ouch!). Enjoy.

Thirsty Thursday #11

Divine Reserve #7

by Saint Arnold Brewing - Houston, TX

Style: Weizenbock
ABV: 8.4%

Damn you hurricane Ike. Nothing will stop the latest Divine Reserve release.

September 23: The DR7 day. I bought my six pack and the rest of Texas bought theirs. I hear they sold out within the day (maybe). There was much more of a hubbub surrounding DR6, but that probably had something to do with it being a barleywine (a much adored style by beer geeks) or the popularity of DR5, a Russian Imperial Stout (beer geek heaven).

Regardless of the lack of hype, this is a pretty solid beer. If you like chocolate and bananas, this is your shit. Straight up chocolate banana malt. Unfortunately, this beer was only released in Texas. And there are probably none to few six packs left for sale. You still can get down here and try it on tap though. The recipe was developed by Austin Homebrewer Kerry Martin and handpicked by Saint Arnolds for DR7.

From the brewery:
This is a dark, slightly chocolatey weizenbock with an undercurrent of bananas and cloves. There is a slight spiciness from the hops and a balanced malt that hides the strength of the beer. It was brewed with Dark Wheat, Light Wheat, Chocolate Wheat, Pilsner, Munich, Special B and Chocolate malts and Northern Brewer hops. We used a traditional Bavarian hefeweizen yeast which gives the beer its distinctive clove and banana character. It is unfiltered. Enjoy at 45°F or warmer. We are curious to see how this beer will age.

Stone IPA

Presented without comment.

DR7

Divine Reserve 7 is out today in Austin. Who got some?

I bought one sixerat Whole Foods during my lunch break. They were passing out samples, this is going to be a great beer for any Oktoberfest celebrations coming up.

Duvel Green

Lew Bryson has a great post on his Seen Through the Glass blog about Duvel Green:

Duvel Green is single-fermented and filtered, where Duvel is fermented
twice (second time in the bottle, both using the same yeast, we were told), and
it comes in at a reduced 6.8% ABV. It is, however, brewed with that same yeast,
same Styrian Golding and Saaz hops, and the same pilsner malt as the original.
It is a completely new beer, not the "Duvel Gefilterd Green," not Duvel without
the second fermentation.
…
How was it? Scary drinkable for 6.8%, as you might expect. Light-bodied,
with a spicy nose (Duvel is a bit heavier and has a more complex nose; more
carbonation, too), very refreshing.

Saint Arnolds Goings-on in Austin

News and Events from SA in - Austin style:

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, Divine Reserve #7This is the release of the seventh of the Saint Arnold Divine Reserve series and is a dark, slightly chocolatey weizenbock with an undercurrent of bananas and cloves. There is a slight spiciness from the hops and a balanced malt that hides the strength of the beer.The recipe was created by Austin homebrewer, Kerry Martin, whose entry in the Big Batch Brew Bash won him the honor. Get some at the usual beer stores, but do it soon!Watch the Saint Arnold Video News on the making of Divine Reserve No. 7: http://www.saintarnold.com/blog/index.html

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, City Hall, 6-8pm, Channel AustinPoliticos, engaged citizens and community leaders will revel in the satirical stylings of the Austin Lounge Lizards, feast on decadent hors d’oeuvres from local eateries and experience the spectacular debut premiere of our fellow citizen’s latest and most inspiring Uniquely Austin neighborhood stories.It's also a chance to drink Saint Arnold at City hall.http://www.channelaustin.org/

OCTOBER 3-5, FREDRICKSBURG OKTOBERFEST-Where else would you want to celebrate Oktoberfest than F-burg? Besides brats and kraut, there will be plenty Saint Arnold Oktoberfest and lederhosen.http://www.oktoberfestinfbg.com/

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 4, OKTOBERFEST, Dig Pub (Cedar Park). Todd and Christy will be celebrating Oktoberfest in Cedar Park's finest pub with-you guessed it-lots of sausage and beer!!http://www.myspace.com/thedigpub

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 4, TRIANGLE PARK (Guad./Lamar)-Fall Brew Fest. The good folks from The Flying Saucer are putting this on, and rumor has it there will be some DR7 on tap!!!http://www.beerknurd.com/stores/austin

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 12, DOGTOBERFEST, Ginger Man, 1-9 p.m. This is the annual benefit for Blue Dog Rescue . It's a family/dog friendly event and will include drinks, food, raffle, silent auction (lots of beer swag) and live music by Hilary York, Graham Wilkinson, Boxcar Preachers, Lost and Nameless Orchestra and Onion Creek Crawdaddies. All donations go directly to Blue Dog Rescue (www.bluedogrescue.com)

MONDAY, OCTOBER 20, Ginger Man, Saint Arnold Oktoberfest Pint Night, 6pm-Come on by for some great company, beer, and a free pint glass (while they last!).

Gingerman's New Spot

From their website.

New Beers

A couple of Austin's newest available beers. It seems we are getting different beers in Texas every week now. Central Market does not have room for the ever expanding array of beers. This is a good thing—for us at least.

Austin Beer Festival

Hmmmmm...

Around Austin

Independence Brewing
4th Anniversary Party - Saturday, October 4th, 5-9 pmWith live music, and the choicest Independence beers on tap, we are celebrating our fourth anniversary south Austin style!


(512) Brewing
Pierre Celis visits the Brewery and hands out tips on the (512) Wit.

First Seasonal from (512) - Pecan Porter. Those of us at the BA Monthly tasting were able to sample a test batch of this. I am looking forward to the first production batch.


Live Oak
Oaktoberfest – Still can not wait to try this for the first time. Where’s it at?


NXNW
7th Annual Oktoberfest! - October, Saturday the 4th and Sunday the 5th
Unfortunately we will be out of town for this, but we will be in lager country – Lancaster, PA


Gingerman
Dogtoberfest - Sunday, October 12th, 1 pm until 9 pmAll proceeds go to the dogs!

Crunchy

Photo from portlandbeer.org's photostream

I spotted these crunchy looking hops whilst checking up on my contacts on flickr and just had to share their beauty. Click link for more.

Oldie Olson

45 million year old beer?

Smoked

Old, yet good news on the Texas brewing front: Rauchbier! Hell yeah, I really love an excellent smoked beer (Sofia is not a fan) and hopefully Southern Star's rendition will hold up to the better smokies out there. Info from Southern Star:
Name: Rauchbier
Started Production: August 2008
Style: Bamberg Style Rauchbier
Packaging: Draft only (Autumn Seasonal) Release Date Mid-October.
Description: A Lager Brewed with 100% beechwood smoked pils malt (malt smoked in Bamberg, Germany). Pale golden in color, and lightly hopped, this lager is a showcase of the smoked malt, with a great smoked biscuit boquet and a smokey honey taste.
Ingredients: Malt: Wyermann Smoked Malt
Hops: German Tradition
Yeast: Danish Lager
Gravity: 1.060 - 1.010
ABV: 6.5%



While on the topic of smoked beers I might as well throw in this little tidbit. This is Haandbryggeriet Norwegian Wood. I picked it up in Orlando at Knightly Spirits a few weeks ago. It is one of the bottles I lugged back to TX.



Norwegian Wood is made with smoked juniper berries. The smoke flavor on this beer was restrained, but still noticeable. Almost a spicy smokiness. Very good. Hopefully these and it's Scandinavian cousins will some day make their way to Austin.

And to round out the whole smoked thang - I just picked up my first Stone Smoked Porter in Austin. If you have not heard yet, it is available in Austin now, along with Ruination and Oaked Arrogant Bastard.

Thirsty Thursday #10

The Kaiser
by Avery Brewing – Boulder, CO
Style: Imperial Oktoberfest Lager
ABV: 9.37%

It’s that time of year I love: Oktoberfest. With Oktoberfest come my favorite beers: Märzens, or just Oktoberfest.

Avery’s Kaiser is an Imperial Oktoberfest, which is quite a strange duck. Overall it is well made and quite quaffable, but it just does not do it for me as an Oktoberfest beer. It’ll get you drunk (ABV: 9.37%), after one I was feelin’ it. This is what Avery has to say about its two-beers-in-one Oktoberfest:

The Kaiser once said, "Give me a woman who loves beer and I will conquer the world." If the Kaiser and his significant other had tipped this bottle, we'd all be "sprechenden Deutsch!" We took all that is good in a traditional Oktoberfest - gorgeous, deep copper sheen, massive malty backbone and spicy, floral, pungent noble hops - then intensified each into this, an Imperial Oktoberfest.

More News From Saint Arnolds

DIVINE RESERVE NO. 7 TO BE RELEASED ON TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 23
This release is a fine Weizenbock: malty, with hints of cloves, banana and chocolate. The recipe is from Austin homebrewer Kerry Martin's winning entry at this year's Big Batch Brew Bash. Our distributor will begin shipping this to stores on Tuesday, September 23, so come up with your "how to get your hands on a six pack" strategy now!

http://www.saintarnold.com/

Politics?

Finally, an issue I can fight for...

Lows and Highs

So I totally forgot about that whole Session thing this month. Shit man, I ain't paid to do this. Expect disappointments. I'll try harder, seriously.

On to better things. Yesterday was the monthly BA Tasting, most often held at the Draught House. You should come next month. A sample of what we sampled:





Full list (thanks to JonathanL7890):

Oskar Blues Ten Fidy
Brasserie Des Rocs Ambree
Alesmith Speedway Stout 07
Southern Tier Crème Brulee
Singha Lite (06)
Captain Lawrence Captains Reserve DIPA
512 Pecan Porter Test Batch
Stone IRS 05
Jolly Pumpkin Madruga Obscura
Fantome Chocolate
New Belgium La Folie 02
Piraat Amber Triple IPA
Lost Abbey Witches Wit
Foothills Sexual Chocolate 222/500
Alesmith Speedway Stout 08
21st Amendment Watermelon Wheat
Avery Ale to the Chief
Erdinger Weissbier Pikantus Weizenbock
Eel River Ravens Eye Imperial Stout
Carlson Craft Brewery Barsten Ol
Legacy Brewing Hoptimus Prime

News From Saint Arnolds

DIVINE RESERVE NO. 7 IS BEING BOTTLED TODAY
Release date for this Weizenbock is September 23. More info to come!

Let the insanity begin!

Thirsty Thursday #9

Punkin Ale
by Dogfish Head Brewerey - Milton, DE
Style: Pumpkin Ale
ABV: 7%

Damn, this a delicious beer. People either love or hate this beer. If you enjoy a nice slice of pumpkin pie from time to time, this is yr beer. The spices you pick up in this one are perfect.

Dogfish has a pretty large distribution area. Chances are, this brew is close to you (sweet rhyme). Go get you one, or five. And remember to save a couple for Thanksgiving.

Real Ale in the Statesman Today

In the Food and Drink section.

http://www.austin360.com/food_drink/content/food_drink/stories/2008/09/0903realale.html

More (512) Grand Opening Pictures

... over at the austin chronicle. With an appearance by me.