Pontificator

Brewery: Karbach Brewing Co.
Location: Houston, TX
Style: Smoked Doppelbock
ABV: 8%
Beer Apostle' Grade: B+

I often show love to Texas breweries on this site for two reasons: 1) I lived in Houston for 5 years, and 2) it's the place where I experienced my craft-beer-conversion (I am forever indebted to Saint Arnold's Spring Bock and Oktoberfest beers!).

Karbach Brewing opened at the tail end of my stay in Houston, preventing me from really getting to know them as a local brewery. Fortunately, I've had several opportunities to try their beer, even after moving to Florida, thanks to the Texas-sized generosity of the folks I left behind.

This particular bottle was sent to me by David, one of the Sales and Marketing guys at Karbach. I just can't speak highly enough about how classy these guys are, and am thankful for their generosity with this one. Cheers to good people who make good beer!

Speaking of the beer...I had never had Pontificator before this tasting, but had heard plenty of good things. I have one friend in Texas who swears by this beer and almost refuses to drink anything else.

Pontificator is a smoked doppelbock. Doppelbocks are strong and malty German lagers that are generally big-bodied beers with little-to-no bitterness. The smoked characteristic of this particular doppelbock comes from malts that Karbach smoked on some Cherry-wood. This should provide a bit of  dry and smoked flavor throughout the beer.

Appearance: Deep dark brown. A thick creamy head forms as this beer is poured into the glass.

Aroma: Pontificator gives off a sweet caramel scent that is accompanied by substantial smokiness. I also detect brown sugar and bready malts.

Taste: Similar to the nose, this beer prominently features the smoked malts, giving the beer a "meaty" flavor which helps to balance the equally prominent sugary notes. While the malt backbone is sweet, it's not overly done. There's raisin, brown sugar, fig, burnt caramel, and...is that BACON? I doubt any bacon was used in the brewing process, but let's go with it and move forward.

Mouthfeel: Pontificator is thick and chewy, full-bodied, complex, and medium carbonated.

Overall: This is an excellent beer for the style. Truth be told, I am not a huge fan of smoked beer. Sometimes the smoke is overdone and takes away from the other flavors. However, Karbach has done a nice job of maintaining balance and order in Pontificator. The smoke is a key player, but it never really trumps the dark fruit and caramel sweetness that hit nicely on the tongue.

Again, I want to thank the guys over at Karbach for sending this beer for me to sample. I thoroughly enjoyed Pontificator and hope to try more soon!

This is my third review of a Karbach brew! To see the others, click here!

Thanks for reading the Beer Apostle and for supporting craft beer! Join in on the discussion by following me on Twitter and Facebook! Cheers!

Saint Arnold Icon Gold (Biere De Saison)

Brewery: Saint Arnold Brewing Co.
Location: Houston, TX
Style: Biere de Garde
ABV: 9%

The Saint Arnold Icon Series consists of specialty beers that the Houston brewery releases every three months or so. Each beer is unique and different from the last. Icon Gold is the fourth beer to be released (there have been five total). It is brewed in the Biere de Garde style, meaning "beer for keeping," and is most akin to a Belgian Saison. At 9%, Icon Gold holds the title for highest percent of alcohol among its icon[ic] peers.

According to Saint Arnold, Icon Gold is labeled as a Biere de Saison because it "combines the richness of a winter ale with the spicy, earthy notes of the saison yest."

Appearance: Icon Gold's label is wonderful. The bottle showcases the patron saint of beer, Saint Arnold, with a classic black and gold color combination. The label is simple, sophisticated, and eye-catching. In the glass, Icon Gold pours a cherry-copper color. The beer retains absolutely no head.

Smell: Belgian spices and sugary malts. I pick up booze and fermenting grapes (otherwise known as wine) beneath the Belgian yeast aromas.

Taste: The flavor profile begins with a strong surge of Belgian spices that is followed by fruit and berry tartness. I wouldn't consider the flavors sour, but there is an "over-ripeness" to the berry notes. The finish is spicy, boozy, and sweet. There's no hiding the alcohol in this beer, but that's not a bad thing.

Mouthfeel: Light carbonation yet crisp and clean. The beer appears flatter than it actually is, and I don't know that it needs any more carbonation than what it already has.

Overall: This is a flavorful beer. The Belgian spices blend well with the sweet malt and mild tartness. The alcohol shows up on the finish, leaving a subtle burn in the throat. Icon Gold is complex. There's depth of flavor and smell on every level.

Karbach Mother in Lager

Brewery: Karbach Brewing Co.
Location: Houston, TX
Style: Dunkel
ABV: 5.8%

I received this can through a trade and specifically requested a mix of Karbach brews. Mother in Lager is Karbach's Autumn/Winter seasonal that is meant to help calm one who may be spending an excessive amount of time with the in-laws over the holiday breaks.

The commercial description is as follows:

What can you say about the woman who brings a big serving of judgment to every occasion?  Sometimes it’s best to say nothing at all.  Mother-in-Lager recognizes those who have shown glimpses of sweetness through their otherwise bitter exterior and feels for those who have to put up with it.  Brewed with dark malts and German hops, this brew's depth of flavor will allow you to relax and bite your tongue while she reorganizes your entire kitchen.  So grab a 6’er of Mother-in-Lager and be prepared for the next time she comes to visit.  It’s going to be a long, cold night.

I may be one of the fortunate few who has a wonderful Mother-in-Law. I actually don't mind her company; in fact, she just celebrated a birthday this past weekend, which is what prompted this review.

Appearance: Mother in Lager pours a clean and deep brown with a quickly dissipating head. Minimal lacing.

Aroma: Malty-base. Chocolate, cherry, and butter notes. This is rich smelling beer. Very aromatic.

Taste: The flavor profile on this beer begins with strong malt flavors (I get a mix of toasted and chocolate malts). This is followed by fig and dates sugars and finishes with mildly bitter and roasted flavors. The hops are subtle in this beer. Except for a little dryness at the end, I can hardly detect their presence.

Mouthfeel: This is a creamy and smooth lager; it's full-bodied with medium complexity.

Overall: I appreciate Karbach's attempts at rejuvenating the lager. They have released a variety of tasty lagers and proven they can hang in a market that's mostly dominated by craft ales.

Mother in Lager is enjoyable, but may be a tad too sweet for some. Nonetheless, it's approachable, fun, and sweet.

Karbach's Yule Shoot Your Eye Out (2012)

Brewery: Karbach Brewing Co.
Location: Houston, TX
Style: Spiced/Seasonal Ale
ABV: 8%

Yule Shoot Your Eye Out is big beer that shows the brewery's humorous side. It's name is inspired by a Christmas classic and, like the film, it's sure to become a seasonal tradition for many.

Karbach is a brewery that was still in its infancy when I moved out of Houston in 2011. Even at that time, I remember being impressed with their first couple of releases, specifically Sympathy for the Lager and Rodeo Clown Double IPA.

Now that I live in Florida, I no longer have the privilege of tasting their beers on a regular basis, and I was about the opportunity to get my hands on Yule Shoot Your Eye Out (special thanks to @discipleofhops for sending a bottle last year) via a trade.

Appearance: Very dark brown. I thought it was black at first, but realized it's actually a clear dark brown once I held it to the light. There's a nice thick head that forms and remains.

Aroma: Oh, this is a real treat! Lots of fall and winter spices like caramel, chocolate, nutmeg, ginger, and anise. The anise is particularly pleasing to the nose!

Taste:  The flavors are incredibly profound and complex! The dark chocolate, toffee, and molasses stand out on the palate and create a pleasant sweetness with a bitter finish. The holiday spices are prominent but not overpowering. This is one of the few seasonally spiced beers that I could drink year-round. The ginger, cinnamon, and nutmeg pair very well with the bitter-sweet flavors of this stout-like ale. And to round everything out, the piny hops make an appearance on the finish and linger nicely on the aftertaste.

Overall: Delicious, complex, big-bodied, bold-flavored, seasonal ale. There's not much I don't like about this beer. Now, this particular bottle has been in my cellar for a year, so I don't know if the beer is this balanced and complex fresh. But judging by how this one performed, I definitely recommend cellaring a bottle or two if you can.

This was a wonderful way to end my Christmas celebrations.

Merry Christmas to everyone and a Happy New Year!

Divine Reserve 12

Brewery:  Saint Arnold Brewing Co.
Location: Houston, TX 
Style: Old Ale
ABV: 10%
Price: Unknown (Given as gift)

I received this bottle from @discipleofhops and need to give him a huge shout-out for sending me some Saint Arnold love.

I have reviewed a couple of Saint Arnold's brews and have mentioned the impact this brewery has had on the beer scene in Houston. The Divine Reserve series has had its own impact on the city as its not uncommon to hear of thousands of people calling off of work during the Divine Reserve releases. These are special release-single batch beers that usually sell out within hours of stores opening. Thus, waiting until after work to buy this beer just isn't a plan for success.

DR12 is an old ale recipe that actually came out of a 2011 homebrew competition. It pours an amber color with a slight white head.

The aroma is full of warm spices and there's a hint of funk on the nose. If I didn't know the style, I would almost think this is a farmhouse ale given given the spicy notes. Still, there is a malt backbone in the aroma that makes sense with this style.

The taste is not what I expected. The body is quite malty. Syrupy even. There are strong notes of molasses and caramel that are nicely balanced by a Belgian profile on the finish. My guess is Saint Arnold used a Belgian yeast strand in this beer. As this beer warms, there's a candied cherry  finish with a  sherry/boozy aftertaste.

Overall, this is a good beer, but isn't what I would expect from an old ale. This one seems a little more experimental to cleanly fit the old ale label. And while I think this is one of the weaker releases from the series, it's still work picking up if you have a chance to do so.

Saint Arnold Sailing Santa

Brewery:  Saint Arnold Brewing Co.
Location: Houston, TX

Style: American IPA/Blend
ABV: 7%
Price: Unknown (Given as gift)

Texas' oldest craft brewery, Saint Arnold has literally helped define Houston's craft beer scene. In fact, Saint Arnold is what I refer to as my personal gateway brewery. I owe my craft beer allegiance to this brewery. I am forever a fan and advocate of this brewery!

I moved to Houston right out of college in 2007 and "craft beer" was not anywhere on my radar. Once settled, there were two Texas breweries that I took a liking to: Shiner and Saint Arnold. Both have important places in my beer journey, but I credit the latter for my love of craft beer.

Unfortunately, craft beer can be expensive and I was just a budding professional on a humble teacher's salary. Luckily, Saint Arnold held affordable $5 brewery tours every Saturday (the brewery has since moved locations, grown significantly, and now holds daily brewery tours for $7). It was at these tours that I began learning about hand-crafted beer; and it was there, in the middle of their brewery tour, standing beside a few hundred pounds of barley, that I became a born-again beer drinker.

Now that we've gone down memory lane and tears have all but dried on my cheeks, let's get to today's review.

Image taken from saintarnold.com

Sailing Santa is a seasonal blend of their Elissa (IPA) and Christmas Ale. The beer pours a nice copper/amber color. The head thins quickly and leaves a minimal lacing around the glass.

The aroma is a great blend of sweet malts and earthy hops. Given that Saint Arnold has labeled this beer as an IPA, I would say the aroma is a bit incongruent to the typical aroma of an IPA.

This beer is malt-forward. Again, I think it's mislabeled. The taste and aromatic profile fit more as a winter warmer in my opinion. The front flavors are all malt, caramel, toffee, and maybe a little maple syrup. The hop profile from the Elissa IPA portion of the blend are mild and subtle. Pine sneaks in towards the finish of this, which is also a tad dry. I do pick up on the cinnamon that was apparently added to the 2012 version. It's a pleasant flavor that lingers nicely.

Overall, this is a solid winter beer, but it's just not an IPA. I understand that Saint Arnold wants to capitalize on the blend which uses Elissa IPA, but it disappoints if being compared to true IPAs. Style aside, this is an enjoyable blend that's highly drinkable and perfect for the season. As I said above, this reminds me more of an earthy winter warmer. I appreciate the subtle hops in this beer, but the prevailing flavors are the heavier malt profiles and warming spices.