Saint Arnold Brewing Co. prepares for 20th anniversary celebration

Saint Arnold Brewing Co. will celebrate 20 years of brewing full-flavored craft beer this weekend. The Saint Arnold 20th Anniversary Party on the northern edge of downtown Houston will feature an outdoor concert, barbecue and, of course, beer. Attendees will be the first to enjoy the brewery’s latest special release beer, Saint Arnold 20th Anniversary Ale.

“It has been a great journey from homebrewing to our first location to working with such a dedicated team in a facility I couldn’t have dreamed of 20 years ago,” Saint Arnold Brewer and Founder Brock Wagner.

It was 20 years ago that Saint Arnold shipped its first keg of Saint Arnold Amber Ale on June 9, 1994. Today, Saint Arnold is among the 50 largest craft breweries in America and is undergoing an expansion that will nearly triple production capacity. Saint Arnold also is the oldest of more than 130 craft breweries in Texas. Saint Arnold Brewer and Founder Brock Wagner credits hard work, a focus on quality and continued passion for brewing for why they survived the difficult early years and are thriving today.

“It has been a great journey from homebrewing to our first location to working with such a dedicated team in a facility I couldn’t have dreamed of 20 years ago,” Wagner said.

The Saint Arnold 20th Anniversary Party will start on Saturday June 7. The concert, hosted by DJ Dave Wrangler, will feature performances by Hayes Carll, The Suffers, The Niceguys and Sideshow Tramps from the brewery’s loading dock.

“This is a celebration of the craft beer community throughout Texas and the 20-year journey Saint Arnold has been on to brew world-class beer and to create an institution Houston and Texas are proud of,” Wagner said.

Attendees will fill their glasses with Saint Arnold 20th Anniversary Ale, an elegant, complex barleywine that showcases the brewery’s proprietary house yeast and demonstrates Saint Arnold’s philosophy of balance. The beer’s malt bill (Maris Otter, pale two row and Munich) and Centennial, Cascade and Simcoe hops accentuate each other perfectly. Toffee and caramel flavors combine well with spice from a combination of the hops and the alcohol.

Everyone else will have a chance to try Saint Arnold 20th Anniversary Ale starting Monday, June 9, 2014. Limited supplies of Saint Arnold 20th Anniversary Ale will be available in 22-ounce bottles and on tap in Austin, Dallas/Fort Worth, Houston, San Antonio and other select markets in Texas and Louisiana.