Houstonist was there: We helped open the "newery"

Houstonist is just waking up from the glory of last night's Saint Arnold Brewing Co. grand opening party at their new digs at 2000 Lyons Ave., northeast of downtown. Who advised us to bring our long-discontinued half-liter St. Arnold's beer stein?

To be honest, we're a little sad to see the old brewery retired. Houstonist has been to many a birthday party, wedding and wang-dang-doodle in that strip center out on Old Hempstead Highway, but the new brew….. ohhhh shiny! Lookit those perty brand new brewing vessels! As Houstonist's nerd engineer companion said to us, "That's 316 stainless steel!"

The old brewery has seen upwards of 50,000 people a year tour the facility. Back in the old days tours used to be free, but even then the crowds were huge, so Saint Arnold's started charging $5 a head. Tours at the new facility, which start this weekend, will be $7 (but free beer! And a free glass!). The new facility is expected to accommodate 100,000 touring visitors a year. And let us tell you, this place is HUGE. There is plenty of room for the beer Houston loves to grow as they continue to add more brewing vessels and fermenters. At peak production, the brewers expect to make 100,000 kegs a year, 65,000 to 70,000 more kegs than they currently brew (and enough for every person on those tours).

Houstonist was accompanied to the opening party by friends — one is an investor in St. A's and one is a Houston-area teacher. Both gave us some insight into the building. We got to see the top secret investor's bar, a swanky-looking room in the back with a lovely carved wooden bar-top. We also heard the story of how the building, which was once an HISD food distribution facility (a.k.a. a giant freezer and refrigerator) had to be literally thawed out — there were icicles hanging from the ceiling — before it could be inspected. The Saint Arnold crew were recognized by the City of Houston for their efforts in renovating the historic building and also helping encourage growth in the ever-gentrifying EaDo district. But more on that in a minute.

The newery has four floors, but most of the action is in the middle two. The first floor is where the brewing takes place. The second floor, with huge windows looking down to the first floor, is where the tastings are and where parties will take place for those who have rented out the brewery. The company is thinking of using the basement for aging beers, and the third floor, right now it's just filled with storage.

They have a new kegging rig that can fill a keg in 40 seconds — almost as fast as Houstonist can drain one. And the three brew vessels, well they came direct for a bona-fide brewery in Bavaria, along with Wolfgang, a master welder from Germany who is in town a few more weeks to get the whole set-up running. One of the brew vessels had a little accident on it's way to Texas — it hit an overpass "and the overpass won," said David Jenny, who was leading a tour of the new facility. Jenny also said there are rumors of the building being haunted. What, with the souls of old lunch ladies?

To start the party off, members of the City of Houston city council presented Saint Arnold founder Brock Wagner with an official proclamation from Mayor Bill White declaring the day Saint Arnold Day. Then Wagner cut the red velvet ribbon in front of the taps with a pair of tiny utility scissors scrounged up at the last minute.

The ribbon down, it was time to get a drink on. Local businessman Ed Schipul earned the dubious honor of being the first person to break a glass in the new facility. Mayoral candidate Gene Locke showed up to shake hands and kiss babies. Wagner served him a Saint Arnold's Root Beer, telling him that it was brewed with cane sugar instead of HFCS. C'mon Gene! Even Obama enjoys a beer now and then. There were rumors that Locke's opponent Peter Brown was planning an appearance, but Houstonist never saw him.

So what does Houstonist like most about the newery? Two things: It's air conditioned, and there's more than one toilet in the ladies room.

Photos by Houstonist Marc Brubaker

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