The Three Kings of Texas Beer - part 2

As we continued our journey to find out what has happened to the iconic names in Texas beer, our next stop was the second best known legacy beer in Texas, Pearl Beer.  The Pearl Brewing Company started in San Antonio in 1881 as the J B Behloradsky Brewery and purchased the name “Pearl Beer” and beer formula from a German brewery in 1886. The Pearl name came from a brewmaster who believed that the bubbles foaming in a freshly poured glass of beer looked like pearls. The San Antonio brewery closed in 2001. Today, Pearl Beer like Lone Star Beer is brewed by a contracted brewery in another part of Texas.

 As Suzanne and I walked around the old Pearl Brewery Buildings, I thought about the beer’s trademark Triple XXX and their famous saying: “Brewed With Pure Spring Water From The Country of 1100 Springs”. I remember the commercials like it was yesterday. The competition between Pearl and Lone Star was legendary in Texas. It reminded me of the rivalry between the Hatfields and the McCoys.

Today, the old buildings, sitting on a 22 acre tract, have been converted into a culinary gathering place where one can eat, drink, shop and play along the San Antonio River. We decided that this weekend would be dedicated to eating great food! The restaurant “Boiler House Texas Grill and Wine Garden” incorporated much of the Pearl brewery architecture in its design. One can make out remnants of the old boilers as you enjoy your food and cold one. The restaurant “Cured” is housed in the 1904 Pearl Beer administration building. There are many other high quality restaurants on the property but our decisions were to try the ones housed with historical significance. The Pearl Brewery property is also dotted with other various businesses to explore.

Strolling through the Pearl Farmers Market on a Saturday morning was as invigorating as a cup of hot coffee on a cold morning. The hardworking local vendors scurried around displaying what they harvested, raised and planted just so we could buy the best local products possible to feed our families. What a treat!

So, the next time you are in San Antonio, check out the Pearl of the city while you pay homage to one of the great beers of Texas. Try a Pearl Beer and we will see you down the road as we travel Texas Thru My Back Door!