As Saint Arnold Brewing Co. enjoys its 30th anniversary in 2024, the craft brewery stands as a testament to the evolution and resilience of the indie beer industry in Texas. Founded in 1994 by Brock Wagner and Kevin Bartol (the latter has since left the business), Saint Arnold has grown from a modest startup into Texas’ oldest craft brewery, a beacon of quality and creativity in the American craft beer scene. Now, let’s celebrate.
Saint Arnold Brewing Co. (2000 Lyons Avenue) will celebrate its 30th anniversary on Saturday, June 8, with a concert and festival at the Saint Arnold campus overlooking downtown Houston. Gates will open at 11 a.m., with entertainment from 2 to 10 p.m. that will feature a union of Houston musicians sharing the stage for the first time. From the press release:
“It’s such a privilege to celebrate 30 years of brewing beer in Houston,” Saint Arnold founder and owner Brock Wagner said. “The support Houstonians and the craft beer industry have shown us is immeasurable. We have grown from three people on our first day to an amazing team of over 200 today. And I am as passionate today as I was when we started. I look forward to toasting with everyone to our next 30 years.”
Named after Saint Arnold of Metz, one of the patron saints of brewers, Saint Arnold Brewing has built a cathedral to beer just north of downtown Houston. Its 25,000-sq-ft facility is open seven days a week and its awesome architecture looks like a cathedral (photo below) with vivid works of art from Houston artists. The space is located next door to its Beer Garden & Restaurant, an amazing outdoor space that every beer lover should visit.
Speaking of beer, Saint Arnold has released more than 100 beers over the years, beginning with its classic, award-winning Amber Ale — the first keg of which was shipped on June 9, 1994. Today, Saint Arnold’s beers are available throughout Texas and Louisiana, with popular offerings including Amber Ale, Art Car IPA, Lawnmower, Summer Pils and its newest release, the Grand Prize lager.
These beers will all be available at its big 30th bash, which is pretty much a music fest. Saint Arnold turned to longtime collaborators and local record label Splice Records to form a partnership with Kam Franklin, the pioneering founder of Houston’s The Suffers. Franklin assembled other favorites across several genres to create the most Houston-centric lineup possible: herself, rapper Devin the Dude, singer-songwriter Robert Ellis and hip-hop artist Fat Tony. The day’s lineup is rounded out by Splice Records’ own R&B house band Bayou City Funk, DJ Shante and the Blue Heron Yacht Club.
The concert will culminate with Franklin, Ellis, Fat Tony, Devin The Dude and Bayou City Funk coming together on stage to form The Houston Super Group, performing as a combined headliner and closing the night with a superjam experience.
“I wanted to create something that is representative of the city, its people, the culture and the limitless creative potential that exists here,” Franklin said. “I’ve invited old and new collaborators to be a part of this evening with me, and I’m grateful to everyone involved for trusting me to lead this. It’s going to be a beautiful night in our city.”
Franklin and The Suffers performed at Saint Arnold’s 20th Anniversary Party in 2014, and Ellis was on the bill for its 25th anniversary in 2019. This will be Devin the Dude’s and Fat Tony’s first time performing at Saint Arnold.
Tickets for the 30th anniversary event are currently on sale on the Saint Arnold website. General admission tickets include access to the beer garden and concert. A deluxe VIP package includes access to Saint Arnold’s air-conditioned beer hall and an exclusive 30th anniversary glass, four beers from the Saint Arnold taps and a full buffet prepared by Saint Arnold’s award-winning culinary team. The kitchen and tap wall at the Saint Arnold Beer Garden will be open for service all day.
Saint Arnold also will tap special, limited-edition beers from its storied cellar throughout the event. There will be an outdoor bazaar curated by the Shop Local Market, showcasing some of Houston’s best small business vendors.
From its inception in 1994 to its upcoming 30th anniversary, Saint Arnold Brewing remains a cornerstone of Houston’s craft beer community. Its story is one of passion, resilience and continuous evolution, setting the bar for what it means to be a leader in the craft brewing industry. As they celebrate this significant milestone, Saint Arnold not only looks back on three decades of success but also forward to new opportunities to innovate and inspire. We’ll keep you updated on those.
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