For three decades, Saint Arnold Brewing Company has been a cornerstone of Houston’s craft beer scene, offering over 100 different brews, including popular favorites like Lawnmower, Amber Ale, and Art Car IPA. The origins of Texas’s oldest craft brewery trace back to 1985 at Rice University, where alumnus Brock Wagner ’87 first discovered his passion for brewing.
Wagner’s journey began when he started homebrewing with his Lovett College resident adviser. “We’d drink beer together,” Wagner recalls. “One day he pulls out all this homebrewing equipment to brew beer. I was already starting to get more interested in all the different beer styles, going out and trying different beers. That was the first time I home brewed, and it was like a switch went off that this is great.”
At the time, Wagner was a mechanical engineering and economics major. He began brewing in his dorm room, even installing a tap in his refrigerator. Despite his growing interest in brewing, Wagner initially pursued a career in investment banking after graduating in 1987 with a degree in economics and managerial studies. However, six years in the industry convinced him that his true calling lay elsewhere. “I always knew I wanted to have my own company,” Wagner said. “I always knew I wanted to be an entrepreneur, to start something and build something.”
In 1993, alongside Kevin Bartol ’81, Wagner founded Saint Arnold Brewing Company. Their first keg of Amber Ale was shipped on June 9, 1994. Since then, Saint Arnold has expanded to a larger facility, developed a popular beer garden, grown to a team of over 200 employees, and earned numerous accolades, including being named the Great American Beer Festival Brewery of the Year twice.
Reflecting on the brewery’s success, Wagner remarked, “I will say that 30 years ago, I did not spend any time thinking about what I would be doing 30 years later or imagining this moment. It’s pretty exciting and rewarding.”
Despite his success, Wagner remains connected to his roots at Rice University. He donates to Beer Bike, an annual campus event, and hosts Lovett College seniors each year. “There’s so much going on at Rice,” Wagner said. “I love being a part of the community, giving back to it. Rice has certainly given a lot to me.”
Saint Arnold will celebrate its 30th anniversary with a public event on June 8. More details about the celebration can be found here.
