Tag: Texas

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Review – Rick’s Near Beer vs. Al’s Classic

The very retro can of Rick’s Near Beer goes up against Al and his classic. Who will come out on top?

Rick’s – lighter color with not a lot of bubbles. aroma is malty with a young / green smell. the taste is led by the usual N/A thinness which is followed by a nice crispness and corn flavor. overall a bit bland though inoffensive but lacks the pop that I associate with a Pils.

Al’s – much bubblier yellow which I take as a good sign. quite a weird smell to it almost like masa. this is even thinner but it has an herbal, sweet tart hoppiness which adds a second layer of interest.

I would probably choose the Al’s by a hair. It would have been less close if it had more heft to it and did not have that smell.

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Rick’s Near Beer

I am glad to see that the Non-Alcoholic beer realm continue to grow. The more that come in, the better your beer has to be or your branding has to be. I have reviewed many N/A beers (and I will review Rick’s Near Beer as well) but first let’s hear from Josh Hare about this new near to beer pilsner.

1. What do you think has been missing from non-alcoholic beers that Rick’s provides?

Among the current offerings of non-alcoholic beer on shelves, the vast majority of them just taste like a malty drink with some of the flavors you could associate with beer. Very few of them taste like actual beer. We’re incredibly proud that our product tastes like a beer because it is an actual beer and we think our customers will recognize that immediately. Our product begins just like any other beer, brewed with high-quality malted barley, hops, brewers yeast, and Rocky Mountain water. It goes through a standard fermentation cycle, and then the alcohol is gently removed to maintain the flavor and structural integrity of the beer. All of the flavor, mouthfeel, and refreshment that you expect from a high-quality beer is all there, the only thing missing is the alcohol.   

2. What has been the most challenging aspect of brewing near beer vs. the regular method?

The processes and equipment required to produce best-in-class non-alcoholic beer are incredibly expensive and difficult to access. Finding the right partners to access that equipment and produce our beers was a big challenge. The other challenge is shelf stability due to the lack of the antimicrobial nature that alcohol provides. In order to keep our product stable and tasting the best possible, access to top-of-the-line pasteurization was a necessity for us. In my 12 years of brewing beer, I’ve never needed to use any of the equipment required to produce Rick’s Near Beer. It has been a challenge but also a ton of fun and we’re so stoked with how the beers turned out!

3. Is there a Pint & Plow pilsner that is a cousin of sorts to the near beer?

Not exactly. At Pint & Plow our flagship beer, San Y’bon Lager has been our top seller consistently since we opened in 2016. I’ve been brewing lager beer for almost a decade and Rick’s Original is definitely a reflection of that experience and many lessons learned along the way.

4. Are there other N/A beers being made in Texas currently?

The only Texas breweries that I know of making a commercially available non-alcoholic beer are Karbach Brewing in Houston and Community Beer Co. in Dallas.

5. Los Angeles has a store that sells only N/A versions of beer, wine and spirits is that a sign that the market for this is ready to expand?

I think so! I’ve read of a few more stores just like that opening across the country and the trend is very exciting. Every grocery store chain is starting to dedicate more and more of their shelf space to non-alcoholic beer and I think that expanding those options for beer drinkers is a good thing all around. I believe in competition and can’t wait to get Rick’s onto grocery store shelves this coming Spring among the other options out there. I’m confident we’ll be able to stand up against the top NA brands in the country with both the quality of our product as well as the quality of our brand and engagement with our customers.

6. What has the initial reaction been to the beer, did you win over skeptics?

Initial reactions have been incredible! The most consistent comment has been, “this tastes like an actual beer when everything else I’ve tried is kind of bland”. Some of my closest friends even commented “I was preparing myself to try and give the most polite feedback that I could but I was positive that I wasn’t going to like it. You changed my mind!”

The reaction to our brand and design has also been exciting to see. Customers are really enjoying the nostalgia and the clean look and feel of our branding. It feels like something that has been around for decades but also feels fresh and new. 

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Hope to Visit Brewery # 2 – Jester King

Jester King Brewery not only has widely renowned beers but they also have a farm, a kitchen and lodging, so of course it belongs on any beer fans bucket list to make a visit to Texas.

Here are a few of the beers that I would sample…

Grim Harvest – farmhouse ale fermented with blackberries

Figlet – farmhouse ale with smoked figs. collaboration with Franklin Barbecue

Dry Hopped Oat Saison – dry-hopped oat saison fermented with yeast harvested near Big Bend national park

and to top it off, a few tasters of their Spon series of beers.

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Four Corners – Interview

  1. Why come to Los Angeles in 2019?

Los Angeles has a thriving craft beer scene and one of the nation’s largest Hispanic populations, so bringing our flagship El Chingón IPA and El Grito Lager here is the perfect next step in the Four Corners Brewing Co. journey. We bring together the culture of craft brewing with Mexican-American bicultural heritage, creating flavorful craft beers accompanied by vibrant lotería-inspired branding. Four Corners is perched at the intersection of the growing popularity of traditional Mexican import beers and the innovative nature of craft brewing. This blend results in a craft brewery with the ability to appeal to L.A.’s wide range of culturally diverse beer drinkers.

2. Can you give us the origin story of Four Corners Brewing

Four Corners is our collective beer journey that has taken us from being better-beer enthusiasts and home brewers to launching and nurturing our brand in Texas for more than seven years. Four Corners was founded in 2012 in an effort to elevate craft beer culture in our hometown of Dallas. Our goal was to reflect the diversity of the neighborhood and bring together creative groups of people to celebrate a common passion.

Before founding Four Corners, Co-Founders Greg Leftwich, Steve Porcari and I had become enamored by the American craft beer movement and were inspired to share our passion with others. Our true beginning goes back to Porcari’s home garage where we gained a deeper appreciation of the styles, ingredients and brewing processes as home brewers.

We’re proud and excited that our journey now provides the opportunity to brew our bold, delicious beers in San Diego and raise a pint with the people of Los Angeles and Southern California.

3. What is the flagship beer for Four Corners and will it translate to the LA market?

We’re bringing two flagship offerings to Southern California– El Chingón IPA and new El Grito Lager. Both are available now throughout Los Angeles and San Diego in colorful seis-packs and on draft at popular bars and restaurants.

We believe our bold brews and Mexican-American inspired branding will appeal to Los Angeles’ bicultural beer drinkers as well as craft fans seeking new experiences. That’s what’s special about Four Corners — our beers hold their own against American craft brewers in terms of flavor and complexity and our vibrant branding attracts bicultural drinkers. 

4. What is the Dallas craft beer scene like in 2019?

When we launched Four Corners in 2012 in Dallas,there were only a handful of breweries in the state and only two in the entire North Texas region. These days, there are more than 250 craft breweries in Texas. We’re proud that Four Corners helped pioneer and shape the burgeoning craft beer scene in North Texas and added a unique dimension to the Texas craft beer landscape.

5. What has been the impact of Constellation for the brewery?

We’ve embraced our partnership with Constellation Brands. It has provided the opportunity to share our beer with more people, first throughout Texas and now in Los Angeles and San Diego.

Our standard of brewing has remained unchanged because our management team and employees have continued delivering the same innovative and fresh flavors consumers enjoy today.

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Featured Review – El Chingon IPA from Four Corners Brewing

I received a pair of media sample beers from Four Corners out of Texas so I started with their canned IPA.

Pours a clear orange color. Aroma is old school pine / grassy. Getting orange jello touch of sweet tart in the taste.  This is very West Coast.  Big malt presence balances out the action. To me this is pretty darn close to a red IPA which I would like to see more of.

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Houston Brewery # 3 – 160Ft Brew Works


Our final stop in Houston is at 160Ft Beer Works. Which is unfortunately not open currently due to the flooding from Harvey.

And instead of sending thoughts and prayers, (which are nice and all, but…) how about planning how you would help out your local brewery if a natural disaster struck. Do you have a special skill that would help a brewery get back up and running or could you show and help dig out or clean?

I certainly hope 160Ft. is able to open soon so that people could have beers like the following:

Re-Connect with your beer
Mo’ Money, Mo’ Honey – Honey Malt Hefeweizen
Texas Malt Ale- Ol’ Vintage Malt
Black Gold- Black Sour Hefe
Battle of Chocolate Town – Year-Round Stout