Beer History: My Dad Turns 60

The last few weeks on this blog have been focused on Beer History.  Continuing on that trend I would like to discuss my father's old age, 60.  He used to be a Busch guy and then he went onto Bud Light.  From Bud Light he went to American Ale by AB and now loves Sierra Nevada's Pale Ale.  My brother and I have been working to change his taste his horizons are rapidly expanding .

I think Dad owes me $101.93 for this.

What does an obnoxious son do for his father's birthday?  First, I had to drive to Wisconsin to get him a beer he asked for  back in October.  A six pack of Dale's Pale Ale for his office fridge, delivered cold of course.  Secondly, since I just drove about 7 hours to get there, we need food.  I will take him out to lunch at the same bar he has been going to for the last 40 years.  Finally, he gets one heck of a sampler pack including beer from Oskar Blues, Goose Island, New Glarus,  Bell's and others.  To pull this off I have travelled through four states, flattened a tire, and lied to my family all in the name of surprise.  Happy Birthday Old Man.

#5 of 1001 Hell or High Watermelon Wheat Beer

Another in the series based on 1001 Beers You Must Taste Before You Die (1001 (Universe))

Hell or High Watermelon by 21st Amendment was once a summer seasonal, and is now brewed year round.  Originally made with fresh watermelon the brewers now use watermelon puree.  I was pleasantly surprised as I was expecting putridness.  I wouldn't have likely even picked it up if it wasn't given to me by my brother.

Tasting Notes:
Has a subtle fruity aroma.  Taste comes through like a standard wheat beer and finishes with a tartness.  Leaves a faint aftertaste of watermelon.  This is actually very similar to the watermelon I had 15 minutes prior to drinking the beer.  It was crisp with a very light mouthfeel.  I would recommend for summer, but not the winter.

On the road again!

This past weekend I had a chance to go home.  Going home means a lot of things, but this is a beer blog so here is the beer part.

One of the better parts of going home is to hang out with my younger beer loving brother (ok there is another one but he likes whiskey).  Friday night resulted in a chance to trade beer and drink a special beer together.  This time it was creme brulee Imperial Milk Stout.  A couple interesting notes on this beer for one the beer changes as it warms up.  Secondly, you can actually taste burnt sugar in this beer this never ceases to amaze me the ability of brewers to inject flavor in beer.

Saturday resulted in a trip to Lagerheads in Medina, Ohio.  This is a releatively young brewpub (few months) that also has a smokehouse on premise.  Word to the wise it is out in the boonies.  Then again I am all for gravel parking lots.  I had a pulled pork sandwich which I enjoyed.  And the beer...I of course ordered a a sampler of their beer.  Their on premise beers included a witte, a red ale, a dortmunder, a pale ale, and a stout.  I felt the witte and stout to be solid, the red and pales to be very good, and the red to be exceptional.  They also had a selection of beers from AB to American microbrews to imports.  The trip is worthwhile but please drink local.  I always frown on a bar that sells corporate beer and make their own.  It leaves me wondering what the deal is.