Sr. Arnold (#3 reviewed - Rated 8.25 out of 12)

My first two reviews were disappointing. I reconsidered consuming all this root beer unless I soon found an enjoyable beverage. I rummaged through the remaining 49 bottles and picked the Christmas spirit-looking Saint Arnold Root Beer.

Saint Arnold Brewing Company, named after the patron saint of brewing, Saint Arnulf of Metz, is located in Houston, Texas, and is Texas' Oldest Craft Brewery. The company opened its doors in 1994 and was founded by Brock Wagner and Kevin Bartol, although Kevin has since left the company.

Brock Wagner has a long history with beer. In fact, it starts before he was born. His great-great-great grandfather came from Alsace in the mid-1800s and opened Wagner's Beer Hall in San Francisco (now the oldest existing bar in the city, renamed The Saloon.) Brock grew up in Cincinnati and Brussels, both big brewing towns, where he was exposed to many of the world's beer styles. Then, in college at Rice University, fate (and a friend) introduced him to home brewing. This love of beer and brewing eventually led him to open a microbrewery.

Before starting the brewery, Brock spent six years in investment banking, working on corporate finance, mergers, and acquisitions projects totaling more than $4 billion. Brock graduated from Rice University in 1987 with a BA in Economics.

The founders lived in Houston, Texas, and opening a brewery there made sense because it was the largest city in the country without a microbrewery at the time. Brock was a longtime homebrewer and had considered opening a brewery as far back as college, although that was quickly dismissed as a silly idea. Seven years after graduating, however, Brock revisited the idea and enlisted Kevin's help, and the brewery was off and running.

The company was initially located on the far northwest side of Houston. It operated out of that location for more than fifteen years. In 2008, St. Arnold announced that it planned to move from its current northwest Houston facility to a new facility in the Northside district, north of Downtown Houston. By 2009, the company had purchased a three-story, 104,000-square-foot brick building constructed in 1914, which most recently served as a food service facility for the Houston Independent School District. The prominent location of the new brewery on the highway was critical to its selection. The redevelopment effort was expected to take a year to complete and cost almost $6 million. Due to unforeseen events, such as the theft of copper pipes from the building, the move was delayed and was not completed until 2010.

Since it was from Texas, where, at one time, parents giving children beer was legal, so why did they make a root beer?  The brewer believed this was not a supported practice, so they created a root beer alternative. According to their website, they state:

"Making root beer is much more of an immediate gratification process compared to beer. You heat up some water to dissolve the sugar, then you cool it down and add the root extracts. Most of the extracts are from real plants, but some, such as sassafrass, have pesky carcinogens in them and thus we opted to replace those with artificial flavors. We developed a good root beer base but wanted a great root beer,, so we started playing around with small amounts of other natural flavors. We finally found one that worked great and went with that. We actually make no money on our root beer. We make it for fun and put no effort into selling it. Sales continue to climb on it even without our trying though. Oh well."

Click here for the rating criteria and summary table of brews reviewed. 

Ingredients: Water, cane sugar, caramel color, natural and artificial flavor, vanilla extract, citric acid, and sodium benzoate as a preservative.  

Aroma and Flavor - 2.25 out of 3 mugs

The aroma is pure root beer with a hint of vanilla pleasantry, finished with slight hints of wintergreen and licorice. The first sip was pleasing, yet the finish has a slightly watered-down feel instead of a full-body brew.  

This root beer reminded me of my Taco Bell experiences.  I often crave Taco Bell! I get the first bite, and I am in heaven.  By the second bite, it was still good.  Then, for the third bite, I think about what I am eating. I lose interest and realize it is the same low-quality crap I do not enjoy.  Saint Arnold’s at first has an outstanding root beer, then the enjoyment starts down an icy slope!

Don't get me wrong, this is a delicious root beer.  It has a rich, dark, root-like body that is very creamy. The bite boldly hits me as soon as the brew enters my mouth and lingers.  It needs more staying power. That score is the average of 2.8 at the start and 1.6 at the finish. 

Head - 1.75 out of 3 mugs

Medium head that is foamy and long-lasting. This would be a top-of-the-line root beer for a float.  The Ice Cream would keep the flavor inviting the entire time!   

Zip - 2 out of 3 mugs

The medium-level carbonation was enjoyable, although the flavor punch gives the sensation of a much higher level of carbonation. I am intrigued by the flavor mix, which created a nice zip throughout without overpowering the beverage at the start. 

Post Consumption Impression - 2.25 out of 3 mugs

This is barely transparent and very dark brown. As stated in the flavor/aroma section, the pleasantry changed throughout the consumption.  The post-consumption impression is mixed due to the unique flavor combination.  While I found it boring at the end, I still long for the seasoning used to create this beverage.  The aftertaste is very creamy and lingers, which is to be desired in a great beverage.  

I would repurchase it but share it with a friend, so I only get the great half of this drink.

Would I recommend this at 8.25 out of 12 mugs (6.5 out of 9 mugs without head)?

Yes, I would! It is very traditional and has a very balanced flavor. The solid mix of flavors allows anyone to savor the brew. The brew is smooth without any unpleasant aftertaste. The vanilla extract is the dominant aftertaste, and I love vanilla. I could consider this a “full-flavored” root beer. If you like a strong brew you enjoy over a more extended period, you’ll like this one.

The overall score is 8.25 out of 12 mugs, which is more my preference for a bolder carbonation and vanilla hint. In addition, for the first 5 minutes, it was much closer to an 11, but it wanes toward the end.

OTHER REVIEWS:
The Soda Jerks - A
Cosmo's - Rated 6 of 10
Anthony' Root Beer Barrel - Rated 87
Saw- Whet - 7 of 10