Almost since the days of its founding back in 1909, the Spoetzl Brewery, named for its brewmaster Kosmos Spoetzl, has been better known simply as Shiner. This comes thanks to the small town of Shiner, Texas, home to the brewery and to fewer than 2,150 residents. Far and way the best known Shiner brew is their flagship Shiner Bock, a 4.4% ABV roasted dark lager first brewed in 1913 and offered year-round since 1973.
Though Shiner Bock is the best-known Spoetzl Brewery beer (and is in fact the only Shiner beer many people can identify), it is but one of a much larger line of brewed the establishment makes. These include seasonal beers like Shiner Holiday Cheer and Shiner Oktoberfest, as well as year-round brews like Shiner Bohemian Black Lager.
In just the past year, the brewery has made a number of additions to their line of brews, including the seasonal Shiner Sea Salt & Lime Summer Lager. But more exciting than new seasonal was the announcement of two new year-round beers the brewery has just begun to offer nationwide. As of September, 2018, beer drinkers across American can now find Shiner Wicked Juicy IPA and Shiner Day Quencher Session Ale in cans and on tap.
Shiner Wicked Juicy IPA is a drinkable 5.7% ABV ale with a moderate 60 IBU rating and a distinctly citrus fruit kick achieved thanks to generous dry hopping (hops added after the boil) and with a unique mouthfeel thanks to its unfiltered contents. Poured into a glass, this is a handsome brew with an alluring aroma and a flavor to match.
Day Quencher Session Ale is a perfect lawnmower or porch beer thanks to its low 4.6% ABV and its light, quaffable taste. It is rated at a low 18 IBUs, yet retains a light hop aroma thanks to dry hopping and the body is mildly malty. While perhaps best suited to warmer weather, Day Quencher is a fine beer to have on hand for refreshment in any season or for those days or nights when you want to enjoy a third or fourth brew.
(In the interest of editorial disclosure, yes, I drank several of both of these beers before writing this article. But don’t worry, I did so several days prior, so I’m perfectly capable of objectivity at this point.)
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