In honor of National Beer Day, which is happening as of the time this is published, Freedom Rolling presents a mini-series on Ranger Creek Brewing and Distilling in San Antonio, Texas. We'll have more on this company in another post, but for now, let's take a look at a few of their brewed offerings. Please ensure that these, or any brews, are enjoyed in accordance with local laws wherever you may be.
First on the list of offerings is Ranger Creek's signature beer: the San Antonio Lager. Lager beers are already very commonplace in America, being the choice in style of many of the nationally advertised selections. The San Antonio goes down very smoothly, with that hint of hops to let you know it isn't that run-of-the-mill beer you'd find at a sports bar. However, one tip we had received from one of their representatives, Taylor, is to try this particular brew in the shower. It seemed a bit odd at first, but evidently it is a thing, and who are we to argue with the experts? Needless to say, after a couple of minutes of steaming, the flavor of the hops really starts to come out, accentuating your taste buds during your daily wash. We don't necessarily recommend doing this if a morning shower is your cup of tea, but it is quite the experience to be had.
Moving down the line of taps, we turn to the Dog in the Hunt Amber Lager. Reds and ambers are typically high on the priority list for us, and Dog in the Hunt was not what we had expected. We are used to ambers being brewed as ales, so we were surprised to find this concoction to be a lager. There is a very pleasant scent when first presented, but the blandness in taste cannot be overlooked, even when compared to other lagers. Dog in the Hunt may be an acquired taste, especially given its overwhelming popularity across southern Texas, but we believe a sampler will want to try something different.
Speaking of "something different", time to head to the east for the Sky Trooper IPA. The India Pale Ale is well known for its strong use of hops in order to preserve the brew on a long voyage. Ranger Creek enjoys looking at history to inspire the names of several of their beers, such as the Sky Trooper, which is named after a famous World War II aircraft. Getting back to the beer itself, if you're one that likes your hops, Sky Trooper is definitely for you, as it has a great flavor of hops. Even if you're not used to that overpowering sensation, a nice mix of malts gives this beer a well rounded taste as you sip, taking your taste buds everywhere you expect a beer to go. IPAs are a bit of an acquired taste for those who are new to beer tasting, but this is definitely one brew that is worth enjoying again and again.
Perhaps there is a feeling starting to "brew" that many beers are a bit light on the potency side. How about giving a try of the Wee Heavy Scotch Ale. Ranger Creek is known for distilling whiskey along with brewing beer, and this slightly darker-colored ale is aged within Texas bourbon barrels used for their brand of whiskey. Wee Heavy can seem a "wee heavy" on the potency, as it comes in at a whopping TWELVE percent alcohol content by volume, or ABV. Once you first take a swig of this one, if you're not ready for the strong taste, it's going to pack a punch. Once you get past that initial sensation, this one's going to go down really smoothly from the malts used in this brew. So if you need something a bit stronger at the end of a rough day, Wee Heavy is going to be for you.
So the next time your Internal Compass takes you to Texas, give a try at a few of the beers that Ranger Creek has to offer.
Freedom Rolling brings you yet another review of craft beers. This time, we take a look at three selections from a single brewery, today being the Karbach Brewing Company in Houston, Texas. As always, please ensure that these, or any brews, are enjoyed in accordance with local laws wherever you may be. That being said, let's head down to the Space City and see what they have.
We start this mini-tour by sampling the "Love Street" blonde ale. Love Street was a famous nightclub that existed in the 1960's on the area believed to be the founding of Houston known as "Allen's Landing". Although this brew may not be strong enough to bring you to the state of mind of the aforementioned era, it will certainly be a great match for your taste buds. The mix of malts coupled with a subtle hint of hops allow the beer to go down easily, and is so carefully brewed that it certainly warrants being Karbach's signature beer. Love Street also comes in a light and other fruited varieties, but one sip of the original blonde will have you wanting to try an entire flight of their offerings.
¿Como esta, amigos? Time to do a little "vamanos" off to try Karbach's Mexican lager appropriately named the "Cerveza Especial". The first impression of this beer will make you wonder what sort of macro-brew you just picked up, and the seemingly heavy carbonation makes this particular brew difficult at first. Don't say "adios" to this one on the outset, though, as it is much easier to go down as time goes by. Good things come to those who wait, and Cerveza Especial is well worth it. Although we typically enjoy these brews on their own, another one may be in order with a nice carne asada burrito, or another Mexican food specialty.
Fans of the Houston Astros may recognize this next particular brew, or at least its name. The baseball park is located along Crawford Street downtown, with the so aptly named Crawford Boxes along left field, leading us to one of the area's favorites: Crawford Bock. Once you get over what seems to be heavy carbonation at the time of pour, this mix of malts and hops is a home run for your taste buds. Karbach suggests pairing with your favorite ballpark snacks, but even if you don't have those and you're looking for a nice backyard brew, Crawford Bock may just be the one for you.
So the next time your Internal Compass takes you to Houston, give Karbach Brewing a try. Maybe even take a tour of their facility, or enjoy their Biergarten.
And now for something completely different... Freedom Rolling reviews craft beers from across the country. First, as a quick disclaimer, please ensure that these, or any brews, are enjoyed in accordance with local laws wherever you may be. That being said, what's out there, and is it any good?
We start our journey by heading to San Antonio, Texas, home of the Alamo, the Spurs, and one of the newer locations having brewed for about 13 years as of the time of this writing, Ranger Creek Brewing. For something a little lighter in color, try out their "Love Struck Hefe", a hefeweizen with its name inspired by a Stevie Ray Vaughan song. This one has a very light color and smooth taste, perfect for a day at the beach or other warmer weather get-together. There is a bit of a dry sensation once you've finished a few sips that will make your mouth feel coated and needing some sort of a relief. That aside, it is an above average hefeweizen on the market, and worth trying if it's available in your area.
We now venture off to Fort Collins, Colorado, home of the Odell Brewing Company. Odell's flagship offering is an amber ale called "90 Shilling", a name stemming from an old Scottish beer tax. This particular brew has that familiar copper color one comes to expect from an amber ale, with a hint of a hop taste that may turn off the novice beer drinker from its bite, yet provides a smooth experience for those who regularly enjoy amber ales. Although it isn't the best beer out there, it will certainly rank as one you'll be happy to have once again.
Our last stop takes us to Conroe, Texas, home of Southern Star Brewing since 2007. If you're looking for a good warm weather beer, look no further than the "Bombshell Blonde" American Blonde Ale. This particular brew is very light in color, although the hops will start to hit on first taste. The hops are on the light to moderate level, but will certainly catch you if you're not ready for it. Once you get past the "bite", this beer goes down very smoothly, and is one certainly to enjoy.
So as your Internal Compass takes you across the country, try some of the local craft beers as able, and see how they fare for you.
Copyright 2021-25 Freedom Rolling.
Logo Image Courtesy Clipartmax.com
United States Image Courtesy Simple Maps