South Texas Showdown: Bud, Bocks, and Billboards in Shiner

When you think of “Texas” and “bock,” you probably think of Shiner, the iconic dark lager brewed in the town of that name since 1913.

Shiner (pop. 2,100) is a company town, home to the Spoetzl brewery, producer of Shiner Bock; the town and its beer are inextricably linked.

So in October, it looked pretty odd when three billboards appeared around town featuring a large can of Houston-brewed Crawford Bock. The billboards ostensibly promoted the local Shiner Music Festival, although the beer can and its retro Houston Astros label art dwarfed the concert info. Signage at the concert proclaimed, “There’s a new Bock in Shiner.”