Beer Man: Shiner Homespun goes down easy
Beer Man is a weekly profile of beers from across the country and around the world.
This week: Shiner Homespun Cream Ale
Spoetzl Brewery, Shiner, Texas
Spoetzl Brewery is one of the oldest breweries in the U.S., opening in 1909 and famous for its Shiner brand. It has produced a number of excellent brews through the years, including Bohemian Black Lager, Oktoberfest, FM 966 farmhouse ale, Wicked Ram IPA, Holiday Cheer and others.
Homespun Cream Ale is a style that is somewhat an ale version of a lager beer. The style definition is a bit confusing because the main ale yeast may or may not be mixed with lager yeast, or cold conditioning after fermentation may or may not be involved.
What all the methods have in common, however, is to produce a light session beer that is not overly malty or hoppy.
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The 5% ABV Homespun is a good example of the style, starting with its fluffy white head and golden body. There was a nice fresh grain flavor to the ale, with slight malt sweetness to the flavor. What stood out is that although it had a soft mouthfeel, it was still well carbonated.
There are many times when I’m not in the mood for strong, odd-flavored or hoppy beers — I just want a simple, well-made beer that goes down easy. Homespun fulfills that need. Spoetzl has wide distribution in nearly every state, so Homespun should be easy to find.
A more limited, but also delicious session beer is Copper Stag Amber Alt from One Barrel Brewing Co. of Madison, Wis. (5.3% ABV, www.onebarrelbrewing.com/). I was surprised to find this beer at my local convenience store, which is not a place known for gourmet beers.
Alt (old) beer originated in Germany when the only yeast available was ale yeast, before the discovery of lager yeast, which ferments drier and with less fruity esters.
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The style is marked by an intense malt background without much sweetness. Copper Stag differs slightly from the classic style by using more chocolate and caramel-type malts to provide the amber color and more flavor complexity.
One Barrel started four years ago and received its name because the beers were made one barrel at a time. It has grown since then and started bottling, but is for now only available in Wisconsin. Copper Stag is a limited release, and if I found it in a convenience store in a town of 350 people, it should be readily available, especially in larger markets in the state.
Many beers are available only regionally. Check the brewer's website, which often contains information on product availability by mail. Contact Todd Haefer at beerman@postcrescent.com. To read previous Beer Man columns, click here.