Houston – It’s American Craft Beer Week and Houston Life welcomed back resident beer expert James Simpson from What’s on Tap Radio to celebrate a big win for Texas. Straight from the “Beer Olympics”—formally known as the World Beer Cup, Simpson brought a hand-picked flight of award-winning Texas brews.
Held this year in Indianapolis, the global competition featured over 8,300 entries from 49 countries. Texas breweries walked away with an impressive 13 medals, including a back-to-back gold for Katy’s own No Label Brewing Co. with their barrel-aged “Perpetual Peace.”
Before James walked us through his flight, he started Derrick and Tessa off with...
Karbach Kellebier (5.7% ABV)
- Silver medal winner at the World Beer Cup
- Only found on draft at Karbach’s Pizza and Pints — hyper-local and exclusive
- Light, drinkable, and crisp — perfect gateway beer
During the segment, he introduced the other winning brews:
1. Pilsner Rešov – Equal Parts Brewing (4.6% ABV)
- Silver medal winner
- Poured with a special LUKR tap — uses a slow-pour technique to enhance aroma and flavor
- creamy head? It’s intentional! It protects the beer from oxidation and makes each sip pop
- Equal Parts is all about educating drinkers — the way they pour actually changes how it tastes
2. Shiner Bock – Spoetzl Brewery (4.4% ABV)
- Classic Texas lager — Silver medal in Session/Belgian-style Table Beer
- Smooth, toasty, slightly sweet — super drinkable
- Originally brewed as a Lenten seasonal, now a year-round staple
- A nostalgic pick with serious staying power.
- 3. Hopadillo IPA, Karbach Brewing, English Ale Category, (6.6% ABV)
- Silver Medal – English Ale Category
- Deep amber to copper color with a thick, lasting off-white head.
- Earthy undertones that nod toward traditional English IPAs.
- A solid balance of hop bitterness and malt backbone. Think grapefruit zest, resin, and some floral notes, all rounded out with a toasty, slightly caramel malt character.
- The “Hopadillo” is a fictional creature—part armadillo, part hop-monster.
4. Perpetual Peace – No Label Brewing Co. (12.3% ABV)
- Gold medal in Wood- and Barrel-Aged Strong Beer
- Aged in whiskey barrels — rich, malty, bold with caramel notes
- First beer to win back-to-back golds at the World Beer Cup
- Sip it slow — it’s a boozy beauty and a conversation starter
- Think after-dinner drink, cigar pairings, or just a celebration in a glass
American Craft Beer Week
Now is the time to support the small and independent breweries that bring character, flavor, and community spirit to Houston. As fewer people drink and industry challenges grow, local breweries need our support now more than ever. Whether you’re sipping a pint at the taproom, grabbing a 6-pack to-go, or just spreading the word, James says every bit helps keep the craft alive.
You can catch James on What’s on Tap Radio Sundays from 3–5 PM for more expert beer talk. Cheers! 🍻