Divine Reserve No. 12 is the first of the limited-batch Saint Arnold releases to be packaged in a bomber. MSRP will be $7.99. (Ronnie Crocker / Beer, TX)
A Divine day approaches. Let us all be prepared.
Divine Reserve No. 12, which begins hitting the market Tuesday morning, is a delicious and smooth, deceptively sweet Old Ale that weighs in at 10 percent ABV. When I say it’s sweet, I mean that in the best possible regard — not the least bit cloying, with no perfumy aftertaste.
It really is a good beer to drink now and, as Brock Wagner suggests, it should age well if properly stored.
Divine Reserve 12
Veterans know what a treasure hunt it can be to track down a Divine-release beer. Saint Arnold has made that a little easier by increasing production, now that it has capacity to do so. The brewery also is making the beer available for the first time in 22-ounce bomber bottles, which should stretch the beer in the market further and alleviate some of the disappointment people have experienced in the past.
Still, the hunt can be challenging. (Fun, too, to most; frustrating for some, I realize.)
For the craft-beer newcomers who might be experiencing their first DR12 hunt, here are a few tips that should help you prepare:
Saint Arnold Brewing Co. releases Divine Reserve No. 12 on Tuesday morning, July 31. Once the beer is delivered, via wholesalers, to the various bars, stores and restaurants that have ordered some, it is up to the individual retailers to decide when to put the beer on the shelves or on tap.
That means we can’t always say for sure what time a particular outlet will have the beer. If you know the beer department manager at your local grocery or liquor store, be very nice to him or her today and maybe you’ll get a heads up. But, hey, you already know that you should always be nice to these guys.
One thing I think we can be sure of is that the big Spec’s warehouse near downtown will have a queue lined up when the doors open at 10 a.m. Past DR releases have sold out there in minutes.
That’s where I will be, camera in hand, to chronicle the scene this time.
Other than taking a 10 a.m. lunch break at Spec’s, the best way to keep up is is by following the #DR12 hashtag on Twitter. (If you don’t have a Twitter account, it’s easy to set one up. And you can start by following @rcrocker to stay abreast of local beer news.)
The suggested sales price for the beers will be $15.99 for a six-pack of 12-ounce bottles or $7.99 for a bomber.
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