Shiner Bock comes to Ohio!

[lesfen]

Oh Shiner Bock... you made the in-laws tolerable and now you're here. Sigh.

A few weeks ago my new hubby and I went to our local beer haus to tip one before picking up said in-laws at the airport. I ordered a Dortmunder, he ordered a Guinnes. As I was looking over the taps, one of them caught my eye. Big. Yellow. My eyesight is terrible and the joint was a little dim, but I thought I saw "Shiner". I asked my hubby to translate. Oh yes. It was true. Shiner Bock. Highlight of family vacations to Granbury Texas. Coveted Christmas gift. I killed my Dordmunder and ordered the serving wench to draw me a Shiner Bock. (Pronounced Shiiiiner Bock... little bit o' twang there.) Oh... it was beautiful. The bars' distributer happened to be sitting next to me and informed me that he had just installed that tap days earlier and that I should start seeing it in my supermarket within weeks. Sure enough... here I am, a month later, enjoying a cool Shiiiiner Bock right from my own 'fridge and some brats are enjoying a nice Shiner Bock hot tub. It's gonna be a great night.

[Fresser]

Shiner Bock is Lance Armstrong's favorite beer--he'll often quaff several when he's not training for the Tour de France.

[lesfen]

Shiner Bock is Lance Armstrong's favorite beer--he'll often quaff several when he's not training for the Tour de France.

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I knew there was something about that guy that I liked...

[jsolomon]

Speaking as a marathoner, distance cyclist, and hash house harrier, why stop drinking beer whilst training?

Beer's good carbs, B vitamins, essential amino acids, and analgesics--all needed by the athlete's body.

Edit to add: and Shiner's a very good example of all manner of those things, especially of beer! It's the only thing that makes my Army stints in San Antonio worthwhile!

Edited July 1, 2005 by jsolomon (log)

[BrentKulman]

The aura of Shiner Bock today reminds me of my youth, when Coors was only available west of the Mississippi. I remember my first taste of Coors when a hippie entrepreneur drove his Coors-laden refrigerated truck east to Chapel Hill.

Being too caught up in the moment, and not having the proper beer vocabulary, I was unable to admit that the beer really didn't taste all that different from all the other macro lagers out there. Those were dark days in the beer industry, indeed.

Now, despite the fairly wide availability of some wonderful beer from many talented craft breweries, not to mention the better Belgian, German and British brewers, I see that Shiner Bock has inherited the Coors mantle.

Frankly, I don't get it. Shiner Bock is a bock pretender. In fact, the Beer Judge Certification Program doesn't even categorize it as a bock, but as a dark American lager. Shiner may look like a bock, but it lacks the complex malty sweetness and alcoholic content of a traditional bock. To me, its just a darker, sweeter version of a macro lager.

Fire away, Shiner Bock fans.

[lesfen]

To each his own. That's why there are thousands of beer choices. I enjoy Shiner Bock and I'm thrilled that it's here. I could care less if it's a "bock pretender"... beer snobbery doesn't interest me.

[Fay Jai]

To each his own.  That's why there are thousands of beer choices.  I enjoy Shiner Bock and I'm thrilled that it's here.  I could care less if it's a "bock pretender"... beer snobbery doesn't interest me.

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Amen, brother. Shiner Rocks.

[Susan in FL]

Good post, Lesfen. Congrats. I just love it when I discover I can finally get something I've been wanting to be carried. That happened for us when we recently found Tuborg in our Publix supermarket. There are probably several who would fire away about that beer, too. It all goes to show that what makes us enjoy a beer (or wine or other drink, for that matter) has to do with a lot of other factors as well as taste. Ah, the flavors of nostalgia...

To each his own.  That's why there are thousands of beer choices. 

Exactly; however, I didn't consider Brent's reply beer-snobbish. I thought it was a good description about beer style and preference. I didn't care that much for Shiner Bock either, but didn't have the "beer vocabulary" -- as Brent put it -- at the time to explain why.

[lesfen]

Good post, Lesfen.  Congrats.  I just love it when I discover I can finally get something I've been wanting to be carried.  That happened for us when we recently found Tuborg in our Publix supermarket.  There are probably several who would fire away about that beer, too.  It all goes to show that what makes us enjoy a beer (or wine or other drink, for that matter) has to do with a lot of other factors as well as taste.  Ah, the flavors of nostalgia...

That was really the point that I was trying to make. Thank you!! I would feel the same way if In-N-Out finally made it's way east. It's not my absolute end-all-be-all favorite burger in the world, but I would certainly shout out a glorious "wooo hooooo!" if it did.

Base beer vocabulary: "Mmmmm... Beeeer."

[malarkey]

I had Shiner Bock while in TX recently. With some BBQ, natch. It was a fine, fine hot weather beer. I enjoyed it. When in Rome, you know.

I also admit to drinking a *shock* Coors Light while there. Not by choice, but because someone handed me one, and it was with a light supper, and it was also, surprisingly, drinkable, on a hot summer late afternoon. Especially with food. Not sure I'd choose it, certainly not as a session beer, but hey, like I said, when in Rome....

[Kent Wang]

Not too fond of Shiner, but here in Texas it is the lowest common denominator of beer. If you go to party you'll always be welcome if you bring a case of Shiner. I'd never buy Shiner for drinking at home though.