Every brewery in America is certain that I want lemon in my summer ale. They call them "citrusy notes" or other evasions but it's lemon. They all seem to think this is an original thought on their part as well.
Sierra Nevada has a summer beer that is just a crisp lager. But you can also just resort to Jamaican beers for summer: Red Stripe lager, and Dragon stout.
It's amazing the variety we have now. But there is a tendency to pile in on a few themes--could be risk aversion.
I also wonder if there are edgy niche beers that the average consumer can only drink in small quantities. Business models may point to serving a large market for something a table of thirsty bar-goers can agree to drink pitchers of for hours. As opposed to, for example example, salty caramel. A small glass of salty caramel goes a long way, and where's the profit in that?
Hear Hear! Leave out the fruity notes and for goodness sake strip all that shandy nonsense out of the beer cooler and send it packing to where it belongs, in some overpoweringly fragrant boutique somewhere; this cooler is man's space baby, and it's taking up valuable room. And anyone who would imbibe shandy would drink his own bathwater.
The Germans have long had "radler," which is beer and grapefruit. I had some at a German restaurant in Columbus last year. It was okay, but I doubt I would order it again. Leinenkugel's is also big on grapefruit shandies. I like it better than lemon, but still don't prefer it.
I usually just don't buy anything that's got lemon in it. However, I like to have variety, and the summer variety twelve packs all seem to include four(x2) things with lemon, something super-hoppy(x2), and then two of something I like. It's the damn lemon. I was even willing to go with the raspberry ones because there are only two, but even those have lemon.
I like lemonade. I make lemonade. If I want lemon I'll do that.
Fruit is for wine, not beer.
ReplyDeleteSierra Nevada has a summer beer that is just a crisp lager. But you can also just resort to Jamaican beers for summer: Red Stripe lager, and Dragon stout.
ReplyDelete
ReplyDeleteIt's amazing the variety we have now. But there is a tendency to pile in on a few themes--could be risk aversion.
I also wonder if there are edgy niche beers that the average consumer can only drink in small quantities. Business models may point to serving a large market for something a table of thirsty bar-goers can agree to drink pitchers of for hours. As opposed to, for example example, salty caramel. A small glass of salty caramel goes a long way, and where's the profit in that?
Charles W Abbott
Hear Hear! Leave out the fruity notes and for goodness sake strip all that shandy nonsense out of the beer cooler and send it packing to where it belongs, in some overpoweringly fragrant boutique somewhere; this cooler is man's space baby, and it's taking up valuable room. And anyone who would imbibe shandy would drink his own bathwater.
ReplyDeleteThe Germans have long had "radler," which is beer and grapefruit. I had some at a German restaurant in Columbus last year. It was okay, but I doubt I would order it again. Leinenkugel's is also big on grapefruit shandies. I like it better than lemon, but still don't prefer it.
ReplyDeleteI usually just don't buy anything that's got lemon in it. However, I like to have variety, and the summer variety twelve packs all seem to include four(x2) things with lemon, something super-hoppy(x2), and then two of something I like. It's the damn lemon. I was even willing to go with the raspberry ones because there are only two, but even those have lemon.
I like lemonade. I make lemonade. If I want lemon I'll do that.