HOUSTON BREWERY TO CHRISTEN BOLD, FLAVORFUL SAINT ARNOLD ELISSA IPA

Portion of Proceeds to Benefit Beer’s Namesake: 19th Century Sailing Ship, ELISSA

HOUSTON, May 5, 2004 - Houston-based Saint Arnold Brewing Company is preparing to introduce the long-awaited Saint Arnold Elissa IPA. Bottling is scheduled to begin May 6 at the Saint Arnold Brewing Company in Houston.

In keeping with the IPA tradition, Saint Arnold Elissa IPA has a distinctive hop flavor and aroma. It is copper in color with a rich malt flavor to balance the bold hop character. The hops are all Cascades grown in the Yakima Valley, Wash. These hops are known for their citrus flavor. The malt is all Maris Otter from England, made in the traditional manual floor-malting method. Less than 0.1 percent of all malt is still made this way.

Saint Arnold’s latest beer is named for ELISSA, the floating National Historic Landmark that makes its home at the Texas Seaport Museum in Galveston. A portion of proceeds from the sale of Saint Arnold Elissa IPA will be donated to the Galveston Historical Foundation for ELISSA’s preservation.

IPA stands for "India Pale Ale." The term derives from the days when shiploads of British beer were sent to 19th Century expatriates in the Indian empire. These exports were brewed with extra hops to act as a preservative as well as an ingredient of aroma and flavor. The hefty hopping helped prevent spoilage on its long, warm journey.

"We don’t know for sure that ELISSA was ever used to transport beer, but the IPA tradition is indelibly connected to the sea and sailing ships such as Elissa, and she did sail to India," said Brock Wagner, Founder of Saint Arnold Brewing Company. "We see this as an opportunity to celebrate that heritage and enjoy a Texas-brewed beer that is bold and flavorful."

Saint Arnold Elissa IPA has been in development since 2002 and has been tested on tap at select Houston-area pubs since February this year. During that time, the formula has been tweaked and perfected. It is Saint Arnold’s 10th beer and the Houston-brewery’s fifth year-round beer.

Beginning May 12, 2004 Saint Arnold Elissa IPA will be available in 12-ounce bottles sold in six-packs. It will be available throughout Texas at grocery and liquor stores, bars and restaurants.

Saint Arnold Brewing Company’s ten brews are made and sold by the company's staff of 11 dedicated employees. The brewery is located at 2522 Fairway Park Drive and its free 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 http://www.saintarnold.com.

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