Happy (almost) Thanksgiving, Pint Jockeys!

We’re going to keep today’s post short and sweet to let you get right to the cooking for the big day tomorrow.

We think it’s safe to say that mashed potatoes are probably one of the greatest foods on earth. Our mothers make the best (obviously) but if you’re charged with bringing a side dish to this year’s Thanksgiving dinner, look no further than this recipe for “Heavenly Mashed Potatoes” made with the nectar of the gods – craft beer.  These roasted garlic mashed potatoes with beer braised caramelized onions topped with cheddar cheese will serve about 4-6 people, so be sure to double up on all ingredients if you’re expecting a big showing at the dining table.

There’s no way this dish can turn out any way but delicious, right?

Ingredients:
12 Russet potatoes
2 large Spanish onions
2 bottles of your favorite craft beer
2 c of shredded cheddar
4 tbsp butter
1½ c of milk
2 tbsp canola oil
3 heads of garlic
2 tsp olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
1. Cut the heads of garlic about very close to the top, exposing the cloves.

2. Create a pouch of tinfoil and put the garlic heads in the pouch. Add a drizzle of olive oil, and a pinch of salt and pepper to the garlic.

3. Place the pouch in a 375°F oven for 45 min (or until garlic becomes soft).

4. Thinly slice the onions and place them in a sauté pan with olive oil on medium heat.

5. Add half of a bottle of beer to the onions and cook them until the liquid evaporates, then add the other half.

6. While the onions are cooking, cut the potatoes in pieces and place them in a large pot of boiling water.

7. Strain the potatoes when they become soft.

8. Pour the hot potatoes back in the pot and mash them.

9. Squeeze the garlic from the heads, and add the butter, milk, salt, and pepper to the potatoes and put it all into a casserole dish.

10. Pour the caramelized onions on top of the mashed potatoes. Spread them out evenly.

11. Add the shredded cheddar cheese on top, and place the potatoes in the oven until the cheese has melted.

12. Serve and enjoy with the other bottle of beer.

Cheers, Pint Jockeys! We hope you enjoy this very special holiday with loved ones, good friends, and good brews.

 

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Texas Tuesday: Karbach’s Yule Shoot Your Eye Out

A letter to Santa, written by the folks at Karbach Brewing Co.:

Dear Santa.

I know I don’t deserve anything special this year, but there’s a really awesome beer I’d like to get my hands on called Yule Shoot Your Eye Out.  I know my boss will tell you I really botched the Penske file and I forgot my anniversary (again), but I PROMISE I will be good if you could get me some of that beer.  It’s loaded with specialty malts, fresh ginger, cocoa nibs, orange peel and other holiday spices.  I heard Karbach only brews a limited quantity so if you could just think back to that year when I was SO good and you got me the BB gun, that would be great.

Respectfully yours,

R

Already adding this one to your own list for Santa this year? Yeah, we thought so.

Karbach Yule Shoot Your Eye Out is a “winter warmer” style seasonal beer. Dark brown in color with a nose of nutmeg, clove, chocolate and various holiday spices, this beer produces a solid head of foam that doesn’t let up until the very last drop has been sipped. It pours a deep ruby color and leaves behind lots of sticky spider web lacing.

This is a spicy and complex brew, with flavors of malt, ginger, orange peel, chocolate, nutmeg, clove and allspice throughout with some dark roast notes, along with hints of plum and cherry. This beer has a creamy mouthfeel, leaving an aftertaste that is as deliciously decadent as your favorite dessert.  While initially bitter, the flavors blend together nicely as you sip, leading to a smooth and satisfying finish.

Available for a limited time only this winter season, you’ll want to get your hands on this one as soon as possible. Texas City and Victoria-area Pint Jockeys will oh-so-luckily get a chance to check it out before making any big buys at our November tasting events this Thursday.

Whether you try it out at a tasting event or already have one foot out the door to go pick up a bomber or a pint, let us know what you think in the comments below. We’ll be back here next week bringing you more insider info. on the best craft beer in the Lone Star State. See you soon, Pint Jockeys – cheers!

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Your November tasting lineups + GI Joe / GI Jane program donation info.

Hey there, Pint Jockeys! Tasting week is finally here and today we’re posting the lineups at all three tastings. We’re also revealing details on a special guest scheduled to appear at our Beaumont event and letting you know how you can participate in our GI Joe/GI Jane donation drive for our armed forces overseas. Oh, and did we mention that we’re giving away FREE tickets to the upcoming Dickens on the Strand Festival at our Beaumont and Texas City tastings? We can assure you, this is not all too good to be true!

Let’s dive right into it with the big reveal: Rahr & Sons founder Fritz Rahr will be on-hand at this Thursday’s Beaumont tasting!

Event-goers will sample a lineup of seven different beers from the Rahr & Sons Brewing Company portfolio and have the chance to meet and interact with Mr. Rahr. Each event-goer will also receive one free Friday night ticket to the upcoming Dickens on the Strand Festival (December 6-8) in Galveston, generously provided by the Galveston Historical Foundation. Tasters can join Fritz at Logon Café after the tasting to keep the fun going with a cask of Stormcloud IPA and Texas Red and Ugly Pug on draft. Here’s your tasting lineup, Beaumont:                                                        

Blonde – Rahr’s Blonde Lager was the first beer to come out of Rahr & Sons Brewing Company. It is a medium-bodied traditional Munich Helles-style pale lager that features a rounded maltiness without being too heavy. And like every proud Texan, it has a good head and is pleasant – but not overly sweet.

Texas Red – Texas Red has a well-balanced flavor. The notes of caramel and its sound malt character are perfectly balanced with just a bit of hops. This is a super-smooth, very drinkable beer.

La Grange – La Grange is a sturdy, complex farmhouse ale with a myriad of esters ranging from fruit-like aromas to earthy yeast tones. It is dry and refreshing, perfect for quenching your thirst after a long day.

Angry Goat – Angry Goat pours a cloudy, dark, ruddy brown hue that some describe as a murky tea color. Expect aromas of banana, clove, dark fruits and a hint of roasted grain. Tastes include a big wave of molasses and dark brown sugar, giving the brew a defining richness, while a pinch of cocoa adds a layer of sweet complexity. Tastes end on a spicy note with a touch of warming and comforting creaminess.

Stormcloud – During a fierce storm on his voyage across the ocean, William Rahr could be heard yelling from the tall-masted ship: “Roll on old sea! And when you are done, when the storm clouds have destroyed themselves, we will still be standing and drinking!” Rahr & Sons has created the ultimate ale for a voyage such as this: A German-Style IPA – a traditional India Pale Ale with German Influence.

Winter Warmer – This seasonal release is sure to melt even the coldest of hearts. Pouring a dark, almost opaque brown, this beer is packed with roasted malts and bold flavors. Tasters will pick up on a fair amount of English hops and scents of dark stone fruits and light smoke. With a pleasantly mild carbonation, this is one full-bodied brew you can sip on all night at your next holiday party.

Ugly Pug – Unlike most dark beers that are often described as “heavy” or “chewy”, Rahr’s Ugly Pug has a surprisingly light body. Sometimes referred to as “nirvana in a bottle”, it combines their three amazing flavors: coffee, hints of chocolate, and of course BEER!

Our Victoria and Beaumont tasters can expect a STACKED lineup as well. Attendees will sample six different beers from some of the biggest names in the business including Saint Arnold Brewing Company, Karbach Brewing Company, Stella Artois and Goose Island.

 

As an added bonus, our Texas City tasting-goers will receive one free Friday night ticket to the upcoming Dickens on the Strand Festival in Galveston (December 6-8), generously provided by the Galveston Historical Foundation. Check out the deets on each brew below:

Saint Arnold Icon Red – Saint Arnold adds a Bohemian Pils to their “Icon” series with Icon Red. This beer starts with the distinctive Saaz hop nose, then a pleasant maltiness for such a light beer followed by a floral, spicy and earthy hop flavor that closes with a focused bitter finish.

Saint Arnold Sailing Santa – Sailing Santa was born when Saint Arnold fans requested that they blend half a pint of Elissa IPA with half a pint of Christmas Ale. Saint Arnold took note, and after a few slight tweaks introduced this seasonal ale. The result is a spiced beer that is great to drink alone or with your favorite holiday foods.

Saint Arnold Elissa – A traditional India Pale Ale, the Elissa IPA is very hoppy with a properly balanced malty body. Elissa has huge hop additions in the kettle that give it a wonderful bitterness and is then dry-hopped in the fermenter to create the pleasant floral, hoppy nose. Saint Arnold’s reverse osmosis water makes the bitter very soft with no harsh notes to it.

Karbach Yule Shoot Your Eye Out – This seasonal, “Winter Warmer” style beer is loaded with specialty malts, fresh ginger, cocoa nibs, orange peel and other holiday spices. Only brewed in limited quantities, you’ll want to put this at the very top of your wish list to Santa this year.

Stella Artois – Stella Artois is part of a Belgian brewing tradition dating back to 1366. It is the number one Belgian beer in the world and is present in over 80 countries. Defined as a bottom filtered, blonde pilsner, it is thirst quenching with a malty middle and crisp finish delivering a full flavor and a hint of bitterness. Stella Artois is best enjoyed served between 3 and 5 degree Celsius and should be served in the unique Stella Artois Chalice.

Goose Island Sixth Day Festive Brown Ale – Malty, rich and warming, this festive Brown Ale from Goose Island is sure to keep you feeling cozy even on the coldest of winter days. It pours a dark mahogany brown with a tinted cream and smells like sweet toasty malt and a hint of molasses and sugar. This ale is full-bodied and dense with a clean finish packed with smoky malts.

Tastings take place Thursday, November 21^st from 5-7PM at the following locations:

Beaumont

Del Papa Distribution Center

Hospitality Room

410 I-10 South

Beaumont, TX 77707

 

Texas City

Del Papa Distribution Center

Hospitality Room

1220 I-45

Texas City, TX  77591

 

Victoria

Del Papa Distribution Center

Hospitality Room

3907 E. Rio Grande

Victoria, TX 77807

 

We encourage all attendees to join us in the spirit of Thanksgiving by making a donation to Del Papa’s GI Joe / GI Jane initiative – an annual program where Del Papa collects boxes stuffed with nonperishable goods and ships them to soldiers serving overseas who must be away from home over the holidays. Help us show your support for these young men and women by bringing one of the following items to your November tasting, where you can place them in a designated donation box:

Toiletries: soap, shaving cream, disposable razors, deodorant, shampoo, conditioner, lotion, toothbrushes and dental floss

Drinks and snacks: coffee, Gatorade, tea, granola and protein bars, beef jerky, popcorn, peanuts, cookies, peanut butter, hard candy and gum, ramen soup and condiments, long grain rice

Clothing: winter caps, insoles, foot warmers, white socks and knee high stockings

Miscellaneous items: playing cards, DVDs, pens, notebooks, magazines, phone cards, small toys and games

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Texas Tuesday Pick of the Week – Saint Arnold Icon Red

What are you thankful for this year? As Thanksgiving approaches and you find yourself reflecting on all of life’s many gifts, allow us to suggest one more to add to your list: Saint Arnold Icon Red.

 

 

Released only yesterday, November 11^th, this Bohemian Pils joins the prestigious Saint Arnold Icon series, an exclusive series of beers only released for about three months at a time. Some will of these beers are iconic of a beer style (which was the original concept), while some demonstrate more creative interpretations or melding of beer styles, from recipes conceived and refined by Saint Arnold brewers.

When crafting this brew, the folks at Saint Arnold were inspired by hop buying trips to the Czech Republic. They aimed to create something similar to the unfiltered, unpasteurized pilsners common to the region, but with a higher emphasis on flavor and aromatic hops.

This beer starts with a distinctive Saaz hop nose, moving to a pleasant maltiness followed by a floral, spicy and earthy hop flavor that wraps up with a bitter finish. Made with only one malt (pils) and one hop (Saaz), this is a deceptively simple, light and refreshing beer. The Saaz hops speak to the beer’s simple and pure nature, dating back to the earliest days of brewing. In fact, they’re the only hop used in brewing that has never been hybridized.

Most of the maltiness in Icon Red comes from the “decoction mash” – a rare, traditional method used for heating the mash in which a portion of the mash is removed, boiled, and then mixed back in. All this boiling causes caramelization, which gives the beer its deep color and rich body.

This beer is best enjoyed at 40° to 55°F and is on shelves NOW! What are you waiting for, Pint Jockeys? Check it out today and let us know what you think. Share where you found it with other Pint Jockeys on our Facebook page.

Until we meet again, cheers to you and cheers to another “iconic” Saint Arnold beer!

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Texas Tuesday Pick of the Week: Bishop’s Barrel No. 5

Texas Tuesday is once again upon us, Pint Jockeys. This week we’re profiling one of the hottest Texas craft beers available – Saint Arnold Brewing Co.’s Bishop’s Barrel No. 5.

We think it’s safe to say that the Saint Arnold Bishop’s Barrel series is the gift that keeps on giving. No. 5 in this series of releases of barrel-aged beers was just released yesterday. Produced in extremely limited quantities like its predecessors, the good stuff is only available at your favorite bars and restaurants. We’re seeing more than a few trips to your favorite local watering hole in the near future, because this good stuff is WORTH IT.

The Bishop’s Barrel series of beers were all aged in barrels specifically chosen to enhance and compliment the characteristics of the underlying beer. This particular recipe was first brewed by Vince Mandeville. Mr. Mandeville’s “Wee Heavy” recipe eventually became Saint Arnold’s Divine Reserve No.4. Originally released in 2007, that brew won a gold medal at the World Beer Cup in 2008 in the Strong Scotch Ale category, and Saint Arnold decided to resurrect it in BB5 due to popular demand.

The recipe was re-brewed in December of 2012 and placed into bourbon barrels where it aged for nine months. Now, it comes to you, Pint Jockeys.

Check out Vince Mandeville’s own tasting notes, below:

“The flavors and aromas of the base beer are true to the Divine Reserve No. 4. It is filled with caramel, toffee, dried figs, cocoa and a slight peatiness. Where it deviates is with the roundness of flavors the bourbon barrel contributes. Vanilla, cinnamon and a touch of rich earthy pipe tobacco mix with an alcohol warmth that adds to the rich creaminess. The great thing about this beer is that the barrel aging adds to the whole without taking away the character of the original.”

BB5 is rare, refined and Texas born and bred – just like you like it Pint Jockeys. Have you spotted BB5 yet? Help fill your fellow craft beer lovers out and share when and where in the comments below. For all the statistics on BB5, click here.

Cheers to another great Texas Tuesday pick of the week! We’ll see you back next week – same time, same place. We hear another great Saint Arnold brew is about to release, and you can be sure we’ll have ALL the details for you.

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