For those of you who didn’t give up chocolate, cake or sweets for Lent, we have something you are sure to enjoy! We haven’t posted a dessert recipe in a while, and with Saint Arnold Root Beer on the brain, we came across this unique creation and wanted to share. Today, we’re making Root Beer Bundt Cake from Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito, co-owners of Brooklyn cake shop Baked.

The recipe calls for root beer in the batter and frosting, so you want to be sure to choose a high quality option. What better than a Houston crafted root beer that uses only the finest ingredients? The deliciously sweet, Saint Arnold Root Beer is sure to make a tasty compliment to the recipe’s dark chocolate ingredients. See below for everything you need and step-by-step instructions from SeriousEats.com

Ingredients:

Cake

• 2 cups Saint Arnold Root Beer
• 1 cup dark unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs

Frosting

• 2 ounces dark chocolate (60% cacao), melted and cooled slightly
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 teaspoons salt
• 1/4 cup Saint Arnold Root Beer
• 2/3 cup dark unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar

Topping

• Vanilla ice cream (optional – but do you really want to      pass?)

Procedures

For the root beer Bundt cake:

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Generously spray the inside of a 10-inch bundt pan with nonstick cooking spray; alternatively, butter it, dust with flour, and knock out the excess flour.
2. In a small saucepan, heat the root beer, cocoa powder, and butter over medium heat until the butter is melted. Add the sugars and whisk until dissolved. Remove from the heat and let cool.
3. In a large bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt together.
4. In a small bowl, whisk the eggs until just beaten, then whisk them into the cooled cocoa mixture until combined. Gently fold the flour mixture into the cocoa mixture. The batter will be slightly lumpy–do not overbeat, as it could cause the cake to be tough.
5. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through the baking time, until a small sharp knife inserted into the cake comes out clean. Transfer the pan to a wire rack to cool completely. Gently loosen the sides of the cake from the pan and turn it out onto the rack.

For the root beer frosting:

1. Put all the ingredients in a food processor. Pulse in short bursts until the frosting is shiny and smooth.
2. Use a spatula to spread the fudge frosting over the crown of the Bundt in a thick layer. Let the frosting set before serving, with the ice cream on the side.

This week’s recipe may not involve beer or meat, but it sure is delicious! We sure hope you agree!

Still hurting a bit from Fat Tuesday? We thought you might be. That’s why we’re taking today’s Seasonal Brew blog in a slightly different direction. Rather than highlighting a seasonal beer, we’re actually going to talk about two equally satisfying non-alcoholic options – O’Douls and Saint Arnold Root Beer.

First up, if you’re craving the flavor of beer, but want to take a break from the alcohol, we always recommend O’Douls. The malt beverage is available in premium and amber varieties and contains high-quality ingredients, including barley malt, domestic and imported whole cone hops, brewer’s yeast and select grains. It tastes like a great beer, but unlike other brews, the alcohol is gently removed after the maturing process. In the end, you have a delicious non-alcoholic option that you can enjoy without the headache.

For something on the sweeter side, try Saint Arnold Root Beer. Made with Imperial Cane Sugar, vanilla extract and a few secret ingredients, the root beer offers an irresistible treat guaranteed to delight almost any set of taste buds. Plus, all you need is a scoop of vanilla ice cream and the beverage doubles as dessert! Pretty sweet, don’t you think?

Whether you’re giving up alcohol for one day or 40, both of the options above should help curb those cravings!

Hope you had a fantastic Mardi Gras, Pint Jockeys!

Can’t make it to the Mardi Gras celebrations in Southeast Texas or the Big Easy? No problem!  Today’s post will help you create your own festive party at home. All you need is good Cajun food, tasty beer and great friends!

Here’s our suggestion for the food and drink – Dirty Shrimp in Butter-Beer Sauce over rice, served up with Dixie Lager.  As you all know, Dixie Brewing originated in New Orleans, making it the drink of choice for the Mardi Gras season. In addition, the crisp and flavorful beer, crafted from lightly roasted two-row barley malts, rice and Cascade hops will pair very nicely with the spicy cayenne pepper and rich butter of the shrimp.  

Today’s recipe from Food.com has received rave reviews and it’s no wonder why. It has everything needed to create the ultimate rich, Cajun dish, including:

• 2 lbs shrimp , shelled and deveined   
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 2 teaspoons garlic , minced
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• ½ teaspoon salt , to taste
• ½ teaspoon black pepper , to taste
• ½ cup Dixie Lager Beer.
• Rice of your choice

Once you you’ve gathered everything you need, cooking is as easy as 1, 2, 3…

1. Saute garlic and herbs in butter until garlic is slightly browned.
2. Add shrimp, stirring constantly, until shrimp are pink and done. (Meanwhile, boil your rice!)
3. Pour in beer, simmer 1 minute more, and serve!

You’ll notice, this dish calls for a lot of spice, so if you’re wanting a more mild version, we recommend cutting the cayenne pepper to ¼ teaspoon and upping the beer as you see fit. For Mardi Gras, the shrimp is best served over rice with a side of French bread, however, you can make slight modifications to the recipe and serve it up with grilled vegetables or even pasta.

With the food and drink covered, all you need now is the company. This delicious recipe will feed four to six of your friends, so call them over and have yourself an authentic Mardi Gras celebration!

 Hey Pint Jockeys!

We’ve been so wrapped up in all of the Mardi Gras festivities here in Southeast Texas that we almost forgot about another very important date that’s right around the corner – Texas Independence Day! Luckily, the Pint Jockey’s February tasting event, scheduled for TOMORROW evening, is all about Texas and will give attendees the chance to find their favorite Texas-brewed beer just in time to for the big day on March 2!

As Texans, we love our state. Of course, one of the things we love most is our abundance of quality beer. Representing the Texas brewers during tomorrow’s tasting will be Rahr & Sons, Saint Arnold, Southern Star and Zeigenbock. We’ve included a brief description of all the beers below.

• Rahr & Sons Iron Thistle – There’s a reason why we named this the February BOTM! This dark, seasonal Scottish ale has a bold taste dominated by a smooth, sweet maltiness and a touch of hoppy bitterness.  Deep, dark brown in color, the brew is crafted from warrior hops, Vienna, crystal and chocolate malts creating a deeply malty, nutty and caramel flavor. 

• Saint Arnold Spring Bock – Brewed to a high starting gravity and high alcohol content, this true German-style Bock celebrates the coming of spring. This big, deeply flavored lager has been aged to create a smooth, malty taste with a hint of sweetness. A light addition of German hops balances the malt flavor. 

• Saint Arnold Brown Ale – The full, malty body and deep copper brown ale was released in 1995 to commemorate the brewery’s one-year anniversary.  Brown Ale is brewed with five different types of malts and has hints of chocolate and a touch of sweetness creating the perfect balance.

• Ziegenbock – This American-style amber lager has a beautiful dark amber color with notes of roasted grains in the aroma and a sweet smooth taste with a balanced hop finish.

• Rahr & Sons Snowmaggedon – A tribute to the rebuild of Rahr & Sons brewery from the snowstorm in Fort Worth on Feb. 12, 2010.  This seasonal American, double imperial stout comes in at 10.00% ABV and pours a deep brown color with light brown hues.  Some slight roasted notes are present along with a bit of coffee and a touch of chocolate and malt taste.

• Southern Star Bombshell Blonde – This American Blonde Ale from Southern Star Brewing Company is a rich, creamy, golden-colored ale fermented at a cool temperature to give a clean finish.  Hints of yeasty bread and a touch of hops combine to make a beer that is truly more than the sum of its parts.  

As this is our seasonal post, we’ll have to call special attention to our Beer of the Month, Iron Thistle and Saint Arnold’s Spring Bock. Both are delicious, but we encourage you to come on out and taste for yourself. If you haven’t attended a previous tasting, the events are open to attendees ages 21 and up and held at the Del Papa Distribution Centers in Galveston, Beaumont and Victoria. For more information, click here.

Come get a jump-start on the last weekend of Mardi Gras and gear up for Texas Independence Day.  Two great reasons to join!

Bottom’s up fellow Pint Jockeys! We look forward to seeing you tomorrow!

Saint Arnold Brown Ale is a full, malty body and deep copper brown ale.   This delicious brew is made with five different types of malts and has hints of chocolate and a touch of sweetness creating the perfect balance. Brown Ale was released in 1995 to commemorate the brewery’s one-year anniversary and is thankfully, a year-round brew at Saint Arnold Brewing Company.

If you’re in the Beaumont, Galveston or Victoria, Texas area next Thursday, sample this brew along with Saint Arnold Spring Bock, Rahr & Sons Iron Thistle, Rahr & Sons Snowmaggedon, Southern Star Bombshell Blonde and Ziegenbock at the Pint Jockeys free monthly tasting event.

Saint Arnold Brown Ale Shrimp and Chicken Etouffee for Mardi Gras

Photograph by Marcus Nilsson

Ingredients

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 pound Andouille sausage, diced

4 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken

Kosher salt

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

4 stalks celery, diced

1 large onion, diced

1 green bell pepper, chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

4 cups chicken broth

1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

1/2 bottle of Saint Arnold Brown Ale

Freshly ground black pepper

8 tbsps. unsalted butter

2 bay leaves

Directions

Heat a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the vegetable oil and Andouille sausage and cook, stirring until crisp, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Season the chicken with salt, then add to the pot in batches to brown, 5 minutes per side. Transfer to the plate with the Andouille sausage.

Make the roux:  Remove the pot from the heat and cool slightly. Return the pot to medium heat. Sprinkle in the flour, add butter and stir, scraping up the browned bits from the pan with a wooden spoon.

Continue to cook, stirring until the mixture turns a deep brown, 10 to 12 minutes. Add the bay leaves, celery, onion, bell pepper, garlic, cayenne, and salt to taste. Cook, stirring until the vegetables are tender, 6 to 8 minutes.

Whisk in the broth. Return the chicken and Andouille sausage to the pot, add Saint Arnold Brown Ale, and simmer until the chicken is cooked through about 25 minutes. Stir in the shrimp.  Cook until the shrimp turn pink, 2 to 3 more minutes. Season with salt and black pepper and serve with rice.

Enjoy with Saint Arnold Brown Ale.

Saint Arnold Bitter Belgian

Bitter Belgian is an alternate version of Saint Arnold Elissa IPA made with Belgian Trappist yeast.  A limited supply of 60 barrels (approximately 20,000 12-ounce servings) of Saint Arnold Bitter Belgian will be released on tomorrow and will be available on tap at the brewery (for weekday tours only) as well as at select bars and restaurants throughout Texas.

According to Saint Arnold, the concept behind the Moveable Yeast series is to focus on the flavor contribution of yeast. This release was created by brewing a regular batch of Saint Arnold Elissa IPA, which debuted in 2004, and splitting the wort (unfermented beer) into two 60 barrel fermenters. One fermenter was pitched with the usual Saint Arnold yeast to make Saint Arnold Elissa IPA and the second fermenter was pitched with Belgian Trappist yeast to create Saint Arnold Bitter Belgian.

“I encourage everyone to start by appreciating the aroma, which is full of cloves with a grapefruit undercurrent,” said Saint Arnold founder/brewer Brock Wagner who has used these same tasting techniques as a judge at the Great American Beer Festival. “When you put it up to your mouth it is basically an explosion of flavor, full of malt, spice and hops. The notes from the Belgian Trappist yeast work very well with the big Cascade flavor.”

Wagner encourages craft beer enthusiasts to try Bitter Belgian side-by-side with Elissa IPA to get the full impact of the Belgian Trappist yeast (and so do we!)

Saint Arnold Moveable Yeast Series

Saint Arnold originally launched the Moveable Yeast series in the summer of 2010.  The brews in the Moveable Yeast series were greeted with rave reviews and strong demand as craft beer enthusiasts enjoyed learning about the significant role yeast plays in influencing the aroma and flavor of craft beer. The reception for the first beer in the series, Saint Arnold Weedwacker – a Lawnmower kölsch with Bavarian hefeweizen yeast — proved so popular that the brewery added it to its year-round lineup.

The second brew of the Moveable Yeast series was Altared Amber in November 2010.  Farmer Brown’s Ale was later added in February 2011. The series was then put on hiatus because of production demands at the brewery.  Bitter Belgian now completes the series.

Unfortunately, Saint Arnold Bitter Belgian will not be bottled. Look for the brew to start showing up on draft in select bars and restaurants throughout Texas at the end of next week.  Get it while you can because supplies will be limited!  If you’re one of the lucky ones to try Bitter Belgian this month, make sure to leave us a comment and let us know what you think of the brew.

It’s a fact that Super Bowl Sunday is now considered an American national holiday with an average audience of 111 million viewers.  Since Super Bowl Sunday is the second largest day for U.S. food consumption after Thanksgiving Day, we’re dedicating this Foodie Friday to the American national holiday with fun facts and a perfect guacamole recipe.

Super Bowl Sunday Fun Facts

• More than 1.25 billion chicken wings are consumed during Super Bowl Sunday.

• Domino’s Pizza delivers 9 million pieces of pizza to hungry viewers.

• It takes lots of spuds to make the 11.2 million pounds of potato chips that fans will be munching on in front of the television during the big game.

• It’s not just potatoes that make great chips. Tortilla chips also get some respect at the Super Bowl snack table with 8.2 million pounds of them consumed by fans.

• Hot diggity dog! That’s what fans said in 2009 when 55,200 hot dogs were consumed at the stadium in Tampa Bay when it hosted Super Bowl XLIII.

• It’s not just the pizza delivery guys who will be ringing doorbells. It turns out that roughly 48 million Americans will order takeout or delivery food from a restaurant instead of cooking up grub at home according to the National Restaurant Association.

• Popcorn isn’t just for movie watching.  More than 3.8 million pounds of popcorn will be munched on by fans during the Super Bowl.

• All that food needs to be washed down with something. Approximately 51.7 million cases of beer are sold to quench Super Bowl fans. 

• Beer sales will increase by $17.9 million during Super Bowl week. 

• Pretzels – the salty Super Bowl treat will be served up in enough homes and bars to equal 4.3 million pounds consumed by fans.

• The average number of people at a Super Bowl party is 17.

• The Super Bowl is the second most watched sporting event in the world. The first is soccer’s Champions League Final.

• Football fans are nuts for nuts. Whether it’s peanuts, cashews, pistachios or any other nuts, 2.5 million pounds of the salty snack will make its way to our snack tables.

• Super Bowl Sunday is the most popular grilling day of winter with 62% of owners firing up the grill — even if it means they have to shovel a path to get to it.

• Don’t worry if you feel a little sick after your gluttonous partying. Antacids sales are expected to increase 20% on the day after Super Bowl. So at least you can commiserate with others.

• Six percent of Americans will call in sick on Monday following Super Bowl Sunday.

• Approximately 54% of Americans will consume coffee the morning following Super Bowl Sunday.

• And last but not least, guacamole has pushed avocado sales to 30 million pounds on two days a year: Super Bowl Sunday and Cinco de Mayo. More than 8,000,000 pounds of guacamole is consumed in the United States on Super Bowl Sunday.  Holy guacamole!

Perfect Guacamole Recipe

Guacamole is a dip made from avocados that originated in Mexico by the Aztecs in the 16th century. The name is derived from two Aztec Nahuatl words – ahuacatl (avocado) and molli (sauce). The trick to perfect guacamole is using good, ripe avocados. Check for ripeness by gently pressing the outside of the avocado. If there is no give, the avocado is not ripe yet and will not taste good. If there is a little give, the avocado is ripe. If there is too much of a give, the avocado may be too ripe. In this case, taste test first before using.

Ingredients

• 2 ripe avocados
• 1/2 red onion, minced (about 1/2 cup)
• 1-2 serrano chiles, stems and seeds removed, minced
• 2 tablespoons cilantro leaves, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon of fresh lime or lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
• A dash of freshly grated black pepper
• 1/2 ripe tomato, seeds and pulp removed, chopped

Peel and remove the seed from the avocados.  Mash the avocados in a bowl with a fork or masher.  Add serrano chiles, cilantro, lime or lemon juice, salt and pepper.  Keep the chopped tomato separate until ready to serve.  Just before serving, add the chopped tomato to the guacamole and mix.

Variations

For a very quick guacamole recipe, just take a 1/4 cup of salsa and mix it in with your mashed avocados.

To prevent the guacamole from browning, add either sour cream or keep the avocado seed in the center of the guacamole until just before serving.

Yield: Serves 2-4.

Enjoy with your favorite craft brew.

One Last Thing …

Remember to snap a pic of you and your friends enjoying your favorite craft beer this weekend for a chance to win balcony and after party tickets to Mardi Gras Galveston.  You’ll need those pics to enter the Brews and Beads contest starting on Monday with the Pint Jockeys!

Have a safe and fun Super Bowl weekend!

Rahr & Sons Brewing Company History

The Rahr & Sons Brewing Company was established in 2004 in a warehouse south of downtown Fort Worth by Frederick “Fritz” Rahr and his wife Erin. Fritz Rahr, a former railroad company worker, studied brewing in Germany and at the Siebel Institute.  The brewery began production in the summer of 2004 under its original head brewer Jason Courtney, the 2002 Great American Beer Festival Small Brew Pub Master of the Year.  Today, Rahr & Sons Brewing Company has more than doubled its brewing capacity and has won over fifteen nationally-recognized awards for their brews.  It’s a fact, Rahr & Sons brews are winning brews!

Iron Thistle

Iron Thistle Scotch Ale –This dark, Scottish ale from Rahr & Sons has a bold taste dominated by a smooth, sweet maltiness balanced with a low, hoppy bitterness.  The color is a deep, dark brown.  The warrior hops and Vienna, crystal and chocolate malts give this brew a deeply malty, nutty and caramel tasting note.  Iron Thistle pairs nicely with grilled or steamed vegetables, brie and aged Gouda cheese.

Get this Scottish ale while you can because this seasonal brew is good through February.  Don’t forget to take a pic of you enjoying this brew for bonus points on a chance to win balcony and after party tickets to Mardi Gras in Galveston for the Brews and Beads contest from The Pint Jockeys!  Check our Facebook for more info.

And that’s this month’s feature of BOTM’s up!

Hungry for pizza yet?  Then we have a great grilled pizza recipe that’s so easy to make with one of our favorite Texas brews – Rahr & Sons Texas Red amber lager.  This recipe comes from Steve Wilson in Dallas and he even has a great homemade pizza sauce you can make but we thought it might be easier to use your favorite pre-made pizza sauce so you can have more time to enjoy the game and Texas Red.

Rahr & Sons Texas Red Beer Crust Grilled Pizza

Steve Wilson/DFW.com

Beer pizza dough:

4 cups flour

¼ tsp. instant dry yeast

1 ½ tsp. salt

1 tsp. pizza spices or Italian seasoning

1 bottle Rahr & Son’s Texas Red (room temperature)

Olive oil for rolling dough

Pizza toppings

1 jar of your favorite pizza sauce

Pepperoni (as much as you like)

1 pkg of Italian cheese blend of mozzarella, asiago, provolone and Romano

Fresh mozzarella balls (as many as you like)

Italian sausage

Mushrooms

Preparing the dough is really easy to make but takes 8 to 12 hours to rise so you need to plan ahead. Start out with four cups of flour, 1/4 teaspoon of instant dry yeast and 1 ½ teaspoons of salt. Add a teaspoon of pizza spice (you can also use Italian seasoning.)

Pour room temperature Rahr & Sons Texas Red amber lager into the flour mixture.

Mix dough with wooden spoon then work a little by hand, cover bowl with plastic wrap and leave setting at room temp.  Once pizza dough has risen, refrigerate for an hour to make dough easier to work with.

While dough is in the fridge, sauté the Italian sausage and mushrooms together or separately in a frying pan.  Set aside with other toppings.

Remove dough from fridge and place onto counter lightly covered in olive oil.  Rub a little of the olive oil in your hands in order to work the dough.

Cut dough into four equal pieces.  Place parchment paper on counter before spreading the dough.  Remaining dough can be wrapped in plastic wrap and refrigerated for up to 3 days.

Roll out dough and use a large serving fork to punch holes in the dough. This will help prevent big air bubbles from forming when grilling.

Grill the Crust

Prepare the grill for high heat.

When the coals are hot, have all of your toppings ready near the grill.

Transfer the rolled out dough on the parchment paper from the counter to the grill.

The easiest method for grilling pizza is to par-bake the crust: grill one side just long enough to firm up the crust so you can move it easily. By taking it off the heat, you can take your time arranging the toppings and are less likely to burn the bottom of the pizza.

Begin by placing one dough round on the grill.

You can oil the grill’s grate but it’s not necessary.  Once the crust has set, after about three minutes, it should be easy to pull off the heat with tongs, a spatula or your fingers. Don’t worry if it droops a little through the grate–it’ll firm up fast.

After two to three minutes, give it a little tug.  It should move easily. If it sticks, give it another minute or so.

When the crust is set, remove it from the grill and transfer it to a plate or pizza pan.  Flip it over so the “done” side is up, brush that side with a little olive oil and add your toppings. Place onto grill and cook until cheese is melted.

Repeat the process with the rest of the dough rounds.

If this is a group effort, friends and family can start topping the pizzas while you grill the crusts.

Enjoy with Rahr & Sons Texas Red.

Magic Hat Encore (Seasonal) – This genre-blending mix of an American wheat beer and a traditional India Pale Ale returns for a second season. Encore is hopped and dry-hopped with Simcoe and Amarillo hops, and has a pleasant grapefruit aroma that compliments its subtly sweet malty backbone.  Get it while you can before it goes into hiatus until next fall.

Magic Hat Howl (Seasonal) – If you’re not familiar with Howl, it’s Magic Hat Brewing Company’s take on the traditional German schwarzbier or “black beer.” The first schwarzbiers were brewed in the Saxony region of German in the 14th century. This black-as-night winter lager has dark, roasted malts with hints of chocolate and coffee.  The deeply dark and satisfying elixir consists of a light-to-medium body that is perfect for late-night sessions and is a delicious pour. If you’re in the mood for some bread baking, check out the Oaty Howl Brown Bread recipe with Magic Hat Howl.

Magic Hat Ravell (Seasonal) – Magic Hat’s English ale porter is brewed with whole vanilla beans, Apollo hops and pale, crystal and chocolate malts.  This seasonal brew is available October through January so hurry and get it while you can.  Need some more temptation? Check out the video on Magic Hat’s Web Site for a demonstration of this vanilla infusion goodness or stock up on it for a delicious Ravell Molten Brownie recipe you can make for your sweetheart on Valentine’s Day.  Consider yourself warned – may be addictive.

Although this brew is year round, we can’t mention Magic Hat without the #9. Not quite a pale ale, this elixir is impossible to describe and is a brew “cloaked in secrecy.” The mysterious ale is dry, crisp and fruity, and there is nothing quite like it.  Cascade and Apollo hops with pale, crystal malts make the unique brew quite magical.  And if you’re hankering to do some cooking with this magical elixir, check out some recipes here.

Last but not least, Magic Hat Circus Boy makes it to this week’s blog because we can’t get enough of it.  If you’ve checked out our Beer Of The Month (BOTM) blog, you’ll know that Circus Boy is the year round brew to try during January.  Magic Hat Brewing Company refers to their Circus Boy as THE Hefeweizen of American-style Hefeweizen brews.  The noticeable lemon and mildly spicy aroma sets the tone for this refreshingly crisp, wheat ale and is considered Magic Hat’s most popular elixir.

Have you tried these magical brews, yet?  What are you waiting for?