Spoetzl

[ehowton]

ehowton & friend

I like good beer. Crisp pilsners, flavorful ales, strong stouts and light lagers. In Germany the beer you order is served in that beer's branded glass, and outside a fest stein, a glass particular to the type of beer ordered. Pilsner comes in a pilsner glass, weizens in a weizen glass, and so on and so forth. Drinking beer in Germany is not just a pastime, its an entire culture.

In England, due to strict regulations, all beer of any variety is mandated to only be served in an "Imperial Pint" that is, a bulged conical glass with the mark of the Queen etched into it certifying that you are being served a full legal pint. And let me tell you - those of you who've never tasted unpasteurized British beer have zero comparison to the bottled stuff they export to the United States.

I get downright giddy when I think of my time overseas, and all the fantastic beer I consumed. Sometimes, cracking open a mini-keg of German beer, I weep. I weep for what's been lost in the pasteurization process. Then I drink. I drink and weep. But eventually the beer cheers me up and I stop weeping.

Now some of you may have heard that us Texans are a rather proud people. And while that's true, we're also usually pretty honest. If something sucks, we'll say so, even if its to our own detriment. Its a matter of pride (see how that works?) For example, I'm not a fan of domestic wines, and of all the domestic wines California wines are the bane of my existence, but I'll be the first to say that Texas wine is worse. We simply do not have the ability to produce good wine. But we do make good beer.

Enter Spoetzl Brewery. I won't repeat anything you can read on Wikipedia, but it was during my Pilsner Urquel days in STL that drax0r called me, begging me to try Spoetzl's flagship beer, Shiner Bock. As many of you know, I'm not what you'd call an, "early adopter" so I dismissed him until I could no longer. Many kegs of the stuff later, I became an outspoken proponent of the work they were doing in the little brewery in Shiner, Texas. I love their bock, I love their black lager, and I love their 100th anniversary doppelbock. For the United States to have a beer this good, makes me weep less.


Shiner Family Reunion

More recently, my excitable friend drax0r discovered Shiner Smokehaus. Once again, I didn't have time for his "Ooooh, shiny!" behavior. And much like the time he bought Boondock Saints for me because I wouldn't have otherwise watched it, he also bought me entire cases of Shiner Smokehaus. Sadly, he always ended up drinking them before I had an opportunity to upturn the bottle to my lips.

So there I was, gearing up for unixwolf's visit to Anna when I spied a six-pack of the stuff in the cooler nestled between other flavors of Shiner. A lightbulb went off in my head, and I picked it up. When I got home, I cracked it open. And Just like the scene in Ratatouille when the food critic is instantly transported to his happy childhood at his first bite, so it was with me when that delicious beer entered my mouth, and swirled down my throat. I was in my father's backyard and he was smoking brisket on the smoker, with a side of smoke.

You see, Smokehaus is brewed with malt which has been smoked with mesquite. And while it seems unlikely that this would affect the taste of the beer much, I assure you, I was drinking a smoked brisket. It was fanastic. Some of the beers overseas are so filling, they're affectionately called, "liquid bread." I've had those beers - its not an exaggeration. I submit to you, dear reader, that I was drinking "liquid smoked brisket" and God was it fantastic. I've never (and I mean never) tasted anything like it in all my travels of this globe. Belgian monks? Pussies.

When my folks came down, I pulled out my mesquite smoking chips, and soaked them in Shiner Smokehaus beer prior to placing the metal basket on the heat shield of my gas grill. I smoked those burgers a good 20-minutes before applying fire to them. I know that every time I grill burgers, I tell you that they're the best burgers I've ever grilled. But I hope you can now appreciate that when I say these were the best burgers I've ever grilled, you've got a little history and understanding of why these were the best burgers I've ever grilled.

Shiner Smokehaus

Comments

[unixwolf.livejournal.com]

I get to be the 1st comment!!! W00t!
That beer was the BEST! I am going to grab some for turkey day.. May family shall be amazed!

I had a great time up there eric! Now that I am a free man again, we should schedule a !SMAKDOWN! I look forward to kicking your Terran ass of the 128x128 map..Again.

CARRIER HAS ARRIVED

[ehowton.livejournal.com]

Get it while it lasts! Inventory in Anna is running low, as its a seasonal and has been replaced with that 'Texas pecans & peaches' brew Shiner Holiday Cheer.

[melancthe.livejournal.com]

Once again, I didn't have time for his "Ooooh, shiny!" behavior.

LOL.

Also, goddamn you for making me hungry.

[ehowton.livejournal.com]

If I could get away with it, I'd drink a smoked brisket right now. Good and good for you. Can I get a witness?

[thesweetestnote.livejournal.com]

hmmmm. Smoked Mesquite Monster????

[ehowton.livejournal.com]

You and I...we could take this Sparks (http://ehowton.livejournal.com/301598.html) thing to a whole new level!

[thesweetestnote.livejournal.com]

Now that is the best thing I've heard in YEARS!

Where do we start? Micro brewing?

[ehowton.livejournal.com]

We do what I did last post. (http://ehowton.livejournal.com/301598.html) Research. Using our own bodies as test subjects. Simply put, we drink. I think that's a good starting point.

[thesweetestnote.livejournal.com]

Of Course! Research! Look out liver!

[thesweetestnote.livejournal.com]

Also, goddamn you for making me hungry.


I just had a vision of pouring a Shiner all over your naked body...please forgive. I woke up quite randy this morning ;)

***had to add naked

[ehowton.livejournal.com]

CHRIST ALMIGHTY!

[thesweetestnote.livejournal.com]

LOL - I saw that movie 7 times yesterday. Aldous Snow has infected my libido.

*in English accent* I do mean it in the nicest, sincerest way and with the highest adulation possible. You don't waste such a fine beverage on just any naked body do you?

[thesweetestnote.livejournal.com]

I hope you know I mean her body not yours mate? ;)

[ehowton.livejournal.com]

Oh, yeah I got that - we're good. Just...you know. Imagery. Wow!

[thesweetestnote.livejournal.com]

Y'know? it's had me smiling all day. She's probably gonna have me killed now.

[thesweetestnote.livejournal.com]

While I'm at it... A PICTURE! WE DEMAND A PICTURE!

[ehowton.livejournal.com]

If she makes one of my infamous parties, I'll do my best.

Deep In The Heart Of Texas

[thesweetestnote.livejournal.com]

ehowton and friend
You and the beer or you and the cat? ;P

Yes indeed...Shiner has been a staple of the bars here in old El Paso. I haven't drank it in many years due to over consumption of it right after it hit the market. Every bar has it on tap. Next to Bud and Bud Light it is the most ordered beer I believe.

I've been more partial to Dos XX. With a shit load of lime.

And in your photo you look so debonair. A man of mystery. I must write a part for you when I finally get around to finishing my script. You can be the dude playing a dude playing another dude.

I really must taste one of your burgers. Teach my Obi-Wan. Make me your padawan learner.

Re: Deep In The Heart Of Texas

[ehowton.livejournal.com]

You and the beer or you and the cat?
There's a...? Well look at that - a cat!

Every bar has it on tap.
God bless Texas.

And in your photo you look so debonair.
What can I say? I love good beer.

You can be the dude playing a dude playing another dude.
By the time I've done all that, it sounds a lot like we'll be back to just me. I think I'll do an excellent job of someone attempting to portray me.

I really must taste one of your burgers.
I'll tell you who's been making great burgers here lately: drax0r. He cuts no corners, and grills over charcoal. Now that's a tasty burger!

Re: Deep In The Heart Of Texas

[drax0r.livejournal.com]

I made burgers last night. I was pleased.

Re: Deep In The Heart Of Texas

[ehowton.livejournal.com]

Oh that sounds fantastic.

[princessleia2.livejournal.com]

Canonical served Shiner Bock (among a bunch of lousy beers) at the Ubuntu Developer Summit in Dallas on Friday at our final evening "shindig" - I was impressed! It's a very tastey Bock, and predictably they ran out of it before anything else :)

[ehowton.livejournal.com]

Knowing how beerventerous you are, I'm thrilled you thought so!

[irulan-amy.livejournal.com]

"Crisp pilsners, flavorful ales, strong stouts and light lagers"

It sounds like share the exact same taste in beer. This is a really excellent review. I want to try both kinds of Shiner.


Great photo of the cap btw!

[ehowton.livejournal.com]

It sounds like share the exact same taste in beer.
I've tried other combinations before - strong lagers for instance - almost always to disastrous results.

This is a really excellent review.
Thanks! I've been meaning to post about it forever, but the burgers...ah, yes, they propelled it to the top of the list.

Great photo of the cap btw!
Heh - drax0r and I had just polished off that six pack in the picture when we set it up - I took more snaps of that cap than I care to admit.

[kat-rowe.livejournal.com]

*salivates*

Those burgers do sound delicious...

[ehowton.livejournal.com]

I served them with your choice of sliced havarti, smoked gouda, baby swiss, chipotle cheddar, provolone, pepper jack, sliced tomatoes, jalapeño, yellow onion, baby spinach, iceberg lettuce, avocado, mayonnaise, mustard, brown mustard, spicy brown mustard, chipotle ranch or horseradish on those fantastic new Oroweat Sandwich Thins, which I toasted.



Oroweat Sandwich Thins

[kat-rowe.livejournal.com]

*runs out to the store*

[ehowton.livejournal.com]

And please, don't forget the Shiner.

[kat-rowe.livejournal.com]

I might have to drive up to Cleveland to make that happen. Cuyahoga Falls isn't exactly huge on good imports.