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Saint Arnold Brewing Company Offers Holiday History Lesson
Thirsty Pilgrims Knew the Possibilities of Pairing Beer With Holiday Meal
| Source: Saint Arnold Brewing Company
HOUSTON, TX -- (MARKET WIRE) -- November 7, 2006 -- Saint Arnold Brewing Company, the oldest craft
brewery in Texas, has a tip for those who want an authentic holiday meal:
pair the feast with craft beer. According to the diaries of those on the
Mayflower, one of the reasons they chose to land at Plymouth Rock was that
they ran out of beer. "Our victuals being much spent, especially our beer,"
read one diary entry.
That may have been the last time America's settlers ran short of beer. They
soon learned from their Native American neighbors how to make beer from
maize and most likely enjoyed beer at the first Thanksgiving. Saint Arnold
Brewing Company says any authentic holiday meal deserves a fresh, flavorful
craft beer.
"Saint Arnold and other American craft brewers offer a terrific variety of
styles and flavors, making beer a superior alternative to wine," said Saint
Arnold founder Brock Wagner, who serves on the board of directors of the
Brewers Association. "Everything from appetizers to the final slice of
pumpkin pie can be enhanced by the right selection of a fine brew."
At any given time, Saint Arnold Brewing Company has five year-round brews
along with a seasonal offering on store shelves. The brewery recently
shipped Saint Arnold Christmas Ale, which is available on tap and in
12-ounce bottles sold in six-packs and cases. It is available throughout
Texas at grocery and liquor stores, bars and restaurants.
The best beverage to pair with any food ultimately depends not just on the
main ingredient, but the herbs, spices, preparation and accompanying dishes
as well. The trick, says Wagner, is to pair delicate foods with delicate
beers, such as Saint Arnold Texas Wheat or Saint Arnold Fancy Lawnmower
Beer. Foods prepared with earthy herbs such as sage do well with hoppy
beers like Saint Arnold Amber Ale and Saint Arnold Elissa IPA. Richer fare
can be paired nicely with bigger beers, such as Saint Arnold Christmas Ale
or Saint Arnold Brown Ale.
"Caramel, toasted grain, coffee and even chocolate flavors prevail in
certain beer styles, making it easy to pair with traditional holiday fare,"
said Wagner. "The fun part is experimenting and discovering the many ways
beer flavors marry with different foods better than wine."
Wagner offers the following tips for serving beer during the holidays:
Buy fresh. Be sure to buy beers made by American craft brewers. This will
ensure that you are getting fresh, flavorful beer produced with pride right
here in the USA.
Use pitchers. Present the beer in a way that encourages sharing. A perfect
way to do this is to pour bottles into a glass or clear plastic pitcher
that can be passed around the table. Just don't put out too much beer at
one time: one to one-and-a-half beers per person should be enough beer on
the table at the beginning of the meal.
Options Are Nice. Just as some like dark meat and some like white meat,
you'll find that some of your dinner companions may prefer one style while
the others go for something different. Offering two different choices can
help to keep everyone happy.
Glassware. While pint glasses are perfect for the pub, brewers have long
used stemware for special beers. A thistle glass or "old-fashioned" glass
is great if you have it, but wine glasses work well too. Otherwise, small
glass tumblers that hold six to eight ounces have a pleasant feel to them
and still help to mark the meal as a special occasion.
About Saint Arnold Brewing Company
Saint Arnold Brewing's ten brews are made and sold by the company's staff
of 15 dedicated employees. The brewery is located at 2522 Fairway Park
Drive and its free brewery tour and tasting is offered every Saturday at
1:00 P.M. For more information on Saint Arnold's five year-round and five
seasonal beers as well as root beer, log on to http://www.saintarnold.com.