Brock Wagner and
Saint Arnold have been good friends to this blog, and have been great friends to Houston area craft beer drinkers by consistently putting out craft beer that is quaffable, of great and complex character, of wonderful flavour and as Brock Wagner himself put it, so eloquently: "Brewing Beer that Doesn't Suck!" Once again Texas' oldest craft brewery has released a rare bottle for all of the Craft Beer Nerds like myself to chase down, and one larger, high end brew that's easier to get and for the masses to enjoy. Once again, the fans of Saint Arnold have provided a
Google Doc to show who has it, what price and if still available or not.
And also once again, being the craft beer lover I am, I went to the
Flying Saucer Sugar Land, have tasted the latest in the
Bishops Barrel and
ICON series and am providing my impressions to y'all for your reading pleasure.
Bishop's Barrel 3
Style: Bourbon Barrel Imperial Stout
Date Brewed: April 5, 2012
Date Racked: April 24, 2012
Date Bottled: April 25, 2013
Beer style in bbl: Russian Imperial Stout
Type of Barrel: Woodford Reserve bourbon barrels
No. of Barrels 44
Cases Made: 894 (cases of 12 oz bottles)
Kegs Made: 0
Original Gravity: 1.084
Final Gravity: 1.019
Alcohol: 8.7% ABV prior to barreling
11.5% ABV after barreling
Bitterness: 49 IBU
Basically this is the same Bourbon Barrel aged Imperial Stout recipe as the wonderful
Bishop's Barrel 1, but it was done using a different yeast, and is aged a couple of months longer. Like the BB1, it was aged in bourbon barrels and the nose you get at the front end is decidedly Bourbon. It has a malty, woody front note with a little whiskey burn. It mellows in the middle with noticeable malt and chocolate notes, and finishes a bit softer than BB1 did. This was when it was served from the bottle cold. After allowing the glass to warm to about 50 F, it sweetens and thickens a bit, similar to the BB1 and the finish gets stronger. Overall this is a wonderful Imperial Stout to sip and enjoy while relaxing and is again, another winner for Saint Arnold!
Grade: A+++
Icon Green
 |
Icon Green, served from the Cask at
The Flying Saucer Sugar Land |
Style: Amarillo Hefeweizen
Packaging Color: Green
Date Released: May 1, 2013
Original Gravity: 1.051
Final Gravity: 1.0105
Alcohol: 5.4% ABV
Hefeweizen refers to a yeasty, wheat beer, that is top fermented and served unfiltered. Although many North Americans will put a slice of orange or lemon in a Hefeweizen, Wheat or Witbier, it is largely unnecessary because the esters in these kinds of beers give it a natural citrusy aroma, especially if the right species of hops are used. Brock Wagner used Amarillo Hops in this beer, which are noted for their naturally, lemony essence. This beer had a slightly hoppy, yeasty nose with citrus essences, gave a strong yeasty front note, had a citrusy middle, and finished with a smooth, yet slightly hoppy finish. Unlike some so-called Wheat IPAs I've tried recently, this one has a hop essence to it, but unlike typical IPAs, it's not strong or dominant. Having this beer on cask adds a softness to it, that makes it a little tempting to chug on a hot day. However, I don't advise doing that--this refreshing Hefewezen was meant to be sipped and enjoyed while relaxing.
Grade: A+
As always, I remind my readers to consume alcohol responsibly. Craft beer is typically more potent than the mass-produced Bilgewater from ABinBev, both in flavour and in alcohol content. These beers should be enjoyed slowly and in moderation. They're not meant for a Frat-House beerpong tournament. I hope you craft beer fans out there get to try the Bishop's Barrel 3 before it's gone, and I encourage you, if you're a fan of Wheat Beers, you give Icon Green a try!
Drive Craft Beer, Y'all!!!
喝啤酒愉快!!!
Hank