An eclectic six pack of beer that I’m extremely thankful for.
This Thanksgiving, I wanted to highlight the fact that we live in the golden age of good beer. We’re no longer limited to uninspired adjunct lagers (I’m not hating on them. They serve a purpose at backyard BBQs or baseball games). But now we enjoy access to what’s probably the greatest variety of styles, flavors, and concepts the world has ever known.
That’s what I’m thankful for this Thanksgiving. So to celebrate, here are six great beers and a shitty poem about beer and thanksgiving.
3 Floyds – Munsterfest – 6.0% – Marzen
“A Märzen-style Fest Bier brewed with the finest German malted barley, aromatic Bavarian noble hops and traditional lager yeast. This rich malty lager is one of the few that remain true to the tradition of fest beers originally brewed to honor the marriage of Prince Ludwig in 1810. We hope you enjoy this fall offering. Es ist nicht normal.”
What we have here is an ideal Oktoberfest style that leans into that sweet, sweet caramel malt, and has notes of sweet bread, subtle flavor of corn, and a nice amount of floral hops bitterness to finish it off. It toes the line between a hopped-up amber ale and classic oktoberfest, and sort of reminds me of this year’s SN 2019 Oktoberfest, with the addition of extra floral hops.
Bell’s – Best Brown Ale – 5.8% – American Brown Ale
“A smooth, toasty brown ale, Best Brown is a mainstay in our fall lineup. With hints of caramel and cocoa, the malt body has the depth to stand up to cool weather, but does not come across as heavy. This balancing act is aided by the generous use of American hops.”
Toasted malt, toffee, brown sugar, and just enough spicy hops to finish it off. This is no beer, it’s the summation of all things autumn. It’s the chill of the cool air on cheeks, the crunch of leaves under your feet, the spice of a cider, the smell of a smoky campfire – it’s everything fall laid out and perfectly captured in a bottle of beer.
Raised Grain – Doktoberfest – 5.9% – Marzen
“Precisely delicious, as you would expect a German lager brewed by two doctors to be. Malty, smooth and crisp, the perfect brew for a cool fall day.”
Like the Munsterfest, Doktoberfest leans into that deliciously smooth caramel malts but utilizes more a noble spicy hop flavor. Which gives it that classic lager fest flavor.
Central Waters – Unsettled 6.7% – NEIPA
“Although usually clear, we have manipulated the malt, wheat, and insane amount of hops in a way that creates a purposely hazy beer.”
This might be the best IPA I’ve had in a long time. It has a blend of citrus and resiny pine hop flavor, that get instantly lost in a flood of juicy, tropical mango & pineapple hops. It also has a creamy, lactose style feel and a delicious caramel malt background to bring it all together.
Perennial Artisan Ales – Prism Dry Hopped Saison – 5.5% – Saison
“Using a simple grist and a favorite Belgian yeast strain, Prism is an ongoing series showcasing different hop varietals. Prism: Mosaic showcases flavors of pineapple, blueberries and mango that complement the classic yeast profile.”
I’m sad this is a limited time offering because it combines two things I absolutely love – saisons and the beautiful mosaic hop. When you combine the two, what you get is utter perfection. The saison brings that Belgian spice to the table, that yeasty, bubblegum, coriander, and clove. And then the mosaic brings along that familiar tropical starburst flavor or juicy melons and pineapple. It’s utterly amazing.
Surly Brewing – Surly Temple – 9.0% – Imperial Kettle Sour
“It starts as a relatively uncomplicated imperial kettle sour. Then the going gets weird: It’s embellished with pomegranate, mango, and peach additions. Then the going gets weirder: A heap of vanilla beans mellows the fruity tartness. Then the weird gets pro: A lactose addition back-sweetens the entire thing… The result is complex, sweet, tart, and fruit-forward. Temple pours hazy magenta and may be as close to a religious experience as a beer with such humble origins can get.”
This is another beer I’m thankful for. You see, I love kettle sours and their tart tanginess mixed with refreshing fruit flavors. But usually, kettle sours end up in more of the session range, clocking in at an ABV of ~4-5%. But behold, we have an imperial.
At 9%, you can definitely taste the heaviness. And the addition of lactose gives it a milky smoothness that I can only describe the sips of this beer as the same as eating a spoonful of rich vanilla ice cream slathered in a tart cherry dessert sauce. It’s decadent and delicious.
Thankful for the stuff that makes the world sing (Inspired by the ever amazing Langston Hughes and his poem Thanksgiving Time)
cold weather is coming up autumn leaves coming down,
Summer’s now a memory, winter holds the crown
It’s’alright, friend reach for a glass of the sweet caramel brown
It’s Drinking Time!
When the clock reads five and your day was shit
Grab a case or two, and turn your brain illiterate
cause friend it’s a happy time, so sing along let’s all get lit
It’s Drinking Time!
Yes if there’s one thing I’m thankful for
It’s the sight of the first golden pour
And of course it’s the others after that and more and more and more,
It’s Drinking Time! It’s Drinking Time! It’s Drinking Time!
And it’s what we’re thankful for.
Once more!
It’s Drinking Time! It’s Drinking Time! It’s Drinking Time!
And it’s what we’re thankful for.