TALL SHIP ELISSA ENJOYS DAY IN THE SPOTLIGHT; SAINT ARNOLD BREWING’S NEW BEER PROMPTS RENEWED INTEREST

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

HOUSTON, May 16, 2004 – The Galveston Historical Foundation and Houston-based Saint Arnold Brewing Company celebrated ELISSA in more ways than one today. The 1870s era tall ship ELISSA was the focus of renewed enthusiasm as the long-awaited Saint Arnold Elissa IPA was officially introduced.

Saint Arnold Elissa IPA, the Houston-based brewery’s 10th brew, arrived on the shelves of Texas grocery and liquor stores, bars and restaurants this week.

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.

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.

“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.”

The Galveston Historical Foundation is Texas’ oldest historic preservation group and the second largest locally-based historic preservation organization in the nation. The foundation has more than 5,100 members from 38 states and two foreign countries. It operates nine museums and historic properties and works in the community to preserve the historic architecture and the cultural heritage of the island.

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.

###