Saint Arnold Brewing Co., Houston’s best known brewery and the oldest craft brewery in Texas, today releases the next in its highly anticipated Bishop’s Barrel series, Saint Arnold Bishop’s Barrel No. 13. This release is a Belgian Quadrupel and it happens to be an aged version of a previously released beer, Saint Arnold Divine Reserve No. 13. The good guys and gals at Saint Arnold Brewing aged DR13 for 13 months in bourbon barrels from Woodford Reserve to create the distinct flavor indicative of the beers in the Bishop’s Barrel series.
Saint Arnold Divine Reserve No. 13 was originally released in 2013 and, like all of the beers in the DR series, it was enthusiastically received. The beer earned high critical acclaim from the craft beer community, earning an overall rating of 93 on Ratebeer.com and 91 on Beer Advocate. Divine Reserve 13 was brewed using Munich, CaraVienne and Chocolate malts to create a big, wonderful brew with a complex flavor profile. With such high praise for Divine Reserve 13, it only seemed fitting that it would eventually become part of the Bishop’s Barrel series.
“The idea for this beer started in 2013 when we filled a few bourbon barrels with Divine Reserve No. 13 and set them aside to age for a rare beer tasting event that coincided with our 20th anniversary in 2014,” said Saint Arnold brewer Stephen Rawlings, the man responsible for the recipe. “We had such positive feedback that we added this to the barrel program. Aging in the bourbon barrels brings out all the bourbon flavors – vanillas and fruity character that’s almost like jam that all works together beautifully.”
Saint Arnold Bishop’s Barrel No. 13 is available in 12 ounce bottles and on draft. It is best if served between 50 and 55 degrees because these temperatures bring out unique aromas and flavors. It’s going to be a highly sought after beer, that is for certain. Unfortunately, due to the limited quantities produced from the barrels, Saint Arnold Bishop’s Barrel No. 13 will only be distributed to pubs and restaurants throughout Texas and Louisiana. It will not be available in stores or in other states. And while Bishop’s Barrel No. 13 can be aged, consumers need to bear in mind that the beer has already been aged for more than a year and is designed to be consumed and enjoyed right now.
For those looking forward to future Bishop’s Barrel releases, Saint Arnold Brewing has some delicious treats in store. Aging as we speak are Imperial Stout aged in bourbon barrels, Barleywine aged in Rye Whiskey barrels, Sorachi Ace Dubbel Aged in Red Wine barrels with brettanomyces, Old Ale aged in white wine barrels with cherries and brettanomyces, and Adambier aged in bourbon barrels.
Here are some quick Bishop’s Barrel 13 Specifications:
Date Brewed: January 21, 2015
Date Racked: February 20, 2015
Date Bottled: March 9, 2016
Barrel Type: Woodford Reserve Bourbon Barrels
Original Gravity: 1.100
Final Gravity (after barrel aging): 1.025
Alcohol: 12.0% ABV after barreling
Bitterness: 20 IBUs
About Saint Arnold Brewing Company
Saint Arnold Brewing’s 16 brews are made and sold by the company’s staff of 80 dedicated employees. Ranked 46th on the Brewers Association list of top craft breweries, Saint Arnold was listed by USA Today as one of the “10 great places to see what’s brewing in beer,” and Smart Meetings magazine named it among the “Top 5 breweries to host an event.” Saint Arnold is located at 2000 Lyons Avenue and its brewery tour and tasting is offered every weekday at 3:00 P.M. and Saturdays starting at 11 A.M. For more information on Saint Arnold’s eight year-round and five seasonal beers as well as root beer, log on to www.saintarnold.com.
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