The BrewHaHa: Sipping in the Springtime: Seasonals are abloom

The signs of change are all around us, people. Inner-tube water polo is in full swing, the quads are flooded with shirtless Frisbee players, and the lovely ladies that run rampant across our campus are no longer dressed in down jackets and long underwear. It’s almost too obvious to state, but I will for the sheer jubilation of it all: Spring has sprung. Time to ditch the Timberlands for Chocos, hot chocolate for fudgesicles, and, perhaps most importantly, time to gesture in the new batch of Spring Seasonals. Now there’s news that’s worth putting flowers in your hair.

The beer community is one that is built very heavily on subjectivity. Everyone thinks that their IPA is hoppier than all others, that their stout is more robust, and, even if they are, “superiority” simply comes down to a matter of personal preference. This rampant subjectivity carries over into the process of defining types of beer. Such is the case with Spring Seasonals. The label “Spring Season” does not indicate one specific brew, but rather encourages each brewery to express their interpretation of the impending season. Spring Seasonals include Amber Ales, Pale Ales, even Stouts, but they all tend to be much more refreshing and brighter in flavor than their traditional counterparts. Never quite a summery beer such, but something to enjoy under the afternoon sun that you can bundle up with on the colder nights. ‘Tis the season to soak up the heat and indulge in fine craft brews. –JJH

BrewHaHa: Spring Seasonals

Kellerweis
Hefeweizen, 4.8% ABV
Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.
Chico, CA

I’ll be honest. After 15 minutes of deliberation in Coaltrain I actually bought the Rogue Juniper Pale Ale over this. But you know what? I made a HUGE mistake. The Juniper was good and I would definitely drink it again, but it failed to capitalize on the key characteristics that accompany specific beers.

Hefeweizen is a south German style ale that is characterized by its clove and banana flavors and, most importantly, by its rich, cloudy color. The appearance of the beer says a lot about it because the prefix “Hefe” actually means “with yeast.” It is this yeast, which has not been filtered out during the brewing process, that provides that classic cloudiness. 

For the pour, Sierra Nevada (like Bristol does with its Beehive) instructs the fortunate imbiber to pour the beer as you usually would (at a 45 degree angle targeting the pouring the beer on the middle of the glass) for the first two-thirds, but then swirl the remaining third in the bottle before pouring it in the center of the glass when it’s perpendicular to the surface. Also, if you have the opportunity, as I unfortunately did not, use a Weizen Glass for best results. 

It poured a beautiful, almost pure white, two-finger head that can be described best as “billowy.” This head stays strong and only dissipates slowly as you drink, but left behind it is a considerable amount of lacing that decorates the glass. The brightness of the head is contrasted by the rich golden color of the beer that shows off its characteristic haziness with a darker center and lighter yellow colors illuminating the sides.

The smell yields a smooth bouquet of mixing scents that include banana, clove, and wheat. All of these notes are accompanied by a yeasty background. Upon tasting, the tongue is entertained by a complex interplay of classic Hefeweizen flavors. The saccharine sweetness of ripe bananas is complemented by the spiciness of the cloves and throughout there is a slight creaminess and yeastiness to it. Hops are noticeable in the middle taste, but come through stronger in the aftertaste as they contribute a mild citrus flavor and a crisp, dry finish which is balanced with the smoother flavors of wheat and yeast. 

Spring is here and so are her special seasonal beers! I’m not going to say anything about food pairings for this beer, but I can definitely say that it would be a perfect choice for those sunny Colorado diuyfarties on Yampa or Armstrong quad. Also, don’t be afraid of letting this beer warm up a bit because it needs to be a slightly warmer (but not too much warmer!) than fresh-out-of-the-fridge cold for all of its flavors to really come through. -NJH

Wilco Tango Foxtrot
Indian Brown Ale 7.83% ABV
Lagunitas Brewing Company
Petaluma, CA

Wilco Tango Foxtrot tastes like Bear Republic’s Red Rocket got North Coast’s Old Rasputin drunk and knocked it up via tawdry sex in a sleazy motel. The seeds of this union were sown in a less-than immaculate conception. Nine months later, after an intense amount of fermentation, this beer came to fruition. WTF, right?

A rich mahogany pour results in a head of caramelly, lemon-peel-scented goodness. Taste is firmly smooth of dark, but softened sweetness of molasses, caramel, toffee, and maple with nice nuances to some cocoa and vanilla. Semi-chewy, malt girthed overall with a delicate slip into a hoppy orange-oiled bath of citrus bitterness just after the start once the malts reside for a nitch. The malt body regains another late burst of deep dark tanginess and fades gradually with maple and warming with a slightly figgy rum-like flavor. The mixture of hops and malts results in a sublime dichotomy of sugary sweetness that threatens to overpower in the first mouthtaste yet is kept in check with a rapid influx of bitter hops. 

What is this beer? It is reminiscent of a barleywine yet at the same time could easily pass for a fantastical hybrid of an IPA and a strong brown ale. With the economy in the red and the spirits of the general populous in the dark, it is only fitting that Lagunitas produces a reddish-black hybrid of an ale. Enough of an alcohol percentage to keep you smiling, yet low enough to let you drive home after a day on the beach. It is delicious and bitter and sweet all at once. Imbibe yourself!