Country of Origin: United States
Availability: Year-round, but not nationwide. Only shipped to twenty states in the U.S. (predominantly southern).
Price comparison: More than one would normally pay for major brands down south, but about the same as one would pay for major brands in Connecticut.
Alcohol percentage by volume: Unlisted, but low; at a guess, I'd say between 3 and 4% alcohol.
Cute bottle/label? Standard brown glass twelve-ouncer; yellow and brown label with a front view of a yellow livestocky-looking animal with big curly horns. I don't know what exact species it is; it looked rather like a lion with ram's horns instead of a mane, which doesn't occur in nature, I'm fairly sure. Eventually, someone is going to tell me what it is supposed to be and I will feel extremely stupid for not having recognized it. I've prepared myself for the humiliation.
Appearance: Darkly-hued but transparent amber with a white head. Decent carbonation but not spectacular, spotty lace on the glass.
Scent: Slightly malty; nothing jumped out at me to be compared to anything else. Clean.
Flavor: Less sweet and sticky than I have come to expect from a bock. Light malt and a dry, unremarkable finish.
Impressions: Very fresh, with a thin mouthfeel that, coupled with its low alcohol content, made it quite refreshing. Not as fragrant as a lager, but its lack of complexity reminded me more of that style than of a bock. The industry does not considered Shiner to be a craft beer, but I'd venture to say that it pretty much is. There's no other excuse for a beer to seem this German when it originates in a proudly-patriotic state such as Texas.
Will I buy this beer again? This is what I will drink when I am visiting the southern United States, but it's not readily available in my part of the country. I'm sure the Shiner folks feel I ought to relocate on that basis, but I think it would be a bit more cost-effective if they would just increase their distribution.
Rating:
3½ out of 5 cute beer glasses
Reviewed: May 12, 2005
