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HOUSTON, Jan. 6, 2011 – Saint Arnold Brewing Company (www.saintarnold.com), the oldest craft brewery in Texas, today reported record shipments of nearly 31,500 barrels of beer in 2010. All ten of the brewery’s year-round and seasonal beers saw increases. The 22 percent increase in overall production compared to 2009 represents a boost of just under 6,000 barrels for the year, which is roughly what the brewery produced in all of 2002.

 

Saint Arnold Fancy Lawnmower Beer remains the brewery’s number one label for the second straight year, with production up 42 percent. Saint Arnold Amber Ale and Saint Arnold Elissa IPA were second and third respectively, with production of Amber Ale increasing 19 percent while Elissa IPA saw a 40 percent jump. Saint Arnold Brewing’s five seasonal beers as a group continued their strong showing with a 32 percent increase.

 

“2010 was a memorable, sometimes stressful, but ultimately satisfying year,” said Brock Wagner, founder of Saint Arnold. “We moved production from the oldery to the newery with the first brew at the newery on March 1. We spent the next three months lining out the new brewhouse (including dumping several batches). About the time we started getting caught up we found out we won three medals at the Great American Beer Festival. Then we finished the year by adding Louisiana to our distribution. We considered taking January off, but we’re not.”

 

Saint Arnold Brewing’s production has increased 130 percent during the past five years.

 

Year     Production        % Growth
2010     31,445 barrels     22 percent
2009     25,710 barrels     13 percent
2008     22,749 barrels     28 percent
2007     17,811 barrels     30 percent
2006     13,638 barrels     25 percent

 

While Houston remains Saint Arnold’s top market, the Dallas/Fort Worth area was the fastest growing in 2010, recording a 49 percent increase over 2009.

 

According to the Brewers Association, Saint Arnold continues to outpace the craft brewing industry overall, which reported growth of nine percent by volume during the first six months of 2010. Overall U.S. beer sales were down an estimated 2.7 percent in the first six months of 2010.

 

About Saint Arnold Brewing Company

Saint Arnold Brewing's ten brews are made and sold by the company’s staff of 29 dedicated employees. The brewery was listed by USA Today as one of the “10 great places to see what’s brewing in beer,” and Smart Meetings magazine named it among the “Top 5 breweries to host an event.” Saint Arnold is located at 2000 Lyons Avenue and its brewery tour and tasting is offered every weekday at 3:00 P.M. and Saturdays starting at 11 A.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.