Some Excellent Summer Samples!!!!!!!!!!

Some Excellent Summer Samples!!!!

Some HIGHLIGHTS of my summer tastings {so far} as there is still a lot of summer to go!!!!!

 Hello everybody. I hope that you are having a most excellent summer season of fun in the sun and of course, while doing that, tasting some good summer season craft beers. Since my last post was on different types of summer ales, I figured that would share some of my favorite beers that I was lucky enough to try on my journey while I was on a 5 city Midwest book tour.

So first out of the gate, from Revolution Brewing, (Chicago) Their Ghost Ride Kolsch was stunning. Coming in at 5.3% ABV, this light straw colored beer was very crisp, with flavors of bread, with a coriander lift up front that tapers off with slight citrus notes.

 

Next up, from Perrin Brewing, out of Comstock Park, Michigan (near Grand Rapids, MI), was their Blackberry IPA. This purple hued, slightly tart beer is brewed with ripened blackberries, and uses a slightly bitter hop added to the recipe that is grown in Michigan. It has an overall floral bouquet, but the taste is absolutely amazing with the tartness of the blackberries complimenting the bitterness of the hops very nicely.

 

 From Kuhnhenn Brewing in Warren, Michigan come two delicious beers. The first was a limited release grapefruit wit. This wheat forward beer has just the right amount of grapefruit added to give it the “spot on” tartness the makes it stand out. Not being overly citric with fruit either, this is definitely one of the most refreshing beers that you could have on a hot summer day.

 

 The other beverage from Kuhnhenn was their Simcoe Sillier. A spruced up version of their Simcoe Silly, this beer, made with simcoe hops, has tropical fruit flavors that explode into a swarm that plays perfect against the spicy overtones. Great drinkable ale!!!!

And lastly, from Stumblin’ Duck in Chesterfield, MI comes the most perfect lime shandy ever. A spin on the typical lime beer, this wheat beer (not a hefeweizen though) has a breadiness on the nose that mixes with the citrus of the limes. Once sipped, the lime bursts forward in a way that you might think it could be a margarita and then the subtle wheat flavors round it out towards the end reminding you that it is a beer. But alas, no salt and no tequila required!!!!!!!  Another winner!!!!!

So drink a couple of beers (but not too many - no hangovers :( ) and enjoy the SUMMER, and as always, RAISE A PINT OF ALE!!!!!!!!! CHEERS