Sunday Sips: Whirlwind Witbier

Beer Name:  Whirlwind Witbier

Brewed By/In:  Victory Brewing Co. / Downingtown, PA

Beer Type:  Witbier

Best Served In:  Pilsner, Stein, or Pint glasses

ABV:  5%

Characteristics:  Smells wheaty and sweet.  Pours with the characteristic unfiltered haziness, sunglow yellow and is topped with a thin layer of foam.  Soft tastes of honey, coriander, citrus and mashed wheat enhanced by the carbonation.  Clean but spiced finish balances

Food-pairing:  Shellfish, Salads topped with vinaigrette, Fruit, Popcorn

Overall:  8.9 - Whirlwind Witbier has a special place in my heart.  It was one of the first craft beers that I tried that inspired my interest and enthusiasm and ultimately this blog.  In fact, one of my first entries for Beer Taste on a Beer Budget was rooted in this incredible Victory delight.  Although my palate has changed and evolved, I have fond memories of sitting on the porch of my parents' house in late April chatting and cackling as the sun set.

Let's a raise to the return of beautiful Spring days and to the arrival of my new role - unclehood.  Slainte!

Sunday Sips: Pollenator

Beer Name:  Pollenator

Brewed By / In:  Long Trail Brewing Co. / Bridgewater Corners, VT

Beer Type:  American Pale Ale (APA)

Best Served In:  Stein, Pint glass

ABV:  4.6%
Characteristics:  Golden straw color pours with firm tan head.  Crisp carbonation.  Sparing lacing clings to the sides of the stein throughout.  Medium-light mouthfeel.  Smells and tastes sweet and bready.  Clean, warm hoppy finish.

Food-pairing:  Pub grub like pizza or nachos

Overall:  7.0 - simple flavors with zips of carbonation allow for easy drinkability.  My low ranking stems from a lack of complexity and depth but certainly enjoyable.  The honey sweetens sunny days and the hops warm the cool nights.  Long Trail's brews are easily identified with their fun and vibrant labels.  Let's raise a glass to these soothing April showers.  Slainte!

(Photos taken by author)

Sunday Sips: Fleur de Lehigh

Beer Name:  Fleur de Lehigh

Brewed By / In:  Philadelphia Brewing Co. / Philadelphia, PA

Beer Type:  Belgian-style Golden Ale

Best Served In:  Over-sized Wine Glass, Tulip, Snifter

ABV:  4.75%

Characteristics:  Upon removing the cap, the sweet, citrusy notes immediately alerted my olfactory bulb.  Pours a hazy, golden amber color - certainly holding up its "Unfiltered Golden Ale" tagline.  Decent head and lacing throughout.  As it ebbs and and flows on my tongue and palate, I taste everything this local brew has to offer.  There is a vibrancy of floral and herbal offerings, perkiness of lemongrass, an intensity of ginger and a smoothness of honey.  

Food-pairing:  Grilled chicken, Crab cakes

Overall:  9.5 - I am afraid of committing to a 10, but this beer surpassed my expectations immensely and has shot towards the top of my favorites list.  The smells and flavors buckled my seat belt for Spring.  These complex flavors somehow allow for simple enjoyment.  Only since beginning this blog have I realized the significance of glassware on the craft brew experience (I promise, I will figure out a way to write more about glassware in future posts).  Drinking out of a wine glass concentrated the aromas, which enhanced the tasting experience.  Also, the label features the original Philadelphia baseball stadium, Shibe Park - who doesn't love a good historical reference?  Hurry, this PBC seasonal only has a few more weeks left!

Here's to an amazing 25th birthday and another year of happiness, health, and prosperity.  Slainte!

I apologize, yet again, for going on hiatus.  I have had much celebrating to do these last few weeks with some very special people.  Tonight, I am back on track both here and on Twitter @JamesLDuffy.  

(Photos provided by author)

Sunday Sips: Aprihop

Beer Name  Aprihop

Brewed By/In:  Dogfish Head Craft Brewery / Milton, DE

Beer Type:  American IPA Fruit Beer

Best Served In:  Pint glass

ABV:  7.0%

Characteristics:  Smells bready and fruit.  Pours brown with orange tints.  As the brew rolls over your palate, you taste the sweetness of the apricots and finish with the slightly roasted malts.  Low carbonation allows for little distraction from the flavors.  As you sip, the lacing beautifully webs the sides of the glass.

Food-pairing:  Hummus with grilled pita (as found on the Dogfish Eats menu)

Overall:  9.0 - refreshing yet complex flavors.  The apricot is apparent but not overwhelming the flavor of the beer. The malts add a warmth to complement the sweetness of the fruit and the grassiness of the hops.  I was thrilled to have finally eaten in the Dogfish brewery - what an incredible experience.  I can check Aprihop off of my Spring season Brews To Do list - woohoo!  Let's raise a glass to weekend getaways.  Slainte!

Sunday Sips: Strawberry Wheat

Beer Name:  Strawberry Wheat

Brewed By/In:  Lancaster Brewing Company / Lancaster, PA

Beer Style:  Fruit Beer, Lager style (Not the same as Sour/Lambic style)

Best Served In:  Stein glass

ABV:  4.7%

Characteristics:  As soon as the cap was removed, I could smell the strawberry elements mixed with the malts.  Low bitterness in both smell and taste.  Pours with ruddy copper color.  The light, sweet strawberry helps soften the lager flavor to provide a complex flavor without feeling too heavy on the palate.  Not quite the intense effervescence of other fruit beers but is perky and crisp.  Usually these kind of flavors fade as you continue through the glass, but the strawberry essence kept kicking!

Food-pairing:  Milk chocolate, white chocolate, fruit-based desserts

Overall:  8.8 - Ultra refreshing even on this cool spring evening.  As their website reads, this is a must have for anyone who enjoys fruit beers.  I finished my stein of LBC's Strawberry Wheat in less than 20 minutes and I wasn't even trying to do so!  I hope that as you continue to enjoy your first sunburns of the year, that you pick up a pint of this specially brewed beer.  So let's raise our glass to some fruit-fused lagers.  Slainte!

(Photos provided by author)

Free? Sure, I'll Go!

 

In case you haven't seen or heard, some of our finest local breweries host free tours!  Philadelphia Brewing Company and Yard's Brewing Company both offer free-of-charge and reservation-free touring of their facilities.  As this early spring sunshine calls my name outdoors, I am looking forward to some more frequent visits to the city for some fun and my first tour of either of these establishments!
Philadelphia Brewing Company:
Tours on Saturdays, please arrive between 12pm and 3pm.  Located at 2439 Amber Street, Philadelphia, PA 19125.  For more details, call 215-427-2739 or click here.

Yard's Brewing Company:
Tours on Saturdays and Sundays, please arrive between12:30pm and 3:30pm.  Most tours will end to leave enough time to visit the tasting room!  Located at 901 N. Delaware Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19123.  For more details, call 214-634-2600 or click here.

Slainte!



(Top right image provided by Google Images.  Bottom left image provided by yardsbrewing.com

Sunday Sips: Circus Boy

Beer Name:  Circus Boy

Brewed By/In:  Magic Hat Brewing Company / Burlington, VT

Beer Style:  Hefeweizen

Best Served In:  Weizen glass

ABV:  4.5%

Characteristics:  The label reads "Unfiltered and unfettered," and it is certainly a hazy hefe.  Intense carbonation that zips through each swig.  Pours with slight lemon/citrus aromatics.  Although there is light mouthfeel, it has an almost peppery-ness added to the flavors.  The wheat outweighs the hops so it finishes clean.

Food-pairing:  Sushi, Shrimp (with cocktail sauce), Fruit salad

Overall:  7.8 - light and refreshing, without a doubt.  I wish there was a little more zest from the lemons.  Perhaps if I had my own wedge to throw in, I could have heightened those flavors.  The carbonation makes this a perfect session beer for the late spring and summer. Here's to you, Keegan, as you wrap up the greatest years of your life.  Slainte!



(Photo by author)