Good Non-Craft Beer
Prejudice isn't a bad thing, as long as one can over-ride it when the occasion calls for it, just as an open mind isn't a good thing if one can't over-ride it to embrace a truth. This beer snob reviewer shows a sign of a prejudiced yet open mind. Someone bought him a Blue Moon Blonde Spring Wheat Ale. He didn't love it, but he admits that he liked it, which is a huge concession for a craft beer guy when discussing a mass-produced beer like Blue Moon. Excerpt: "It's a refreshing drink, best served icy cold, that would go with a light spring meal of salad, shrimp or light sandwiches on a warm day. It's not a heavy beer by any means, and it might do well in a cooler if you're fishing or playing softball." I'm gonna pick up a case. * * * * * * * Wishing for More Tornadoes. I'd never heard of "cellaring," until I saw this article last night: Five Cellaring Myths. Based on this article at Beer Advocate, the practice is pretty well-known. Unsurprisingly, it's just the beer equivalent of a wine cellar, but meant only for the better browns: "vintage beers, barleywines, imperial stouts, Belgian strong ales, lambics, old ales and so on. Ideally, any type of beer that can be laid-down for a year or two." Why a beer cellar? It "builds a slew of complexities and thus furthers its character in a positive way." It all sounds far too involved for my taste . . . or patience, but a beer cellar definitely sounds cool, and they look cool (hence my picture selection for this week's BYCU post). * * * * * * * I Gotta Get Out More. Something else I hadn't seen until yesterday: nectar ales. I tried mead last summer. It was alright. Nectar is the sugar source for honey, so I'd think there'd be overlap between the two, but heck if I know. It's definitely something I'd like to try, but it's apparently a Left Coast concoction, so I doubt I'll get one in my hands any time soon. Perhaps I'll be able to order one at a beer specialty bar in NYC later this year. * * * * * * * Also. I also hadn't heard of hemp ale, though this genre appears to be very limited. * * * * * * * Sorry. My apologies for the lame blogging the last two days. It's March Madness, and Tuesday and Wednesday evenings were taken up with college, then high school, basketball. Things should return to normal for a few weeks.
