Beer Festivals Culture

Houston Firkin Fest – Preview

The third annual Houston Firkin Fest will be held on April 30 at Hennessey Park next to Saint Arnold brewery. So, what exactly is a firkin? According to Webster Dictionary a firkin is, “a small cask used chiefly for liquids, butter, or fish.” It is also a specific size holding 72 imperial pints or 10.79 US gallons (because this is America after all). It can be wooden or metal, and if you’ve ever seen one tapped, you would probably remember it. To open the air sealed firkin, the cask is laid on its side and a spout is driven into it with a mallet. It’s pretty cool if you ask me and one of the exciting things to watch for at the festival.

Why would a brewery use a firkin over a regular keg? Well, the firkin lends itself better to allowing natural conditioning and makes the beer have a smoother finish because of the lack of CO2 needed. It is also an outlet for a brewery to try something special like adding fruit, chocolate, coffee, spices or any other adjunct that the brewery wants to experiment with. Breweries now a days seem to like to use these to add an adjunct to a beer that they commonly brew, and that is what makes this festival so exciting. These beers will be unique. Yes, some of the breweries will have firkins of something they regularly sell, but just putting that in the firkin will change it a bit. In addition, this year there will we a draft wall with 10 limited releases from the participating breweries.

Speaking of participating breweries, it’s a who’s who of the Texas craft beer scene. The festival is actually run by the Texas Craft Brewers Guild, so in many ways it’s the breweries putting this on. The following breweries are planning on participating: Real Ale Brewing Company, Saint Arnold Brewing Company, Freetail Brewing Co., Deep Ellum Brewing Company, Brigadoon Brewery & Brew School, (512) Brewing Company, Cycler’s Brewing, Karbach Brewing Co., No Label Brewing Co., 8th Wonder Brewery, Lone Pint Brewery, New Republic Brewing Company, Southern Star Brewing Company, Brazos Valley Brewing Company and Buffalo Bayou Brewing Company.

Check back as the festival nears as we will update this article with the full beer list, and check back after the festival as I will be writing up a review. I’d love to hear about what you’re drinking and enjoying most that day. So, write a comment after the festival, or better yet, come say hello if you see me; I’ll be out there enjoying it.

Firkin List:

(512) Brewing Company (512) Indian Pale Ale

(512) Six Anniversary Dubbel 8th Wonder Brewery Peanut Butter Chocolate Rocket Fuel

Haterade Brigadoon Brewery & Brew School Black Plague Ale (Aged in a Ranger Creek Whiskey Barrel) Buffalo Bayou Brewing Co. Mao Cowbell

Maple Chili Jam Cycler’s Brewing Ryed Hard

55-11 Special Deep Ellum Brewing Company IPA Tongue Punch

Very Berry Dallas Blonde Freetail Brewing Co. Mandarina Helles

Double Cherry Bexarliner Karbach Brewing Company BBH Horchata

Hop Delusion Lone Pint Brewery The Jabberwocky

Gentlemans Relish New Republic Brewing Kacao Kadigan

Dammit I’m Dry No Label Brewing Company Old Fashion Ridgeback Ale

Dark & Stormy 1st Street Blonde Real Ale Brewing Company White (Cask Conditioned White with Fresh Grapefruit)

Real Heavy Saint Arnold Brewing Company Grapefruit Technique

Divine Reserve 15 Southern Star Brewing Deez Hazelnutz

Conspiracy Theory IPA

If you get the urge for more carbonation, this year Firkin Fest is offering some traditional draft options as well.

(512) Brewing Company (512) THREE Cycler’s Brewing Palmares Bourbon Barrel Deep Ellum Brewing Company Numb Comfort Freetail Brewing Co. Cherry Bexarliner Karbach Brewing Company Hellfighter No label Brewing Company Off Label Series: Peanut Butter Chocolate Time! Real Ale Brewing Company Lux Aeterna Saint Arnold Brewing Company Bishop’s Barrel 10 Southern Star Brewing Spring Pils

For more detailed descriptions, check out http://houstonfirkinfest.com/