I purchased a six pack called the Shiner Family Reunion; it contains six different beers from the Spoetzl Brewery in Shiner, TX; I also had one of these at the House of Blues the other night when I saw Richard Cheese. Since this is the most common Shiner beer you’ll come across, I decided to start with it.
The Spoetzl Brewery, originally called the Shiner Brewing Association until Kosmos Spoetzl took charge, was founded in 1909 and has spent the last century brewing its wares through prohibition and on into the 21st century. To survive prohibition, Spoetzel sold ice and birch beer (similar to root beer) or “near beer” (non-alcoholic beer). Over the years the brewery has grown and its beers can be found across Texas as well as much of the rest of the country.
Bock is 80% of Spoetzel’s beer production according to Wikipedia. It’s a brown, clear ale that goes down pretty smooth, and Bock has a light, grainy, malty flavor with a slight bitterness. This beer won’t light your world on fire, but it’s a much better choice when faced with a lineup of overly marketed, poorly made brews. Shiner Bock often finds itself alongside them, hence why I had one at the House of Blues the other night.
This is just the first of six Shiner beers who have a short-term lease in my fridge. Check back for more from Shiner, TX!
