Rahr & Sons to celebrate Springfest with new year-round beer

Image courtesy of Rahr & Sons Brewing Co.

National Beer Day is celebrated on April 7, but locals can get a head start with Rahr & Sons by attending the Fort Worth brewery's upcoming Texas Light Springfest Social Run/Walk benefiting Rahr to the Rescue.

Kicking off on Saturday, April 5 at 8 a.m., Springfest is being billed as the "lighter, brighter cousin of Oktoberfest, packed with all the deliciousness you love from Rahr." Tickets for Springfest are $30 per person, with participants getting a spot in the 3-ish mile run/walk, bottled water, a custom Texas Light pint glass, three draft beers and breakfast.

As for Texas Light (3.5% ABV), it's a new beer described as a light, crisp refresher that's "guaranteed to add a bounce to your step" with only 3.6 carbs and 86 calories. Up to now it's been a draft only taproom exclusive, but Texas Light is coming soon to retail with availability in six-packs of 12-ounce cans.

For more information or to purchase Springfest tickets, visit https://rahroktoberfest5k.com/social-runs. Also note that canine companions are welcome to run/walk alongside their humans.

Temple a town with Czech lagers you can count on

A number of Czech lagers are available at Tanglefoot Brewing
in Temple (Photo © Brian Brown/Beer in Big D).

Czech lagers date back hundreds of years, but lately it seems like they've been trending locally. Considering there are nearly 200,000 Czech-Americans living in Texas (according to Wikipedia, the largest number in any state), it's a little surprising the country's brewing traditions have yet to enjoy a greater presence beyond Bohemian pilsners.

Well, if Andy Martinec has anything to say about it, these types of beers will gain more of a foothold in the future. In the spring of 2021, Martinec chose to use his own Czech heritage as an inspiration for opening Tanglefoot Brewing in Temple.

Now, foothold was a purposeful choice of words. Temple, you see, was called Tanglefoot during a period when saloons were abundant in the late 1800s. The name derives from a scene described on the "City of Temple" historical marker where "the combination of muddy streets and liquor made walking rather difficult at times."

Nowadays, though, Tanglefoot represents a brand of clean, crisp and easy-drinking Czech lagers emerging from a somewhat unassuming little spot nestled in a Temple neighborhood.

On recent visits, four Tanglefoot beers identified by strength in degrees Plato (or Balling) have been pouring in the taproom. Recipes have ranged from Czech pale lagers (in 10° and 12° strength), to a 13° Tmavé dark lager, and a 14° Czech amber lager.

My personal favorite has been the lightest offering, 10°, a beer whose flavor profile epitomizes the idea of beer being a glass of liquid bread. Up to now, it and other Tanglefoot products have been exclusive to the brewery, either on tap or in six-packs of cans to go. That said, any homebrewers wanting to take a stab at 10° can find a scaled-down recipe on Tanglefoot's website.

As for potential distribution, Tanglefoot did roll out its first keg to an outside account earlier this month, but that locale was in Temple as well. What that means is, beer drinkers seeking something a bit more stylistic and straightforward might want to contemplate a stop in Temple for Czech beers, before a "Stop" for Czech pastries, the next time they find themselves riding north through Central Texas.

Lakewood's latest is loaded up and truckin'

Special edition taproom-only crowler labels of The Bandit will
be available at the brewery on July 2 (Lakewood Brewing Co.).

Complete with limited edition (crowler) label imagery featuring Pontiac's classic Firebird Trans Am, Lakewood Brewing Co. is conjuring up memories of the movie Smokey and the Bandit  with its latest release, an American-style lager billed as The Bandit.

According to a press release, The Bandit is a nuanced, yet approachable beer that's light but not lacking in flavor or body. Moreover, The Bandit promises to be a "go-to by summer's end" as it helps to keep consumers' ever-present thirst at bay during the Texas heat.

“I’ve always be a fan of a certain beer from Colorado that you might find at fancy banquets,” says Justin Hatley, innovation brewer at Lakewood. “I tried to emulate that but with a touch more Saaz hops to bring a bit more aroma than an average American lager. And it's brewed with flaked rice instead of flaked corn. Not hoppy, but balanced. Clean and crisp.”

The Bandit is a draft-only release. Look for it on tap and in crowlers beginning this Friday, July 2, in the Lakewood Taproom. A statewide rollout is set to follow, with The Bandit arriving at draft accounts next week.

May the schwarzbier with you: Rabbit Hole releasing latest Bluebonnet brew

Image credit: Rabbit Hole Brewing.

Continuing a tradition started in 2016, Rabbit Hole Brewing of Justin will again release a commercial batch of an award-winning brew from the country's largest single-site home brewing competition, the Bluebonnet Brew-Off.

Skroob's Black Lager (4.53% ABV) is a German-style schwarzbier with a name that references Spaceballs, and a well-known line from the film, "May the Schwartz be with you." Featuring hints of chocolate and dark roasted malt, the beer is based off a recipe created by Robert Brown, who competed in the 2017 edition of the Bluebonnet as a member of the Houston-based Foam Rangers Homebrew Club.

In terms of awards, Brown's creation won gold in the Dark European Lager category during last year's competition, while also ranking third for Best of Show. As for Brown himself, he has taken his talents overseas, and is now the head brewer at 7 Bridges Brewing Co. in Viet Nam.

It'll be here in North Texas, though, where Skroob's Black Lager will make its debut, tapping first at the 2018 Bluebonnet. Now in its 32nd year, the event will take place Friday and Saturday, March 23-24, at the Sheraton DFW Airport Hotel. From there, the beer will be distributed in limited quantities, being made available on tap and in six-packs of 12-ounce cans.

Shannon adding new pilsner to its portfolio

Image courtesy of
Shannon Brewing Co.

Shannon Brewing Co. of Keller has announced a new addition to its year-round lineup in the form of Pussy Willow Pilsner (5.9% ABV, 25 IBU), a beer named for the blooming tree representing luck, good fortune, and prosperity - three things those behind the brewery think everyone can use.

Said to be "perfectly balanced with a subtle malt backbone and a light hop flavor," Pussy Willow Pilsner is brewed with Pilsen, Vienna and Munich malts, along with a blend of Tettnang and Saaz hop varieties. The beer is then lagered for over 40 days to create what the company describes as a "very approachable pilsner."

A launch party for Pussy Willow Pilsner will be held at the brewery on Friday, March 23. After that, pending label approval, Pussy Willow Pilsner will be available on draft and in six-packs of 12-ounce cans throughout Shannon's distribution footprint.

Sipping on 777, Shiner's new oak-aged IPL

Image courtesy of Gambrinus Co.

Released as the 12th offering in the Brewer's Pride series, samples of Shiner 777 IPL showed up at my door this week, along with the declaration that it "just might be the boldest Shiner you've ever put to your lips." Not only that, the brewery's new India pale lager was said to be "tripled-down delicious" as well.

Now, the tripled-down part is primarily in reference to the triple-7s in the beer's name. The origin of which comes from the fact that 777 is brewed with 7 varieties of hops, has 70 IBUs and it finishes out with an ABV of 7.0%. Of course, I'm sure those at the Spoetzl Brewery think the beer is delicious, too, so I suppose it's a bonus that the word "delicious" helps add a bit of alliterative flair to the adspeak.

On the topic of whether 777 is Shiner's boldest beer ever, that's more of a subjective statement. What can be said is that 777 is the strongest beer the brewery has produced - topping Wicked Ram's 6.0% ABV by a full percentage point. That, and 777 is a beer with some complexity, thanks to the mix of hops and time spent slumbering on southern oak staves.

The hops, in this case, cause 777 to exude more of an English influence, based on the beer's floral, earthy and herbal elements. So, don't read IPL and start thinking in terms of an American IPA.  There might be a faint pint note in the aroma, but I don't get a sense of citrus in 777. Really, if there's any fruit at all, it's more along the lines of an elderberry essence.

As for how it drinks, 777 is hop-forward, though a hint of caramel malt remains ever-present. It's a clean, medium-bodied beer that gets more herbal and woody as it warms, with the oak adding a tannic touch that serves to dry out the palate on the finish. There's some bitterness on the back end as well, but not enough that you'll be scrunching up your face like that old codger in the Keystone commercials.

Really, my only quibble with 777 has to do with a statement on the sell sheet suggesting the beer has a flavor "as big and fresh as a Texas pine" tree. If you ask me, 777 is more oaky than anything. But, either way, it makes for an enjoyable experience. Is it Shiner's boldest beer yet? I don't know if I'd say that, but 777 is certainly another good example of a continuing effort by the brewery to go beyond the ubiquity of its bock. And, boldest or not, it's one of Shiner's more interesting efforts to date.

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Shiner 777 IPL will only be available for a limited time. Look for it on tap, in 24-ounce bombers, and in 12-ounce bottles as part of the brewery's Family Reunion six pack.

Pegasus City trots out Texican in cans

Pegasus City uses a unique yeast blend to create a mix of Mexican

and German lager flavors in Texican (Pegasus City Brewery).

Fans of Pegasus City Brewery in Dallas can now enjoy #porchapproved products on their own porch, now that the company has begun canning its year-round offerings.

Earlier this week, Armadillo Mobile Canning was on-site at Pegasus City to package Texican Black Lager. That's just first beer that will roll out in the new format, though, according to Adrian Cotten, co-founder and creative director at the brewery.

"Texican is the first to be canned, with Highpoint Porch Ale coming next in mid-to-late October," says Cotten. "Eventually, we want to can all five of our core beers (including Cannoneer Bold Amber, Sixth Floor Easy Porter and Nine Volt D.P.L. Tripel), and we will be launching a crowdfunding campaign to help us do so in the next few weeks."

As for where you can pick up cans of Texican today, six-packs are on shelves at a number of accounts in Dallas.

"We wanted to make sure we got into some local stores first, so we are already at North Oak Cliff Beer & Wine in the Bishop Arts District, as well as River Cut Rate Liquor and Last Stop/Stop-N-Save in The Cedars," says Cotten. "We will be delivering cans to Total Wine, Whole Foods and Trader Joe's locations very soon."

Details on future shipments, along with particulars related to the aforementioned crowdfunding campaign, will be posted on Pegasus City's social media channels as they become available.

Rabbit Hole ready to release "The Rabbit"

Image credit:
Rabbit Hole Brewing

This week, fans of Rabbit Hole Brewing will begin a quest to "snare the hare," as the Justin-based brewery releases it's newest creation, El Conejo (4.6% ABC, 25 IBU).

Translating from Spanish to English as "The Rabbit," El Conejo is a pale Mexican-style lager that derives most of its flavor from a recipe designed with a mix of German ingredients. And, while some may wonder about how a taste of Germany makes its way into a Mexican beer, it should be noted the development of Mexico's brewing industry can be tied to an influx of German settlers that arrived in the country during the late 19th century. In other words, many of today's Mexican lagers are borne of either German or Bohemian influence.

As for El Conejo, the beer is fermented for an extended time with a traditional lager yeast. According to a pre-release notice from the brewery, this is said to give the beer a crisp, dry finish, which coupled with the beer's clean flavor profile, makes El Conejo perfect for drinking during hot summer days and nights in Texas.

Look for El Conejo to be available on tap beginning Wednesday, July 26. A release party for the beer has been scheduled as well, with that occurring on Thursday, July 27, at Dallas Craft Co. in Keller.