Tap/Bottle: Tap
Rule of Citrus: None
I really dig Blue Moon beers. One of my favorites is their fall Pumpkin Ale. They are very straight forward with their beer, and the flavors are always consistent. Keeping with that tradition, the Honey Moon Summer Ale did not disappoint me at all, and I had my usual spot in Manchester to give it a taste.
On first sip the honey hits you over the head. I put the glass down and looked at it, had a handful of popcorn, and went in for another drink. Same thing, tons of honey flavor, not the sweet honey flavor that burns your tongue either, the yummy honey flavor. If you’ve ever had Wild Turkey’s Honey Liqueur or you’re my buddy Jim and swear by the stuff, you know a good honey taste when you have one, and this beer is right on par with Wild Turkey.
I completely was knocked out with the taste of this beer. I had forgotten about the chicken fingers I had ordered and concentrated on the beer. Eventually I ate, but that was not my biggest priority. This was a nice, hazy-looking ale, which seems to be a trademark of Blue Moon, and I didn’t even bother asking for a slice of lemon.
When a beer has this much flavor right to the end of the glass there is no real need to add anything to it. A lot of flavor injected beers seem to lose their zing about halfway through the glass, which is why I go for lemon or lime slices, but not this beer. This beer was great, and I have a feeling you would say the same thing if you order a tall one from your favorite establishment next time you happen to be out on the town.
Tap/Bottle: Tap
Rule of Citrus: Lemon
Last Tuesday was truly one of the hottest days I’ve lived through. On this day I happened to find myself at my usual Manchester watering hole and needed to cool off. What better way to reduce the heat than a fresh poured pint? You may say water, I say beer, although water does seem to help a bit.
This particular afternoon I glanced over the extensive beer pulls and chose Shipyard’s Summer Ale. I’m a huge fan of seasonal beers; I feel they do compliment the weather, so I never miss an opportunity to try one. Sitting at the bar I had a basket of popcorn near me and the bartender plunked this tempting copper ale next to the basket.
First sip I noticed there wasn’t a lot of carbonation or strong bitter flavors like a Samuel Adam’s Summer Ale. This had just enough bitter to hit the back of your tongue and finish very smoothly. It mixed well with the popcorn, which was fresh and lightly seasoned, and halfway through the pint I asked the bartender for a lemon slice. After squeezing out the juice and dropping in the lemon, I felt like the temperature fell a few degrees. Once again citrus prevails.
As the ale reached room temperature, the flavor stayed consistent. That is pretty crucial. A lot of beers lose their flavor toward the end of a glass or if it gets warmer. Shipyard’s Summer Ale ranked very high for both flavor and the ability to quench my thirst.
I’d certainly order that again, and you should, too. However, if you’re still drinking Miller Chill you’d be better off to buy a gallon of lime-flavored seltzer water and throw in a bit of salt. At least you won’t have the hangover.
Ben Franklin was right when he said, “Beer is proof God loves us and wants us to be happy. ” With summer months fast approaching you may notice a wide variety of ‘summer’ style ales hitting shelves at local stores. Each brewer wants you to taste the unique flavor of his or her carefully crafted brew, but even your favorite summer beer can taste a little bland after the 40th bottle.
What can I do, you might ask, to help keep summer beer interesting? It is very simple really: next time you’re at the store and pick up a six-pack, grab either a lemon, lime or orange. Nothing cuts the bitterness or adds some zing like freshly squeezed citrus.
Generally heavy wheat ales like hefeweizen or Magic Hat’s Circus Boy do well with a slice of lemon. If you happen to enjoy something imported from south of the border, throw a lime into a bottle of Dos Equis Amber or Bohemia. However, if you’re like me and enjoy Samuel Adam’s Summer Ale, Leinekugel, or Blue Moon’s Honey Moon Summer, you’d do best with a slice of orange. True, lemon compliments those beers, but there is something about an orange that always brings me back for more.
Now if you happen to be in Boston during peak summer months, drop in to the Boston Beer Works and order a Watermelon Ale. Nothing says summer refreshment like a 22-ounce golden ale with a hunk of watermelon floating in it. Think of it as a reward for a job well done.
When it comes to citrus and beer, many people shy away. Don’t! Be daring and experiment- there are probably tons that I’ve never tried, so keep an open mind and glass. Cheers to summer!
