Saint Arnold Brewing Company Invites Chefs to a Showdown

Thirty teams using Saint Arnold beer as ingredient to face off at second annual One Pot Showdown

HOUSTON, November 24, 2008 – For millions of Texans, the phrase, “cooking with beer,” means standing by the grill with a spatula in one hand and a bottle in the other. Saint Arnold Brewing Company (www.saintarnold.com), the oldest craft brewery in Texas, is challenging Texas chefs to poor the bottle into a pot to create a new innovative dish that reflects and celebrates the range of flavors found in Saint Arnold beers.

Saint Arnold Brewing is accepting entries now for the Second Annual Saint Arnold One Pot Showdown scheduled for Sunday, January 25, 2009. Thirty teams will have up to four hours to toil on their best concoction. Judges will award prizes to the top three recipes based on creativity, use and distinction of the Saint Arnold beer in the recipe and overall taste.

“More people are discovering how well beer pairs with food,” said Brock Wagner, founder of Saint Arnold Brewing. “Using the beer as an ingredient is part of the evolution, showcasing the flavor and diversity found in craft beer. The fun part is seeing the innovative ways people incorporate the beer in their recipe.”

Using beer as an ingredient is just beginning to gain popularity in America, but it is common in beer-loving Europe. The Belgians call it cuisine à la bière, and the idea of blending food and beer is centerpiece of the U.K.’s gastropubs.

A capacity crowd is expected to sample the entries at the Second Annual Saint Arnold One Pot Showdown. A portion of each ticket sold to will benefit the Houston Food Bank, which feeds 80,000 different people each week and nearly a half million people each year. Last year’s event raised $1,800 for charity. Tickets will be available through the brewery.

Last year, the winning team created a delicious finger food that the brewery renamed “Saint Arnold Fried Beer,” using Saint Arnold Winter Stout as an ingredient. It would make a great addition to any football party and can be downloaded from the Saint Arnold Brewhouse Blog at www.saintarnold.com/mt. A chili recipe using Saint Arnold Amber Ale took second place while a soup recipe using Saint Arnold Brown Ale was third.

Rules for the Saint Arnold One Pot Showdown are available at http://www.saintarnold.com/news/onepot.html.

About Saint Arnold Brewing Company

Saint Arnold Brewing's ten brews are made and sold by the company’s staff of 21 dedicated employees. The brewery was listed by USA Today as one of the “10 great places to see what’s brewing in beer.” It is located at 2522 Fairway Park Drive and its brewery tour and tasting is offered every Saturday at 1:00 P.M. For more information on Saint Arnold's five year-round and five seasonal beers as well as root beer, log on to www.saintarnold.com.