RealTail II, with Real Ale and Freetail

From ABG. Although, you probably already knew about it:




WHAT: FreeTail II - A collaboration event with Real Ale and Freetail

WHEN: August 27, 2011. Doors open at 11:30am.

WHERE: Freetail Brewing Co., 4035 N Loop 1604 W. Suite 105. San Antonio

Intense. Sounds like a good time. Tons of good beer. Bring yr wallet. Don't worry, surely it's worth it (not to mention they will also have sample sizes for sale). I really want to try that Collaboration Beer (“untraditional double wit using locally sourced nopalitos (cactus pads), a mélange of four spices and agave nectar”). Good news for GABFers though:

If you can’t make it to the festival but will be headed to GABF this year, we’ll have the Collaboration Beer available at the Texas Craft Brewers Guild booth.

Real Ale 15th Anniversary Party

15 years! Head out to Blanco and celebrate with the folks at Real Ale. Happening June 25th, 12pm-5pm. Their parties are always fun. And hot. So get there early to grab a shady spot.

Real Ale Stuff

From Real Ale:

We've been putting the final touches on the plans for our upcoming expansion project. If all goes according to plan, in the next few months we'll proceed with the construction of a new warehouse and a new packaging hall.

We are also pleased to announce that we'll be working with award winning Lake/Flato architects out of San Antonio on our new tasting room and events center. We're big fans of their work and can't wait to see what they come up with.

.....

15th Anniversary Ale - it's official and it's in the tank, this year our Anniversary Ale is a formidable Russian Imperial Stout. We brewed it last week and all indications are that it will more than live up to its reputation - dark, powerful, complex, mysterious. A truly majestic ale for this momentous occasion.

.....

Here's the latest word on the Mysterium Verum program straight from the cellar:

- Erik is fairly certain that our first bourbon barrel aged offering is almost ready. This yet to be named Porter (no coffee) has really developed some nice qualities from the bourbon barrel.

- There is Highlander and Kraken currently aging in barrels but it is still too soon to know when those will be ready for release.

- Now that the Lost Gold IPA is brewed all year there will be more Empire (barrel-aged IPA) available in the near and far future.

- We have a Mysterium Verum in a steel tank for the first time and it's doing some interesting things. More info as soon as we know more.

- Still no official word yet on when MV will be in bottles. We are definitely exploring all of our format options.

Read the entire newsletter here.

Whip In is 25

And they are throwing a 4 day party. Sounds right. Plenty of music and this:

w/ $2.50 draft BREW SPECIALS from
(512) BREWING
FRANCONIA
INDEPENDENCE
JESTER KING
LIVE OAK
RANGER CREEK
REAL ALE
SAINT ARNOLD
THIRSTY PLANET

Real Ale Ride

Fix them flats, it's time to ride.

Real Ale Lost Gold IPA Packaging

Cool.

Top 50 Craft Brewing Companies

Nice to see Real Ale popping up on the list this year. Congrats to Shiner and Saint Arnold (I think Saint Arnold was on last year's list) as well. Texas coming up. From the Brewers Association:

Top 50 Craft Brewing Companies (Based on 2010 beer sales volume)

Rank Brewing Company City State
1 Boston Beer Co. Boston MA
2 Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. Chico CA
3 New Belgium Brewing Co. Fort Collins CO
4 Spoetzl Brewery* Shiner TX
5 Deschutes Brewery Bend OR
6 Independent Brewers United (IBU)* Burlington VT
7 Matt Brewing Co. Utica NY
8 Bell’s Brewery, Inc. Galesburg MI
9 Harpoon Brewery Boston MA
10 Boulevard Brewing Co. Kansas City MO
11 Dogfish Head Craft Brewery Milton DE
12 Alaskan Brewing and Bottling Co. Juneau AK
13 Long Trail Brewing Co. Bridgewater Corners VT
14 Stone Brewing Co. Escondido CA
15 Abita Brewing Co. Abita Springs LA
16 Brooklyn Brewery Brooklyn NY
17 Lagunitas Brewing Co. Petaluma CA
18 Full Sail Brewing Co. Hood River OR
19 Shipyard Brewing Co. Portland ME
20 Summit Brewing Co. St. Paul MN
21 New Glarus Brewing Co. New Glarus WI
22 Great Lakes Brewing Co. Cleveland OH
23 Anchor Brewing Co. San Francisco CA
24 Kona Brewery LLC* Kailua-Kona HI
25 Rogue Ales Newport OR
26 Firestone Walker Brewing Co. Paso Robles CA
27 Sweetwater Brewing Co. Atlanta GA
28 Flying Dog Brewery Frederick MD
29 Victory Brewing Co. Downingtown PA
30 Gordon Biersch Brewing Co. San Jose CA
31 BJ’s Chicago Pizza & Brewery, Inc. Huntington Beach CA
32 Stevens Point Brewery Co. Stevens Point WI
33 Odell Brewing Co. Fort Collins CO
34 BridgePort Brewing Co.* Portland OR
35 Rock Bottom Brewery Restaurants Louisville CO
36 Oskar Blues Brewery Longmont CO
37 Blue Point Brewing Co. Patchogue NY
38 Lost Coast Brewery and Cafe Eureka CA
39 Big Sky Brewing Co. Missoula MT
40 North Coast Brewing Co. Inc. Fort Bragg CA
41 Mac and Jack’s Brewery Redmond WA
42 The Saint Louis Brewery, Inc. Maplewood MO
43 Bear Republic Brewing Co. Cloverdale CA
44 Karl Strauss Brewing Co. San Diego CA
45 Breckenridge Brewery Denver CO
46 Utah Brewers Cooperative Salt Lake City UT
47 Gordon Biersch Brewery Restaurants Chattanooga TN
48 Saint Arnold Brewing Co. Houston TX
49 Real Ale Brewing Co. Blanco TX
50 Ninkasi Brewing Co. Eugene OR

Tastes of Texas @ Ginger Man

This is happening at the Ginger Man tonight:

Tastes of Texas

March 31st
7pm
$15 per person

Come taste some special Texas brews from (512) Brewing, Real Ale, St. Arnold and Live Oak. Meet the brains behind the beer.

Gross, brains. I know Real Ale will be pouring Volume XIV and/or Lost Gold IPA.

Weedwacker and Lost Gold IPA to be bottled

I had heard this was happening. Good news.



And who doesn't like Lost Gold. Liquid gold, that stuff.

Real Ale EMPIRE

Barrel aged IPA, I want. And Billy's has it.

Best Mexican Restaurants in Texas

Texas Monthly has chosen the Best Mexican Restaurants in Texas. This has nothing to do with beer. Well, kind of, cuz Mexican food just begs for beer swilling (Austin and Brownsville are in bold because that is where I spend the majority of my TX time):

TEXAS MONTHLY NAMES

50 BEST MEXICAN RESTAURANTS IN TEXAS

Editors Declare This the Era of “Mex-Tex”

AUSTIN, TEXAS—November 15, 2010—In its December issue, available on newsstands this week, Texas Monthly names the 50 best Mexican restaurants in Texas. Headlining the list is the magazine’s selection of the top five, in alphabetical order by city. They are:

Fonda San Miguel, Austin

Cuquita’s, Dallas

Salsa Fuego, Fort Worth

Hugo’s, Houston

SoLuna, San Antonio

The other 45 “best” are listed below.

...

TOP 5 (alphabetical by city)

Fonda San Miguel, Austin

Cuquita’s, Dallas

Salsa Fuego, Fort Worth

Hugo’s, Houston

SoLuna, San Antonio

Rest of the “Best”

AUSTIN
Curra’s Grill
El Mesón
El Naranjo
Garrido’s
La Condesa
Manuel’s
Takoba

BROWNSVILLE
Taqueria Rico’s

DALLAS
Avila’s
Café San Miguel
Gloria’s
Javier’s Gourmet Mexicano
Nuevo León MEX-MEX
Tipico’s
Urban Taco
Veracruz Cafe

EL PASO
Forti’s Mexican Elder
H&H Car Wash and Coffee Shop
Tacos Santa Cecilia

FORT WORTH
Benito’s
Esperanza’s
Lanny’s Alta Cocina Mexicana
Paco & John

HOUSTON
Cyclone Anaya’s Mexican Kitchen
Gorditas Aguas-Calientes
Irma’s
Jarro Café
Original Ninfa’s on Navigation
Pico’s Mex-Mex
Sylvia’s Enchilada Kitchen
Teotihuacán Mexican Cafe

LAREDO
El Meson de San Agustin
Fonda Don Martin
Palenque Grill
Zaragoza Grill, La Posada Hotel

McALLEN
Costa Messa
El Pastor
Palenque Grill

SAN ANTONIO
Cascabel Mexican Patio
Cielito Lindo
El Siete Mares
Guajillo’s
La Fonda on Main
La Gloria Icehouse
Mary Lou’s Café y Cocina Mexicana
Rosario’s

Ok, let me give this a beer tie in....hmmmm. Alright, what Texas beer would I like to drink with a plate full of tacos. I'll give you my top five and then you can chime in:

5. Southern Star Bombshell Blonde
4. Southern Star Pine Belt Pale Ale from the can
3. Lonestar
2. Real Ale Hans Pils
1. (512) Wit

This list would be different tomorrow. Hell, it would be different if you asked me in five minutes. But right now, that sounds right.

Real Ale Tasting @ Lake Creek Alamo Drafthouse

Lake Creek Drafthouse is stepping up with another beer dinner. This time Real Ale will be showcasing their beer alongside Drafthouse's victuals. To be honest, I am kind of burnt out on beer dinners. And don't get me started on pairing beer with dessert (just give me a coffee, I'll have the beer later). I've been sitting out on the last few beer dinners around town. I am sure by January I'll be back in the game. I'm sorry, I know you LOVE my dinner wrap ups.

But you should go, because the menu looks delicious and at 55 bucks....forget about it:

I
Fireman’s 4
Bacon Wrapped Diver Scallop
Roasted Root Vegetable Streudel
Brown Butter Vinaigrette

II
Rio Blanco Pale Ale
Beer Braised Smoked Chicken Breast
White Cheddar Grits
Balsamic Glazed Brussel Sprouts

III
Oktoberfest
London Broil
Roasted Red Pepper Vinaigrette
Field Greens

IV
ESB
Proscuitto Wrapped Quail Stuffed With Seared Collar Greens and Brie
Quail Glace ESB Reduction
Risotto and Rapini

V
Brewhouse Brown
Seared Medallions of Pork Tenderloin
Roasted Apple Camembert Porridge
Braised Fennel
Brown Ale Pork Jus

VI
Coffee Porter
Coffee Porter Ice Cream Sandwich
With Candied Bacon Strips

Texas GABF Winners

The big winner is Saint Arnold. See the full list here.

Firkin Friday @ Draught House

Real Ale Lost Gold IPA. Remember, they open today at 1pm.

Uncle Billy's Pils Fest

Info here.

Thursday at 3:00pm - August 26 at 2:00am

The Pils Fest is a celebration of arguably the best style of beer, the classic Pilsner. We will kick off our celebration of the Pils Fest on Thursday the 12th with the release of our award winning Hell In Keller Pils.

During the two week festival, customers will be able to sample some of the best Pils brewed in the US!

On tap along with the Hell In Keller will be:
...
Real Ale Han's Pils
Saint Arnold Summer Pils
Live Oak Pilz
Trumer Pils
Victory Prima Pils

"Whether you are a Pils fan or looking for something beyond the ales, drop in and enjoy the lagers that changed my life." - Brian Peters

Real Ale Oktoberfest

Some nice photos and video of the Oktoberfest bottling going on at Real Ale. I love Oktoberfest beers, but you know that already.


While I am on the subject of Real Ale. And new beer. And lagers:



Have you had the Han's Pils? What, you haven't? What are you waiting for? It is pretty good stuff.

Firkin Friday @ Draught House

From Josh:

We will be pouring Real Ale XIV tomorrow, a hugely hopped Belgian ale. Come on by and give it a shot.

Real Ale Oktoberfest Label

Is it September yet?

h/t: whoneeds8

Mom-Dancing at Real Ale

I did not make it to the Real Ale 14th Anniversary party. But it was rocking:



h/t: George West

This weekend

People get ready, there's a train a-comin...


This.



And this.