Texas: Don't Mess with Shiner Bock

Yesterday we went on a work bender, day trip to Houston, Texas. The cab picked us up promptly at 5:30 am for a 7:30 am out of BWI. By mid-morning we were in Texas where remarkably few people wanted to discuss the possibility of secession. Back at the the George Bush Intercontinental Airport by late-afternoon we decided there is no better state than Texas to introduce our 50 Beers in 50 States agenda.

Councourse E of GBI Airport has Pappadeux Seafood Kitchen, which we understand to one of the gem's of Houston. You can't always find a local restaurant in an airport so we ponied up a seat and quenched our thirst with Shiner Bock. Shiner is not hard to find in our part of the country but it's a brewery worthy of kicking off this tradition. The Spoetzel Brewery has been in Shiner, Texas since 1909 and even today it's a small town of around 2,000 residents. Shiner Bock is a smooth beer (the brewers appropriately call it mellow) that's highly drinkable. It would make for a good, everyday beer for any self-respecting Texan.

You will not find a lot of details on the brew itself as this series is more about the beer complimenting the atmosphere. Drinking Bock in Houston - even if it's only in the airport, in a seafood kitchen rather than a steakhouse - makes you feel like a Texan. After several Bock's we took a long nap on the flight home dreaming of F-150's, ZZ Top, and our next trip to the Lone Star State.