513. Sixpoint Apollo

More sweet can action from Sixpoint, this one being their summer wheat beer. And more poetry: “A something in a summer’s Day/ As slow her flambeaux burn away/ Which solemnizes me./ A something in a summer’s noon—/ A depth—an Azure—a perfume—/ Transcending ecstasy.” Hot damn—Emily Dickinson! What’s not to love about Sixpoint? And if you know something, like they secretly grind up babies and add them to the mash, please don’t tell me. This is the one rare case where I’m pretty certain that ignorance is bliss. And I’d like to keep it that way, if you know what I mean. Previous encounters with the feng shui of beer brewing include Bengali Tiger IPA,  Righteous Rye, Sweet Action (which could possibly be the best beer name ever), and Signal. Babies in the mash. Dag. Color me awesome.

Apollo pours a hazy, dusky gold with a white head that falls to lingering wisps. The nose is bubblegum and wheat doughiness; there is banana and clove (with more banana than clove), but it comes after the initial thrust of the bubblegum. Further in the background is some light spicy phenols and sugary sweet candy aromas. Flavors follow the nose; bubblegum, banana, and candy wheat sweetness in the front, clove and zesty bread dough in the middle, and a slight tart bite in the finish followed by a smooth banana cream pie flavor coupled with a slight spiciness. I’d make some sort of “happy endings” joke, but that would be inappropriate. The bubblegum does scrub out a bit as the beer warms, leaving more banana, which is a shame as the Bazooka Joe flavor played well across the entire profile. The body is gummy and doughy—in the nose, in the flavor, and on the palate—while the carbonation is medium: It adds slightly to the zing in the finish, but mostly rounds the beer as a whole. Certainly not your average American wheat, thank goodness! Apollo is crisp, bright, and refreshing with subtlety and depth. My only critique would be that they could dial down the gumminess (and maybe the sweetness) of the body a touch to make this even brisker and brighter, and up the zingy tang at the finish—currently the banana covers over too much of the tartness in the finish. Nonetheless, delicious: another solid beer from Sixpoint.

From the Sixpoint website: “The unmistakable flavor of a Bavarian Wheat, but with a clear golden brilliance and a Sixpoint twist. An entirely unique canned offering for the sun-worshipping ale lovers.”

ABV: 5.2%
IBU: 11

(5/16/2012)

449. North Peak Vicious American Wheat IPA

Located in Traverse City, Michigan, North Peak Brewing Company is a side project of Ron Jeffries. Yes, I know other brewers are involved (Jon Carlson, Greg Lobdell, and Mike Hall—I can read the website). But I’m here for the Jeffries. I’m just sayin’. They do get an extra-special shout-out for using old school stubby bottles—reminds me of the days of Lucky and Rheinlander. We had Vicious with some Reypenaer 2-year gouda—not because we thought they’d be a match, or because we’re overly excited about food and beer pairings, but mainly because aged gouda is awesome, and we had just bought some. And it couldn’t wait.

Vicious pours a burnished copper with a thin white head; the nose is caramel and wheat—more caramel than wheat—coupled with spicy and resin hop aromas. There’s a touch of pine hiding in the back as well. It’s rather a pleasant nose, actually; the malt and caramel are well-balanced. Flavors start with a caramel malt flavor before moving into hop flavor in the middle—there is pine and citrus along with the spicy resin components of the nose. The finish has a bit of a gummy wheat flavor along with a healthy dose of bitterness that lingers, along with a touch of caramel sweetness. The body is a bit soft and flabby, although that could just be the wheat talking—but it does feel a bit uneven in relation to the hop profile. While Vicious avoids the slight sourness found at the end of other American wheat beers, it is not as balanced in the body as Gumballhead, for example. The carbonation does help give the beer a creamy mouthfeel. Overall, I like it, but it is not stupendous.

From the North Peak website: “Beware of beer. There, we warned you. The frothy head, and pungent, piney dryhopped scent (from Cascade and Amarillo hops) should alert you to the brew’s imminent attack on your senses. Next, Cascade, Perle, and Willamette hops will batter your palette [sic] with bitter ferocity. Finally, pale, Crystal (30 and 75), and wheat malts converge in a cloudy, thick body and give you a smooth kiss of sweet death—and leave you howling for more!”

ABV: 6.7%
IBU: 66.7

Why does this beer attack my painting tablet with bitter ferocity? What did it do? What’s next, my pets?

(2/1/2011)

404. Bell’s Oarsman

And in a not so surprising turn, we’re doubling up on the Bell’s. It’s nice to see Oarsman in the bottle, since if it has been in the bottle in the past, we don’t recall seeing it. This beer gets added on to the long list of delightful and delicious Bell’s products we’ve sampled in the past: Bourbon Barrel Hell Hath No Fury Ale, Batch 9000, Hopslam, Cherry Stout, Sparkling Ale, Winter White, Christmas Ale, Third Coast, Oberon, Octoberfest, and Two Hearted. We’re officially one short of a Baker’s dozen...not that it will take us long to sort that one out...

Oarsman pours a lightly hazy straw with a clean white and persistent head. The nose is slightly sour—more lactic than acetic (as it should be)—with some mustiness mixed with the low levels of dry malt biscuit or bread aromas. Flavors start with a mix of sour and grainy malt—it is tart and dry on the palate. The middle sweetens slightly, and coupled with some of the bright carbonation, is lightly spritzy on the tongue. There’s a slight creamy tang in the turn towards the finish, which is marked by more of the lactic acid (albeit lightly) coupled with a cleaner finish than I expected. Some of the graininess also returns in the end, but here it has more of a lager-like mouthfeel and taste to it, although Oarsman does end without the of the hop bite you’d find in a lager. Instead, there is light sour tang that leaves the mouth fresh and clean feeling. The light body and bubbly carbonation help round the beer, making it very clean, bright, and enjoyable. Oarsman is a refreshing beer for some late summer drinking—on those hot muggy afternoons, it will leave your mouth feeling crisp and invigorated, although the rest of your body will have to suck it up and take the heat. Either that, or head inside for AC, you big pansy. Oh, and we’re making Oarsman the first Top 10 Best Label contender for the year.

From the bottle: “Buoyant, tart and refreshing from using traditional sour mash methods. Great for you and your crew.”

From the Bell’s website: “Designed as a flavorful session beer, Oarsman Ale uses a classic German brewing technique to impart a light, refreshing tartness. Oarsman Ale grew out of a desire to explore the tradition of session beers, trading intensity for finesse while still creating a worthwhile experience for the taster. The grain bill includes a healthy portion of wheat, while light hopping lend citrus & herbal notes to the aroma. Fermented with Bell's house ale yeast, Oarsman comes in at 4.0% alcohol by volume. Rather than being the dominant flavor note, the tartness in Oarsman takes on more of a palate-cleansing role, making it perfect with meals or purely on its own.”

ABV: 4.0%
OG: 1.040
Batch Number: 9861

(8/29/2010)

396. de Glazen Toren Saison d’Erpe-Mere and 12: Huckleberry Wheat

And the decadence continues. The Brooklyn Flea is right around the corner from Adam and Jenn’s place. After perusing the spoils of basements from all over the greater NYC area, we dined on lobster rolls, wood-fired pizzas, and buffalo jerky. Jenn also went with the grilled cheese. Oh, and I can’t forget the porchetta sandwich. Must remember that.

After our self-inflicted food comas, we retired a while to recuperate. And since I had brought along several deuce-deuces of my fine homebrew products to sample (after all, who doesn’t travel with beer?), we decided to pull out the Huckleberry Honey Wheat beer I brewed a little over 2 ½ years ago. Ah, aged beer. It’s been over a year since I sampled any of this batch, and that year has been very very good to this beer. Let’s just say that I’m sad this beer is on the verge of extinction. Crisp, tart, dry, and the oxidation that has developed works well with the huckleberry flavors. I need to remember to score myself some more of that huckleberry honey next time I am out west. Scoring pounds of fresh huckleberries is gonna a tad more difficult...

12: Huckleberry Honey Wheat
Mini-mash:
8 oz. Rahr 2-row Pale
4 oz. Durst wheat
8 oz. Dingeman’s Biscuit
8 oz. Weyerman Pale
8 oz. Maris Otter

Mashed @ 150° F for 45 minutes
Sparged with 1 gallon of 170° F water

Added fluid to brew kettle, brought to a boil (60 minute) and added:
4 lbs. Alexander Wheat Malt
2 ¼ lbs. Huckleberry Honey
8 oz. Belgian candy
1 oz. German Hallertau pellet

w/10 min. to go:
1 oz. German Hallertau pellet
1 tsp. Irish Moss

Cooled wort, racked to bucket, and pitched Wyeast 3942 Belgian Wheat

Brewed: 9/28/2007
Secondary w/fruit: 10/6/2007; added 3 lbs. frozen and crushed huckleberries
Secondary: 10/26/07; @ 1.009
Bottled: 11/04/2007

OG: 1.050
FG: 1.008

Saison d’Erpe-Mere...

So if all of this wasn’t enough, we headed off to Prime Meats in Brooklyn for dinner. Nothing like a dozen oysters, steak tartare, and a wild mushroom risotto. Plus, they had de Glazen Toren Saison d’Erpe-Mere on tap. That’ll round out dinner just about perfect. Dee-licious. Oh, and Brouwerij de Glazen Toren is in Erpe-Mere, Belgium. Belgium is to saison like beer is to tasty. Saison d’Erpe-Mere has a spicy bubble-gum ester nose. While it was delicious across the board, I recall the nose. That, and I’m still not taking notes. Suck it up and deal.

From the Brouwerij de Glazen Toren website: “Bitter in the nose like citrus, dry and sweet bitter in the mouth, long gradually spreading bitter aftertaste.”

ABV: 6.9%

The wild kingdom took a hit today, what with all the various creatures we ate. Alas, my hedonistic run is about to be closed.

And where o’ where is the fish-ball man? My visit to Clinton Hill is not complete without your delicious repast, oh fish-ball man...

(7/31/2010)

383. Boulder Kinda Blue

Another big bottle from Boulder Brewing, this one coming in the form of their newest summer beer. Wonder Twin powers, activate! Then again, if I turned myself into a giant glass of beer, could I actually drink myself? That sounds like it has all the makings of some multi-dimensional universe destroying paradox, along the lines of traveling back in time to meet yourself. People would be all like “My God! He’ll destroy the very fabric of the solar system!” And I’d be all like “Nah, I’ll just be chillin’.” But I digress. This makes lucky number 7 from Boulder: we’ve previously had a drink-off between Singletrack Copper Ale and Pass Time Pale Ale, and also tried Mojo IPA, Hazed & Infused, Obovoid and Flashback. Solid.

Described on the bottle as a “blueberry wheat beer,” Kinda Blue pours, well, kinda blue. Actually it is more a lightly clear purple and/or reddish color—kinda the color of a darker ice tea. The head is thin and white and the nose is lightly fruity and lightly musty—almost a bit jammy. There is also some wheat graininess buried underneath the fruit aromas. Flavors start with a light touch of blueberry sweetness in the front before moving into a more general fruit flavor in the middle coupled with some of the classic American wheat sourness and graininess. The finish is mostly clean but it has a bit of lingering fruit sweetness that continues on and is slightly cloying, disrupting the overall effect. The body is medium with a lightly creamy and sticky mouthfeel; the carbonation is medium to low and carries some of the slightly sour tang that is perceived as part of the flavor. The initial touch of blueberry flavor in the front and barely into the middle is nice, but when it turns to a more generic “fruit” flavor, the beer drops off. As well, the American wheat yeast characteristics dampen the overall effect—the slight sourness and graininess makes the body feel heavier than it should without any reciprocal lightening on the palate, ending with a rather dull and listless sensation. We think this would be a much better beer with either a Belgian or German wheat yeast strain—you’d get the nice fruit flavor accompanied by a brighter and more effervescent carbonation and mouthfeel that would make the beer both refreshing and thirst quenching. We love Boulder beer, but this one is kinda weak.

Four finger ring! Pow to M.C. Split-nose!

From the bottle: “So what did the brewers at Boulder Beer Company compose for the 10th release in our Looking Glass series? An American wheat, placed in perfect measure with muted tones of blueberry. Kinda Blue—a tasty and tasteful summer brew that you can’t turn your back on. It’s as cool as the day is long. In every great collection there are standards. Make this one of yours.”

ABV: 5.5%

Maybe I just wouldn’t turn myself into this beer...

(7/18/2010)

374. Marietta Paw Paw Wheat

This beer is brewed by Marietta Brewing Company in Marietta, OH, which is east of Athen (I didn’t know either). I had it on tap at Casa Nueva in Athens, OH as a part of Ohio Beer Week. ¡Viva la Revolución!

Paw Paw Wheat opens with a slightly fruity nose, something soft and fleshy, like banana or peach; there is also a delicate perfuminess to it via either the paw paws or the yeast esters, and also some wheat malt aroma mixed in along the way. The beer is a hazy gold color with not much head. Flavors at the front of the beer are a gentle mix of wheat and sweetness, moving into a clean fruit flavor in the middle that is not quite banana or peach, but something in that area. The finish has rise in sweetness—it is sweeter than the front—as well as a rise in the fruit flavor that has a citrus component to it now, and a lightly lingering fruit ester finish. Probably the best way to describe the fruit flavor of Paw Paw Wheat would be peach-like, but not quite—I think this flavor is more subtle and enjoyable than that of peaches, particularly in beer. The body is medium to light, with a soft clean mouthfeel and no real stickiness. There is a bit of drying in the final third on the palate that accompanies the rise in sweetness, and the carbonation is light, with a soft tingling in the final third that gives the finish a light brightness. Paw Paw Wheat is a good beer overall; the fruit flavors are a bit muted, which may be a product of the paw paw itself, but as a whole a clean, well-made, and enjoyable beer. I do wish I had something to compare it to, but I am happy that there is at least one paw paw beer out there.

Paw Paws!

From the Marietta website: “A local favorite, this smooth wheat beer uses a full pound of locally harvested Pawpaw per gallon of beer. Semi-dry and full of tropical fruit flavor.”

ABV: 6.4%
IBU: 12
OG: 1.056

(7/9/2010)

332b. Firestone Walker Solace

This is our second beer from Firestone Walker (well, third if you count Nectar IPA, which I don’t, because I am beer company purist, and that’s how we roll)—the last one was Union Jack IPA. And I still assert that the bear is gonna kick the crap out of that lion—I know Elli won’t buy it, but I can see it happening.

Described on the label as a “craftily unfiltered ale,” Solace pours a hazy gold with a light creamy white head and small tight carbonation. The nose is slightly sharp—there is a bit of a sour tang to it—grainy and husky along with some underlying malt sweetness. The front is soft and lightly creamy on the palate with grainy sweetness and what I’d guess would be some wheat malt flavor; the middle is a bit musty and drying with a bit of a lager-like taste and light bitterness, while the finish has a bit more of the lager character and a mix of light lingering sweetness and a slightly sour flavor. Solace is light bodied with a medium carbonation that rounds more than bites on the palate. Interesting beer, although I am not sure what it is—there was nothing on the label or the package besides the “craftily unfiltered beer” and that this is a Limited Release by Firestone Walker. So I guess I’ll have to let my fingers do the walking to pull up some information on this one.

From the Firestone Walker website: “Firestone Walker presents Solace, an ode to warmer weather in the northern hemisphere. A hint of citrus fruit and clove aroma are followed by tangy dry malt flavor and a silky finish making it an approachable and refreshing session beer. We bring you this beer unfettered, a craftily unfiltered ale full of flavor and perfectly constructed to compliment those lazy warm days ahead. Ideal for washing down fish tacos or other south o’ the border-inspired dishes.”

From Mutineer Magazine: “Firestone Walker Brewing Company has announced the upcoming release of a seasonal beer called Solace. This is the brewery’s first bottled release of a seasonal ale. It is scheduled to debut on April 1st. While Solace is somewhat devoid of style, Brewmaster Matt Brynildson said it will be a sort of unfiltered fusion of a Hefeweizen and a Belgian Saison. Subtle hints of banana and clove aroma, characteristic fruity esters produced by Belgian yeast, merge with a sweet fruit flavor, a medium body and tangy finish to make this beer an ideal sipper for the Spring and Summer seasons.”

ABV: 6.0%
Malts: 2-Row, White Wheat, Toasted Wheat, Munich, Acidulated Malt, Cara-Wheat, & Cara-Foam

Hops: Yakima Valley Willamette & French Strissel Spalt

(5/28/2010)

258. Three Floyds Gumballhead Wheat Beer

El numero cinco from Three Floyds. Not that we’re keeping track or anything. Prior investments of our time include Robert the Bruce, Dreadnaught, Black Sun Stout and Blackheart IPA. While we didn’t know it at the time, this beer was purchased illegally—it had been bootlegged into Ohio. Nothing like asking the wrong question in a room full of beer geeks. This particular beer also tastes a slight bit older—it is not as zesty as Gumballheads past.

Gumballhead has a citrusy, grainy, and lightly hoppy nose with a hazy gold color and medium white head. There is not a lot of flavor in the front—we taste small amounts of grassy or grainy malt flavor before moving into a bitter hoppiness mixed with low levels of floral and citrus hop flavor, and finishing slightly spicy with some bitterness and very clean, especially for a wheat beer. As well, there are none of the slightly sour flavors sometimes found in American wheat beers. Gumballhead is medium to light bodied with a crisp and dry mouthfeel and medium carbonation. While somewhat aggressive in the hop profile for a wheat beer, Gumballhead is very drinkable and most certainly enjoyable. As Elli informed me, “if it were fresh and on tap and in the summer time, I would like it at least 10% percent more.” I do love the scientific certainty of that formula. As well, the disgruntled smoking cat of the label is stone cold awesome—easily a Top 10 Best Label contender.

From the bottle: “Red wheat and boatloads of Amarillo hops give this American wheat brew a lemony finish. Slight haze in the bottle is yeast added for bottle-conditioning.”

From the Three Floyds website: “An American Wheat Ale, Gumballhead is named in honor of the underground comic book cat created by Rob Syers. Initially a seasonal summer beer, now brewed year round due to demand. This beer helped redefine American Wheat Beers. Brewed with Amarillo Hops and a generous portion of American red wheat, Gumballhead has a complex hop aroma with notes of grapefruit, lemon zest, marmalade and peach. These flavors combined with low bitterness make Gumballhead a refreshing American Wheat Beer that doesn’t suck.”

ABV: 5.5%
IBU: 28

(3/15/2010)

118. Long Trail Blackbeary Wheat

Our third beer from Long Trail, and the second in three days (DIPA and IPA). We’d like to start by observing that this beer has one of the best labels ever. The nuance of artwork in the picture—we’ve got a bear who is about to get roller-pinned for stealing pie—is, well, downright priceless. Not only is he wearing glasses and making the “oh” face because he thinks he’s about to get away with something, he’s got a magical floating bow tie that matches his suspenders. But that’s just the beginning: coupled with the slightly phallic placement of the beer bottle and hand, the stolen pie takes on potential new meaning, as does the female bear’s angry response with the rolling pin—she has the classic angry line shaped eyes, indicating her ire at the pie-stealing, pleased with himself, sporting a beer bottle woody bear. Not to get all psychoanalytic on all y’all, but this label is truly a work of art.

Blackbeary Wheat is a brilliant straw color with a light white head. The nose combines elements of dry lager malt characteristics, fruit and jammy blackberry aromas, and a slightly metallic fruit smell. Blackbeary Wheat starts with a light and crisp malt front—almost lagerish—and then moves into a subtle but pleasant fruitiness in the middle with light but clear blackberry flavors. The finish is rather clean with some crispness, although the fruitiness lingers. Blackbeary Wheat has a light, soft, but crisp mouthfeel—it is both lively and brisk with a pleasant carbonation bite and clean palate flavors. Light bodied—it is light enough to be either a lager or a dry cider—but simultaneously exhibiting a substantial depth of flavor, Blackbeary Wheat is a well balanced beer. The fruit flavors are enjoyable, but do not dominate, and the beer is dry and clean with crisp taste on the palate. Deceptively complex for such a light clean fruit beer, Blackbeary Wheat is an excellent and thoroughly enjoyable beer. And an easy Top 10 Best Label contender.

From the bottle: “Blackbeary Wheat features 2-row malt, crystal, plenty of malted wheat, and is finished with a hint of blackberries in the kettle. >6 carbs!”

From the Long Trail website: “Light & refreshing with a hint of blackberry at the finish makes this beer a real thirst quencher! This brew combines 2-Row Pilsen and of course plenty of malted wheat.”

ABV: 4.0%
IBU: 8
Malts: Two-Row and Wheat
Hops: Nugget

(10/26/2009)

110. Lagunitas Little Sumpin’ Extra Ale

Another beer from Lagunitas—our fourth. We’ve run through El Chupalupalo, IPA, and New Dogtown.

Little Sumpin’ Extra has a hazy orange amber color and a creamy ivory head that laces the glass well down the sides. The nose is hoppy—there are pine and resin aromas with a light malt character. Some spiciness also emerges with warmth. Starting with a soft sweet front and some caramel flavors, Little Sumpin’ Extra moves into a bitter middle that has grass and pine hop flavors along with some slight astringency that carries through to the close. The bitterness does linger on the palate as does some of the residual malt flavor. The mouthfeel is a bit sticky and heavy, although also slightly creamy; the hop level does create a bit of dryness and puckering, especially at the end, although it is more on the side and back of the tongue. Overall, the hop load is nice, but there is too much sweet maltiness without as much flavor or variety—there is not a very complex malt profile. Little Sumpin’ Extra could use a better balance between malt and hops to drive the beer forward.

From the Lagunitas website: “The Big Sister of the Little Sumpin’ Sumpin’ Ale...Lots of Wheat for a Curious Malt Complexity and Leaving it Light in Color, But Huge in Flavor and Satisfaction.”

ABV: 8.74%
IBU: 72.51
OG: 1.082

(10/18/2009)

82. Highland Cattail Peak Organic Wheat Beer

Our second beer from Highland Brewing Company in Asheville, NC. Asheville is home to Biltmore Estate, the gi-normous estate build by George Washington Vanderbilt in the 1890s. Sporting 175,000 square feet and 250 rooms, Vanderbilt was apparently planning on putting up a few people back in the day. Ah, the lovely excesses of Gilded Age America. Asheville is also home to an unfair share of breweries. Besides Highland and French Broad, there is also Green Man Brewing (also known as Jack of the Wood), Pisgah Brewing, Wedge Brewing, OysterHouse Brewing, and the Asheville Pizza & Brewing Company. I'm sure two or three more have popped in the short time that I've spent typing this. In other words, a vibrant craft brewing scene.

Cattail Peak has a pale yellow color and a creamy white head. The nose reveals light wheat aromas along with some subtle spicy hints. Beginning with a smooth creamy soft wheat flavor, Cattail Peak builds into a rounded middle with some bite and low levels of spiciness before ending with a slight musty sourness. We’re not quite sure how to locate the mustiness—it doesn’t taste like the soapy hop taste of a lager, but there is not enough of the flavor to really say more—while it is not the flavor of a lager ending, that’s the best description we could come up with. The tastes does linger a bit, but then disappears, ending clean and crisp. As well, we’re not sure we can identify the hibiscus, unless that is what we are getting as the light spiciness in the middle or the musty ending. Light-bodied, Cattail Peak has a soft, smooth mouthfeel with a pleasant and crisp carbonation bite. Smooth, subtle, and well-balanced, it is most interesting for what it doesn’t do in regards to American wheat beers: it is not bland, it does not have a grassy profile, and there is a real nuance of flavor in the profile. While it does come across in part like a lager, it is nonetheless good quality drinking

From the label: “An invigorating wheat beer with 100% organic grains, a hint of rye and the tang and hue of organic hibiscus, this refreshing brew is as cool as the breeze that blows down from Mount Mitchell to Cattail Peak. Enjoy this delicious creation when the hottest summer day demands the best of the Blue Ridge.”

ABV: 4.7%

IBU: 17

Hops: Palisade, German Hersbrucker

(9/20/2009)

67. Bell’s Oberon

Our third beer (first and second) from Bell’s Brewery in Kalamazoo, MI. We had this on tap at the Dublin Pub while watching the USA Soccer qualifier against El Salvador. Damn. That game was far too close for my liking. But at this point we’re looking forward to South Africa and this summer—we need to buy a new television and a cable package that will serve our soccer needs, since watching every game out and about would tax both our pocketbooks and our livers.

Oberon (which is an AWESOME name for a beer) has a light wheat malt nose with a hazy gold color and a light white head. Oberon starts soft and clean before moving into a sweeter malt middle with some tart, almost lemony flavors, and then finishing crisp with some light lingering hop bitterness and sourness. Light to medium bodied, it has a rounded and refreshing mouthfeel. While Oberon is an enjoyable beer, I swear that something has changed in this beer this year—it is not as enjoyable for smooth summer drinking, and not as crisp and refreshing. The current version has something of a musky or less refreshing characteristic to it, along with the light sourness as the end. Previously, I recall this beer being brighter and cleaner across my palate, and better balanced overall. Maybe I’m just getting old and cantankerous, but over the last couple of years, Oberon has had some slight shifts to what it is currently—it’s not the balanced, drinkable beer of yesteryear.

From the Bell’s Brewery website: “An American wheat ale brewed with Saaz hops. Spicy and fruity, Oberon is the color and scent of a sunny afternoon.”

ABV: 5.8%

OG: 1.057

(9/5/2009)

20. Eel River Açai Berry Wheat

The Eel River Brewery is located in Fortuna, CA, which is on the Pacific Coast Highway in Northern California. We’re talking Redwoods and Paul Bunyan here. In addition to opening a second brewery in Scotia, CA, Eel River is the nation’s first Certified Organic Brewery. Take that, you evil bastards at large multi-national corporations.

Eel River Acai Berry Wheat has a subtle berry flavor in the nose that is not overbearing and balances well with the wheat malt. There is a light bubbly mouthfeel that pairs well with the golden translucent color—the beer is hazy, but only slighty. There is a bit of an alkaline/carbonation flavor at the start of the beer (something like seltzer water) before moving into the slightly tart and fruity berry flavors that run across the middle of the beer. Acai Wheat finishes with a tart and slightly astringent flavor that is not quite clean enough. The berry flavor not readily discernable as acai—could be any of a number of berry wheat beers, although this is less a critique and more an observation of the overall flavor profile. Does have solid and crisp flavor, and the lower alcohol content means it works well as a summer thirst quencher.

From the Eel River website: “Açai Berry Wheat (pronounced, ah-sigh-ee): A light-bodied wheat ale brewed with organic acai berries from Brazil, and a flavorful mix of four other organic berries. Acai berries boast high antioxidant properties too, so drink on!”

ABV: 4%
OG: 10.0º P

(7/20/2009)

3. Kona Wailua Wheat w/ Passion Fruit

“This is what beer tastes like to people who don’t like beer.”

While paradise may be only a stone’s throw away from the Kona Brewery in Kona, Hawaii, this is not one of their better beers (I do like the Fire Rock Pale Ale), although this may have more to do with the beer we got than the actual or intended beer itself. As the quote above indicates, there were some “problems” with the beer from the get go.

Wailua Wheat has a light yellow straw color, with a light head and the slightly sour nose found in many wheat beers. The light crisp mouthfeel is helped by the sharp clean carbonation; however, there was a slight metallic taste in the beer coupled with sourness in the body—sort of like the skunkiness of an older Heineken, but much much moreso. The overall taste indicated that something had gone awry with the beer, although it was not completely clear whether it was from the distance traveled or a break down somewhere in the brewing process itself. The passion fruit flavor was rather minimal as well; overall it was a light and far too much in the background. Again, this could also have been a product of the other problems with the beer, although since the whole six pack had the same issues (yes, I forced myself to drink the rest of it), I’m not sure what more to add. Let’s just say that as it stands, this one will probably be a top ten worst candidate.

From the Kona website: “Wailua Wheat Ale is an excellent beer to enjoy after a day on the water or at the beach (or even after mowing the lawn or playing softball in your ‘pau hana’ summer league!). It typically pairs well with lighter fare like grilled fish and shrimp, roasted chicken, salads and Asian foods. Perhaps even a dish of vanilla ice cream.”

ABV: 5.4%
IBU: 15
OG: 12.0° P
MALTS: PALE, WHEAT
HOPS: HALLERTAU

(7/3/2009)