Spoetzl Wins European Awards

SHINER - Spoetzl Brewery won a total of three medals at the European Beer Star Awards held this past October at the Doemens Academy in Munich.

The winning beers and respective categories were:

• German-Style Märzen: Silver for Shiner Oktoberfest
• Bohemian-Style Schwarzbier: Bronze for Shiner Bohemian Black Lager
• Düsseldorf-Style Altbier: Bronze for Shiner Old Time Alt

Organized by the Association of Private Breweries in Germany, this is the eighth year for the European Beer Star Awards, which included 1113 entries in 49 categories. This is the second consecutive year for Spoetzl to medal at this international competition.

Freetail Purchases Bottling Line

SAN ANTONIO - Freetail Brewing has purchased a commercial bottling line, making them the first brewpub in Texas to install such equipment.

Although current Texas law prohibits brewpubs from selling their products through commercial distributors and retailers, owner and brewer Scott Metzger believes "[e]ventually, the laws unfairly restricting Texas businesses in favor of out-of-state brewpubs will change,” and that this investment will justify itself in the future.

Meanwhile, the bottling line will be used to bottle Freetail's popular seasonal releases in the larger 22-oz format, all of which sell out almost instantly. Bottles should be available for sale only at the brewpub as early as December.

Peticolas Featured in Texas Lawyer

DALLAS - Michael Peticolas of the new Peticolas Brewing currently under development was featured in a recent edition of Texas Lawyer.

A lawyer by trade, Peticolas was profiled as well as interviewed about the quirks of Texas laws for beer and brewing, in particular about the pending suit filed by Jester King against the TABC. Peticolas is currently building a new brewery in Dallas that should be open later this year.