"Carl's Lounge" (Off-Topic Discussion, Traditional Knife "Tales & Vignettes")

[zolthar]

I toured the Spoetzl Brewery in Shiner, Texas today.

Shiner is a relatively small town somewhere between San Antonio and Houston, and about a two and a half hour drive from Corpus Christi. Here is the entrance:

And the old brewery which houses the gift shop:

There is no entrance fee, and a visitor is given four wooden tokens to be exchanged for 7-ounce cups of Shiner beer.

They have several varieties. I believe that is a lemon pils in the picture.
And here is a Shiner Bock, which accounts for 75% of their production:

"Bock" means "goat" in German, and you will see a few at the brewery.

Following are exterior and interior shots of the new brewery. Note that the brewery was not producing today as it was Saturday. (A good excuse to return on a weekday to see the brewery in action.):

Here's a sign from one of the buildings showing a diagram of the brewing process for their bock beer:

I guess the brewery doesn't follow the Rheinheitsgebot, but I like it. It's better than Budweiser or Miller, or any light beer or IPA.
I almost bought this shirt:

I did buy this:

Prosít!

Great tour Vince, thanks!

 

[Prester John]

Thanks for the tour Vince Great pics, and you are looking well my friend

Thanks for taking us along on the tour, Vince. Great pictures and I really like your souvenir knife.

Shiner Bock huh? Never heard of it but I'm guessing you like it Prester John . I'll look for some around here. I typically prefer dark beers - stouts and porters but I will sample others without hesitation

The copper pots are certainly shiners. Any day that ends up with a beer or 2 and a new knife is a great day!
Thanks for sharing.

Ray

Neat pictures of the shiner facility .I'm a fan of the bock (usually my go to if I can't find anything else that strikes me), but my real love is their summer time Ruby Redbird. I have a heck of a time finding it here in VA and usually have to stock up when I take trips home to SC.

The Ruby Redbird is the perfect laying by the pool or post grass cutting beverage when it's hot out.

Great tour Vince, thanks!

Thanks, guys!
And Justin, the Ruby Redbird is one I haven't tried yet, but probably have to. I have been reluctant hitherto because I believe they use grapefruit juice.
But I do like their seasonal "Holiday Cheer", flavoured with pecans and peaches. Yeah, sounds weird, but I love it. Usually available around October through January. (Pecan is the state tree of Texas, and I believe we grow a lot of peaches in the hill country.)

 

[JustinR]

I like the holiday cheer as well, but doesn't hold a candle to the Redbird (IMO).

I think they do use grapefruit juice or rind...but don't let that deter you!

 

[Prester John]

I like the holiday cheer as well, but doesn't hold a candle to the Redbird (IMO).

I think they do use grapefruit juice or rind...but don't let that deter you!

Maybe I'll get the sampler six-pack which has a Ruby Redbird, I believe.

 

[Jack Black]

Jack Black
They fly up the rivers.
I remember in Nottingham a few years ago marvelling at a huge flock of seagulls...I'd love to say I ran ....to the top of the hill...but I drove round the bend and there was a rubbish tip...which I think is prime pickings for seagulls..
However....the worst and most annoying seabirds are those frequenting the east coast of NZ...romantically called the Pacific Gull these giant maritime buzzards will steal your scones ,chips ,backpack in their webbed talons.

Yes mate, they follow the bin wagon too! That's the garbage truck to most of you folks

 

[meako]

We used to call it the dustcart...
That reminds ..bins have to go out...the Garbo will be here soon Cheers.

 

[dannyp]

Shiner Bock huh? Never heard of it

When I was there years ago, as part of the tour they mentioned that they distributed to almost all of the continental US. I think it was about five or six states in the northeast that weren't included. That may explain why you haven't seen it before.

 

[Jack Black]

We used to call it the dustcart...
That reminds ..bins have to go out...the Garbo will be here soon Cheers.

LOL! Yes, that's right

 

[B.F.U]

I like Bocks, and I've had Shiner. Don't remember how well I liked it but I know some of my friends like it. Looks like a really cool tour. It's nice when businesses do that, and always nice when you can get a knife to remember the occasion! There's a brewery near where I grew up called Straub that is one of the older craft breweries. They do tours and have an "eternal tap".

 

[Fodderwing]

Prester John - Vince I enjoyed the Shiner Bock tour very much. And a great score on the knife. Thanks for sharing your day.

 

[joeradza]

hamsco This one's for you Scott.

 

[hamsco]

joeradza Nice. My kinda blade. I see you made it back south.

 

[Prester John]

When I was there years ago, as part of the tour they mentioned that they distributed to almost all of the continental US. I think it was about five or six states in the northeast that weren't included. That may explain why you haven't seen it before.

When I was there yesterday, they said they now distribute to 49 states. I believe Hawaii is the exception.

 

[Prester John]

I like Bocks, and I've had Shiner. Don't remember how well I liked it but I know some of my friends like it. Looks like a really cool tour. It's nice when businesses do that, and always nice when you can get a knife to remember the occasion! There's a brewery near where I grew up called Straub that is one of the older craft breweries. They do tours and have an "eternal tap".

Oh, I love the sound of that: "eternal tap"!

 

[Prester John]

Prester John - Vince I enjoyed the Shiner Bock tour very much. And a great score on the knife. Thanks for sharing your day.

Thanks, Dwight. They're pretty generous. I've toured the Lone Star Brewery when they were in San Antonio (what's called Lone Star now is NOT the same--can't drink it), and the Anheuser-Busch brewery in St. Loius. I think they both charged an entrance fee and gave you two small samples. So free admission and four 7-oz. samples is awesome!
And I like that the knife is not just a souvenir: it's a user. Opened a bottle of wine with it tonight. And picked my teeth with the toothpick. And broke down a cardboard box. And then shaved some arm hair!

 

[B.F.U]

Oh, I love the sound of that: "eternal tap"!

Yep, their logo is pretty cool too. Here's a promotional bottle opener they gave away at a nearby canoe race I was in:

I'll bet that guy carries a nice old fashioned slipjoint with a corkscrew

 

[btb01]

I toured the Spoetzl Brewery in Shiner, Texas today.

Shiner is a relatively small town somewhere between San Antonio and Houston, and about a two and a half hour drive from Corpus Christi. Here is the entrance:

And the old brewery which houses the gift shop:

There is no entrance fee, and a visitor is given four wooden tokens to be exchanged for 7-ounce cups of Shiner beer.

They have several varieties. I believe that is a lemon pils in the picture.
And here is a Shiner Bock, which accounts for 75% of their production:

"Bock" means "goat" in German, and you will see a few at the brewery.

Following are exterior and interior shots of the new brewery. Note that the brewery was not producing today as it was Saturday. (A good excuse to return on a weekday to see the brewery in action.):

Here's a sign from one of the buildings showing a diagram of the brewing process for their bock beer:

I guess the brewery doesn't follow the Rheinheitsgebot, but I like it. It's better than Budweiser or Miller, or any light beer or IPA.
I almost bought this shirt:

I did buy this:

Prosít!

Great photos, Vince! Thanks for sharing! (And how could you not buy that knife?! )

I have an uncle who lives up near Bryan/College Station. A couple years back I went to visit him for a week or so, and while I was there we visited New Republic in College Station and Saint Arnolds and Karbach in Houston. We were going to try to make it down to Shiner, but didn't end up getting to.

Shiner Bock huh? Never heard of it...

 

[meako]

As in
My old mans dustman
E wears a dustmans at
E wears gor blimey trousers
And lives in a council flat...


Its amazing the kind of useless sludge that lurks in ones memory....mine anyway.

 

[RayseM]

And I like that the knife is not just a souvenir: it's a user. Opened a bottle of wine with it tonight. And picked my teeth with the toothpick. And broke down a cardboard box. And then shaved some arm hair!

Yikes - busy day. I hope you ended all that effort with a Bock Break

Ray

 

[r redden]

That was great Kevin my favorite and IMO the top fingerpicker in the world is Andy McKee the first video is him playing my favorite song he plays the second is him playing one of those guitar/harp hybrids.