The Spoetzl Brewery, makers of Shiner Bock, has announced that it will start brewing a light beer.
With Shiner Light, the Spoetzl Brewery in Shiner hopes to take advantage of Texans' growing thirst for light beer and their mounting aversion to carbohydrates."The bottom line is that Texas is a light beer state," said Gary Hudman, Shiner brand manager. "It's been a long time coming."
Shiner Light will debut at the 10th Annual Shiner Bocktoberfest Concert Oct. 18 in Shiner and will be available the following week at stores, bars and restaurants in Texas. Although Shiner products are sold in 23 states and Washington, 85 percent of sales are in Texas.
This is Spoetzl's first new beer since 2001, when Shiner Hefeweizen came out. The brewer has been working on the light beer for four years, Hudman said.
Meanwhile, down in Galveston, there's a guy who wants in on the microbrew business and who's trademarked the name Star Bock, which he said was a combination of Lone Star and Shiner Bock. Not too surprisingly, he's gotten some flak for this.
Plans progressed, and the trademark process was sailing along, until the situation suddenly changed in July. Another brewer -- one not even involved in producing beer -- had taken a keen interest in the small bar's efforts to create Starbock.Starbucks Coffee Company weighed in with all the subtlety of its corporate-colossus status. All Bell had to do to make Starbucks happy was immediately drop his beer's name and destroy all materials containing images of its trademark.
Do that soon, the corporation ordered, or face "other necessary legal action."
UPDATE: Michael has some more about Rex Bell.
Posted by Charles Kuffner on October 02, 2003 to Food, glorious food | TrackBackRex is one of the nicest club owners I've had the privilege to bring a band to, even if the Old Quarter has the smallest stage this side of Keanelly's.
Personally, I think a coffee company named after a Battlestar Galactica character needs to shut up and sit down...
Yes, Katee Sackhoff is a hotter Starbuck than Face ever could've been, but I don't think either of them would have been known for 'coffee'...
Posted by: Michael on October 2, 2003 7:03 PMI wish Shiner would resist the temptation to make "light" i.e. tasteless pisswater beer.
*Real* beer ain't light, and Shiner's has outshined Anheiser Busch and their phoney boch beer (did you know they only market it in Texas?) precisely because they've stuck to the traditional recipes and techniques.
Don't give in, boys, it'd be a shame.
Posted by: UncleBob on October 2, 2003 9:30 PMWell of course they should take some heat for the name Star Bock. Everyone knows the Star Brewery is in Dubuque Iowa.
Posted by: Charles on October 2, 2003 11:15 PMI'm with UncleBob on this one. If God had meant for beer to be light, S/He would have made the process stop sooner naturally. Shiner Bock is one of the beers I treat myself to on payday. As long as they keep brewing it, they're welcome to mess around with whatever else they think the market will bear, but for goodness' sake, Spoetzl, don't buck up the bock!
Starbucks is either the rags-to-riches success story of our era, or the most evil scheme to emerge; I'm not sure which. They've run two of my favorite independent coffee shops out of business by setting up in the very, very near neighborhood, and they occasionally sue people's assets. They also serve good coffee. I just don't like the no-choice choice when I look for java.
Posted by: Steve Bates on October 3, 2003 1:06 AMIt is truly a sad day when we see "light beer" coming out of Spoetzl. Good to see another St. Arnold fan, though! I live a couple of blocks from the St. Arnold brewery and not only is the beer top-notch, the folks that brew it are too.
Didn't remember the "just add water" comment about light beer on their tour (although it doesn't surprise me). I do remember them joking about the manufacturing process for light beer (drink dark beer and 30 minutes later you'll be producing light beer).
"drink dark beer and 30 minutes later you'll be producing light beer" - Naltrexone
LOL. A German-American friend of mine says you don't buy beer, you only rent it.
Posted by: Steve Bates on October 3, 2003 11:36 AMDidn't remember the "just add water" comment about light beer on their tour (although it doesn't surprise me). I do remember them joking about the manufacturing process for light beer (drink dark beer and 30 minutes later you'll be producing light beer).
That may not be part of Brock's standard schtick (though the "why is mainstream American beer like making love in a canoe" joke is, with an aside that he can't say the punchline in front of kids), but I've heard him say it before. And it's certainly true, though the method you suggest is about as effective. :-)
Posted by: Charles Kuffner on October 3, 2003 11:43 AMYeah, I really like the canoe joke.
He does vary up the routine sometimes from week to week. I used to go just about every weekend. But I tried to bring a new friend every time and finally ran out of friends. So I just go occasionally now...
Posted by: naltrexone on October 3, 2003 12:06 PMPersonally, I think a coffee company named after a Battlestar Galactica character needs to shut up and sit down...
I can't believe I'm actually about to defend Starbuck's, but they named the company after a character in Melville's Moby Dick, not after a character in an entertainingly crappy 70's TV show. I agree that they need to shut up and sit down though.
Posted by: FHC on October 3, 2003 3:48 PMpls furnish me with detailed manufacturing process of beer , i would be greatful if you could give a notes/toutorial on BEER
thx
anupam
Wrecks is one of the nicest clubowners I've known in my twenty years of being a musician.
Friday Night, March 26 we're having a benefit show for Wrecks' legal defense fund.
Many fine Texas performers will turn out. If you're too far away to attend, you can still donate to Wrecks' defense fund at his website www.oldquarteracousticcafe.com
Thanks
JB
The arrogance of Starbucks is appalling.They have millions of dollars and over a thousand lawsuits regarding the words Star and Buck.No one came after him when he was opening his first shop in Seattle. Like the Melville decendants or Star furniture, Starman, Star plumbing or Buck Owens. Get real Starbucks. Oh, does the mermaid logo have anything to do with Moby Dick or Walt Disney? I'LL SEE YOU AT THE OLD QUARTER.
Posted by: Jet Whitt on March 20, 2004 5:25 PMOne thing you can do is get a Starbucks customer reply card and write them telling them you won't buy their overpriced products anymore unless they call off the dogs on Wrecks. You're right Jet Whitt--their arrogance is appalling.
Posted by: Pete on May 13, 2004 8:33 PM