Spring Beer!

The arrival of spring seasonal beers is one of the first signs that winter is finally coming to a close. The unseasonably warm weather that we've had here the past couple of days compelled me to seek out this first sign of spring's arrival. Vaguely certain that I had seen the Sam Adams spring sampler pack for sale somewhere, I headed out to my local beer distributor to pick it up. Unfortunately, I found only the winter sampler. When I asked about the spring sampler, the store clerk offered the helpful reminder that it was in fact still winter. Undeterred, I went to two more distributors only to find the same thing. Having been convinced that the arrival of the Sam spring sampler was a dream, I focused my efforts on finding any spring sampler. Fortunately, Magic Hat's spring sampler had recently arrived and I decided to go with a case of that. The sampler contains four beers: their signature #9 Not so Pale Ale, Circus Boy (their Hefeweizen), an IPA whose name I can't recall, and their spring sampler--Vinyl Lager. If you haven't noticed, Magic Hat likes to go with really off-beat names for their beers (what else would you expect from a brewery in Burlington, VT). **Side note: 'Fat kids' that find themselves in Burlington, VT have the option of following up a tour of the Magic Hat brewery with a visit to the Ben & Jerry's factory in Waterbury, as it is only about 30 minutes away.** Back to the beer: my personal favorite was the Vinyl Lager. It's crisp and refreshing--as a spring seasonal should be--but still packs a lot of flavor. The other beers are good in their own right. The Circus Boy is probably my least favorite of the bunch. It's not that it's bad, I just feel that there are better Hefeweizens out there. I'll probably still pick up the Sam Adams sampler when it comes out, but I have no problem recommending the Magic Hat sampler. The cold weather is supposed to return here in a couple of days. For now though, my seasonal beer, along with the golf clubs in the back of my closet, serves as my reminder that Spring is indeed coming.

Pennsylvania Beer: Yuengling Lager

While I don't recall ever seeing this beer sold in Boston, you can get it just about anywhere in Pittsburgh. Brewed in Pottsville, PA the brewery touts itself as the oldest continuously operating brewery in the United States. At about $12-$14 for a 12-pack it's also relatively cheap. The fact that it can even be found in a 12-pack is a rarity in PA given the state's bizarre beer laws. The beer itself pours a nice amber color, has a good malt taste and is heavily carbonated (maybe a little too much carbonation for my liking). Overall, it's a pretty standard lager, but definately a significant step up from the mass-produced Buds and Millers of the world. If you find yourself in PA, this beer is worth a try--every bar I've been to has it on tap. Given its price, wide availability, and tastiness, it's definately something I'll be going back to while I'm out here.

Harpoon IPA

Brewed in my adopted hometown of Boston, this IPA pours light copper in color and with a frothy head that sticks around. As with any IPA, the hoppy bitterness of this beer is its most distinctive trait. A little bit of a malt flavor in the after-taste. Good deal of carbonation but goes down easy and is very drinkable. A very respectable IPA. I prefer to pair this with spicy, flavorful food (i.e. Indian or Mexican) as it is very capable of holding its own and is not overpowered by the food.

Magic Hat Circus Boy

This American-style Hefeweizen, available year-round from Magic Hat, has a cloudy, light orange appearance. You can taste the wheat in this one and also some lemon as well. You also get a hint of spice in the after-taste. Not quite sure what it is, but I like it. Has a good deal of carbonation, but is not overly carbonated and goes down easy. This beer is fairly light but packs a lot of flavor. Overall, a nice clean, crisp taste. Definately something I could drink on a summer afternoon by the pool. Also might be a good beer to start out with for those accustomed to drinking American pilsners their entire life and looking to branch out as it's very drinkable.