Throw Fresh Fruit in a Cold One

With Labor Day upon us, I thought it would a great idea to have fun and playful ideas for your celebration.  Well, it's a shame we are all shacked up indoors because of this lousy weather.  Anyhow, perhaps you can take these ideas with you for another occasion!

I have been playing with some different combinations of beer with fruit. I figured out the key is using fruit that either slightly under ripened or fruit that has just crossed the ripe threshold. The other night I threw some peach wedges into a glass of Walt Wit by Philadelphia Brewing Co. for some added summer freshness. The carbonation of the beer helped disperse the peach's flavors. Meanwhile, the beer was softening the fruit ever so slightly (key point in using slightly under ripened fruit). When I finished the glass, I had a little fruity treat to finish it off. I am thinking about other fruit additions to use.  Berries?  Apples? What do you think?  Slainte!

Photo by author.

Sunday Sips: Purist Pale Ale

Beer Name:  Purist Pale Ale

Brewed By/In:  Appalachian Brewing Co. / Harrisburg, PA (original facility)

Beer Type:  American Pale Ale

Best Served In: Stein, Pint

ABV:  4.9%

Characteristics:  Clear penny-like copper color.  Smells piney or grassy.  Pours with thick white head.  Malt forward taste finishing hoppy and dry.  Little carbonation but medium-light mouthfeel.

Food-pairing:  Robust beef dishes, spicy foods

Overall:  7.0 - Purist Pale Ale is available year-round and is brewed true to style.  Tonight, I'll be honest, I did not make a good choice is trying to drink this with salmon with spices and floral herbs like rosemary.  My palate was numb to those flavors by the end of my meal.  Perhaps if I had chosen a different entree to eat with this, I would have been more excited.

Yikes, it has been almost 3 weeks since my last post!  What has consumed my time?  Well, my better half and I have been feverishly running here and there...well, Rehoboth Beach, DE and Williamsburg, VA.  In one, we had a quick getaway and in the other we traveled down the historical Memory Lane and visited Busch Gardens.  The summer running around is winding down.  Fortunately or unfortunately, I can't decide yet.  But here's to the ever-approaching fall season.  Slainte!