Anderson Valley Brewing Co: High Rollers Wheat

While it's getting dark very early and most of the leaves are changing colors and falling off the trees, it's still hot out here. I don't know why, but as long as this weather keeps up I need to cool down. I was in wine country over the weekend and it was a toasty 77 degrees. One of my favorite ways to regulate my body temperature is to have a nice cold class of beer. Yes, even in wine country. So I picked up a sixer of Anderson Valley's High Rollers wheat. Most of Anderson's offerings are quite good so I'd decided to give this beer a chance to cool me down.

On first look the beer is very clear with almost no head. It's not like many cloudy pale wheats you'll find on the market. I think AVBC went with a clear wheat ale because they are trying to make a very refreshing beer. Just what I needed.

The bottle label recommends adding a lemon wedge to this brew to enhance the taste. I wouldn't recommend that addition at all, because the beer already has a pronounced lemon citrus flavor. It tastes as if it is brewed with a splash of lemon. The aftertaste is very buttery with a pale wheat finish. Therefore despite this beer's lemony flavor, the extended taste of the body will remind you that this isn't a Belgian witbier. It's not sharp and no coriander flavors are present. AVBC doesn't make a witbier so there should be no problem of confusing this beer with any other of Anderson's offerings. I'm still working my way through all this brewery's brews and most have been quite good. This one is not as complex as some of their heartier ales, but for what it is, it works. Therefore, I think this is a beer that most people, regardless their personal palate, can enjoy.

So while most beer and grocery stores are promoting every type of winter warmer and other cold weather beers, unless it gets cold out west, I'll continue to mix in an occasional wheat beer. And probably share it with others. Stay cool. Cheers.

Samuel Adams: Summer Ale

After my somewhat poor review of the previous local brew's white ale, I stumbled across an extra couple of Sam Adams' latest seasonal brew in my fridge. While summer is still quite a way's away, we were given a taste of it here in Boston a week ago. As per normal New England weather, the climate quickly shifted back to normal (rainy, cold), but that doesn't mean I won't take up a chance to sample what will come.

Despite an ugly bottle (brown, yellow, and blue? Come now, guys), I was pleasantly surprised by Sam Adams' latest seasonal attempt. It's a pale wheat ale, and has a wonderfully cloudy and heady pour. While light, it remains crisp and bready, with a light citrusy aftertaste that is quite refreshing. I definitely see myself drinking more of these on my porch come summer. While not overly pronounced in flavor, it definitely doesn't stick to your tongue, my biggest complaint with their spring-time witbier.

I think one of the best things about this beer is that it simply doesn't make me thirsty after drinking it. It's crisp and refreshing, great for late summer bbqs and the warm and humid summer evenings. So while not overly flavorly, I still appreciate their effort at making a tasty and light beer. I think I can finally say I've found a Sam Adams beer that I'll actually ask for at a bar, so hopefully it'll be available on tap. As for all you west coasters, keep an eye out for it at your local packie, bodega, or whatever you kids out there call the local boozery.

Samuel Adams: White Ale

As spring rears its overdue head around Boston's horrendously long winter, I've resumed drinking white ales quite regularly in order to distract myself from mother nature's icy grip. Hofer recently made it out to Boston for a second New England reunion of SCU ex-pats, and of course we had to sample and argue beer. One of these sessions was held at the Sunset Bar and Grill here in Allston (it's like the Yardhouse in California, but with a more developed selection, if you can imagine that). The other landmark event was our trip to the Sam Adams Brewery in Jamaica Plain, with Jeff and Galen.

After about a half hour of Sam Adams corporate propaganda and brewing information, we were finally entitled to our free 21oz of beer. Our guide offered us three different beers; the first being Boston Lager, and the second being the White Ale. Our guide tried to excite us with the third beer on tap, explaining that it was usually "experimental" or not usually found in stores. Unfortunately, it was the 'tussin-tasting Cherry Wheat, which is readily available at package stores and bodegas alike, throughout the Boston area. Ugh. Anyways, this report is really about the White Ale, so I'll focus on that.

Sam Adams' attempt at a bottled witbier is a far cry from other witbiers, microbrews and imports alike. The label around the bottle claims that it is an American version of the classic Blegian white white ale, and it's definitely American; it's bland, lacking strong flavor, and despite its high alcohol content (5.2% abv). More particularly, it's really missing the delicate citrus flavor I expect from white beers. I taste maybe a hint of lemon, but the flavor washes away far too quickly. Additionally, you really get a sticky taste in your mouth after drinking a pair of pints, similar to what I'd expect from a soda, not a beer.

On the positive side, it's definitely drinkable if you're feeling something mildly citrusy. Don't expect an explosion of flavor unless you get it from the brewery (or on tap?), where it's far more strong. Just watch out for drinking more than a few, because it does get quite sticky. It also has a mild hop flavor, good for those who aren't too keen on hops but don't mind a slight hint of it.

Witbiers traditionally are thirst quenchers for a spring day. This is something else. While it's decent to have once in a while at a pub if you're feeling something fresh, you're better off going for something traditional, like a Hoegaarden or an Allagash. I laud the Boston Brewing Company's attempt to bring something like this to a big market, but it's definitely an American beer, and lacks the charms that make white ales so special.

Lost Cost Brewery & Cafe: Great White

We all love sharing a beer with family and friends. However, sometimes it can be difficult to find a beer that the whole crew will love. Especially if that family or friend group is comprised of both men and women.

To generalize, most girls don't enjoy especially hoppy or malty beverages. Thus, ancient man invented the witbier (more commonly know as the Belgian White Ale). This style is lighter than most beers and is always refreshing. Girls love this stuff. It's not super heavy, has a lighter coloring, and most bartenders will add fruit to it without the purchaser even asking (think Blue Moon or Hoegaarden).

I know three things: Girls love witbiers (see above). I drink a lot of beer. And my girlfriend does too. So recently I have purchased a lot of Lost Coast's Great White because it's a beer we can both agree on. Great White has that Coriander flavor that girls enjoy but is also an unfiltered brew with bready and doughy flavors to provide enough taste for the male drinker. It actually reminds me more of New Belgium's Sunshine Wheat (an American Pale Wheat beer) than a witbier.

As Hofer mentioned, Lost Coast Brewing and Cafe is a California brewery that makes a lot of quality beers. For some reason Great White is their flagship beer. This could be because the beverage can cross gender barriers. Never know. However, with the recent invention of the 'build your own six pack' at World Market and City Beer, sharing a sixer with a chick is no longer a necessity. But if you are off to your local Northern California Safeway with a woman, may I recommend the Great White; you both won't be disappointed. Cheers

Pyramid Brewing Co: Crystal Weizen

After a day of walking around Emeryville's huge dog park on the water, my parents and I decided a beer from Pyramid was the best way to relax. I'm usually up to speed on Pyramid's flagship brews, which is why I was surprised to find a beer on the menu titled Crystal Weizen.

The description of the beer was that it had the heart of Pyramid's Hefeweizen, but was filtered. When the beer got to the table, it looked like a common ale, since it didn't have the normal cloudiness of a normal Hefeweizen. The taste, however, was clearly that of a Hef, just smoother and less filling. A less tactful beer drinker might have called it a "Hefeweizen light". Not I, I say.

I paired it with a Margharita pizza made on a Hefeweizen crust - all in all a fantastic meal. I've placed the beer in my top 3 from Pyramid along with the traditional Hefeweizen and their seasonal Snow Cap Ale, which apparently is arriving soon.

Pyramid anyone?

Pyramid Brewing Co: Amber-Weizen

FAT TIRE WENT AND GOT YOUR FAVORITE HEF PREGNANT, and this is the result. Pyramid's latest creation (it still says "new" on the label) attempts to take unfiltered wheat beer and give it a fuller body and bolder taste. The resulting creation bears elements of both its parents; I thought that it tasted predominantly like an amber ale, though its a bit lighter and certainly less bitter than, say, a Fat Tire. I also thought it had the wheaty after-taste of your traditional Hefs and other wheat beers. Those that like amber ales for their boldness and couldn't stand to see any of that sacrificed will probably be a little disappointed, though in my estimation, the Amber-Weizen is a bit more drinkable, especially on a hot summer day.