I had a dream today. Four score and seven months ago, our forefathers played football. When in the course of human events it becomes necessary for one fanbase to intravenously inject beer until football season starts, a decent respect to the opinions of the polls requires them to declare the reasons for their excitement and alcoholism.
Tomorrow, I will consider myself the luckiest fan on the face of the earth. And so, my fellow Wolverines, ask not what this beer can do for you, but ask what you can do to attain this beer. Some say that Denard can't play under center. Still others say the defense is a patchwork quilt. Well, I say to you, Mr. Hoke, tear down that wall. Old beers never die - their labels just fade away. And so, with malice toward only Buckeyes, and charity to all, let the football season begin!
Greetings, Michigan Faithful! The football season is upon us! In about 24 hours, the boys in blue will begin their 2011 campaign against Western Michigan. Wisconsin has already dismantled UNLV, Russell Wilson looks really good, and I can't think of any more quotes to masterfully transpose. My brain hurts from all of that, and it took me entirely too long to write, so let's get to the beering.
This week's choice is reader-submitted but MnB-tested and true. As the season goes on, I will continue to post and highlight some of the excellent choices made via email and on Sunday's discussion thread. In honor of our favorite #16, this week's suggestion is a dual threat - two beers from one great brewery. The historical speeches above were inspired by none other than the 21st Amendment Brewery in San Francisco, California - home to some fantastic seasonal brews and some wicked darks. These guys can flat-out brew. In particular, two beers are worth your time - the Hell or High Watermelon Wheat and the Back in Black IPA. Also, they brew in cans, not longnecks, which is a bit different, but still worth your time.
Let's start with the IPA. My goodness. We've had some interesting IPA talk on the site of late, and I'm happy to have been tipped off to an IPA that's unlike anything I've ever tasted. The BIB is a cross between an American IPA and a porter - it's brewed much like a regular IPA but with extra malt. The result is a much darker beer that I will be consuming mightily if things go wrong tomorrow, which they won't.
Go try it. It's a really cool fusion beer that highlights American ingenuity - combining beer brewing techniques is goood. Just go do it. As far as the lighter, summery side goes, they've also got a fantastic watermelon wheat beer, Hell or High Watermelon. This beer is about the spatial opposite of the BiB, but it's crisp and surprisingly dry for a wheat beer. I like that it has a hint of watermelon without being too sweet - apparently it's fermented twice - once with hops and then added fresh watermelon for a zesty aroma. The sugars break down into alcohol anyway, so it's not like it's just beer with a squirt of watermelon, which, hell, wouldn't be too bad either.
I mean, come on - it's fairly dark for a wheat beer, which can never be bad either. This one should be more easily available than the BIB right now, especially in the Midwest, because the company does have an Ohio distributor.
Enjoy the game, Michigan Faithful! As always, I'd love to hear your beer reviews/tips/thoughts on this post in the comments.