Brock Wagner and Kevin Bartol started Saint
Arnold Brewing Company in Houston not to compete with the multinational giants,
but rather to make the best beer possible, one batch at a time.
Every Saturday afternoon at 1pm, the pair leads a tour of beer-loving
visitors around the small brewery in a industrial park on Houston’s northside.
“We’re not better than the major (brewers),” Bartol tells the group assembled
in the lobby, “we’re just different. They talk about what’s outside the bottle
(image), we talk about what’s in the bottle.”
After the introductory lecture in the lobby, Wagner takes the group around
the factory following the brewing process. First stop is a chance to smell and
taste the barley and hops. Next stop is the brewing kettle and stainless steel
storage tanks. Along the way he explains the process with the humor and
knowledge of a man who loves his work.
The final stop in the tour is the tasting area and corner gift shop of the
spotless factory. Wagner and Bartol answer questions and explain the intricate
flavors of their three beers as the visitors sample their wares. The brewery
produces an Amber Ale, a British-style pale ale with a reddish color; a Brown
Ale, with a rich, malty flavor and a hint of chocolate; and a Kristall Weizen,
a golden wheat beer.
On June 9, 1994, Saint Arnold Brewing Company rolled out its first kegs to an
eager reception. In two years they have already reached capacity. If they do
not increase their fermenting capacity they won’t be able to make their
Christmas beer, Wagner said.
Wagner and Bartol began their careers together in the banking industry
several years ago. “Kevin hired me for my first job out of college,” Wagner
said. The two wanted to start their own company, but weren’t sure what it
should be. Over a glass of Wagner’s homebrew they hit on the idea of a brewery.
Houston was the largest city in the country without its own microbewery, and
after all, freshness was a key ingredient in beer, Wagner said.
The brewery is named for a French bishop who proclaimed beer to be a gift
from God and encouraged his parishioners to drink beer instead of the untreated
water. Saint Arnold became the patron saint of brewers for his preference for
beer over wine or bacteria-infested water. You can sample the wares of
Houston’s first microbrewery from the grocery shelf, selected pubs, or fresh
from the factory on Saturday afternoons. To learn more about St. Arnold, the
brewery, or upcoming events visit their web site at
http://www.saintarnold.com/saintarnold or call 713/686-9494.
Coming up this week…
Night in Old Fredericksburg Festival celebrates Fredericksburg’s
German and Texas heritage with music, food, horse racing, and a carnival at
Market Square and the fairgrounds, July 19-21. 210/997-6523.
SpaceWeek ’96 at the Space Center in Houston celebrates man’s landing on the
moon, July 20-27. 713/244-2105.
Happy Shahan Festival at Brackettville’s Kinney County Civic Center
honors the man who brought the Alamo and John Wayne to town, July 20.
210/563-9393.
Coming up…
The Great Texas Mosquito Festival Tribute to Willie Manchew in Clute is
a tribute to the world’s largest mosquito with food and entertainment, July
25-27. 409/265-8392.
Texas Jazz Festival brings national and regional jazz bands to stages along
the shoreline and civic center in Corpus Christi, July 26-28. 512/883-4500.
This article appears in July 19 • 1996 and July 19 • 1996 (Cover).
