» Saint Arnold adds a brew for charity called Gratuity.
Saint Arnold, the Houston brewery institution, is getting ready to reopen its beer garden June 1. There will be a new addition to its lineup: Gratuity, a dry-hopped pale ale benefiting Houston Shift Meal, an operation providing meals to unemployed restaurant workers.
“The decision to support Houston Shift Meal is personal for us,” said Saint Arnold founder and brewer Brock Wagner. The stay-at-home orders made the brewery shift to curbside pick-up operations only, which reduced the number of work hours available to give the team.
Gratuity is a limited release, sold only in cans, brewed with donated hops and malt from Yakima Chief Hops and Country Malt Group. The experimental hop, HBC-630, was developed by Yakima Chief and lends intense fruit flavors. Saint Arnold had originally planned to brew the ale for the Craft Brewers Conference in San Antonio at the end of April, which was canceled.
“The pandemic has been all about changing plans and making quick adjustments,” said Wagner. “This beer is a perfect illustration of this.”
Houston Shift Meal was founded by publicist Jonathan Beitler and sommelier Cat Nguyen as a direct response to the COVID-19 outbreak and its devastating effects on the hospitality industry; the duo had previously worked together on relief after Hurricane Harvey.
Houston Shift Meal raises money that it distributes to restaurant partners, who in turn give out free meals to out-of-work hospitality professionals.
The organization has raised nearly $100,000 since the beginning of the pandemic and will have distributed more than 20,000 meals by the end of this week. They now have about 30 restaurant partners, including Hugo’s, Feges BBQ, Phat Eatery, BOH Pizza & Pasta and more. Saint Arnold has been donating beer to include in the meals.
“Furthering Houston Shift Meal’s mission relies on continued monetary donations, so we couldn’t be more thrilled that Texas’s oldest craft brewery has chosen our organization to help us raise funds,” said Beitler. “We look forward to everyone enjoying a cold Gratuity and toasting to a great cause.”
Saint Arnold will reopen for outdoor seating only June 1. Gratuity will be available June 2 at the beer garden and other bars and restaurants in Houston.