Wheat Ale

NOW TAPPING: Southern Tier Brewing

From what I see, the first of Southern Tier Brewing tappings are occurring in Atlanta.  If someone else is tapping today too – let me know….   Taco Mac’s in the Atlanta area – particularly Metropolis are adding Southern Tier Continue Reading →

Seasonal Return: Smutty’s Summer Weizen

Smuttynose Brewing’s (Portsmouth, NH) summer seasonal is back on shelves.  Summer Weizen, an American wheat ale follows Smuttynose winter ale.

Summer Weizen as described by the brewery –

“Light, tasty & full of character, our summer wheat ale is brewed with a Continue Reading →

Sweetwater Sch’wheat! Hits Shelves

To catch you up – Sweetwater Brewing (Atlanta, GA) has discontinued their Summer Hummer seasonal offering.  Replacing Hummer is a new YEAR ROUND offering – Sch’Wheat! American Wheat Ale.  Sch’Wheat! just made it’s mainstream debut at Sweetwater’s 420 Fest recently. Continue Reading →

Bell’s Oberon Release Parties!

Not even a year later and Bell’s Oberon has quickly become a favorite in Atlanta.  This summer seasonal by Bell’s brewing is back on the shelves just in time for warmer weather.

To be perfectly honest, I would drink any style Continue Reading →

Coming Soon – Sweetwater’s Sch’Wheat!

Coming soon from Sweetwater Brewing — Sch’wheat! Sch’wheat is an unfiltered American Wheat Ale joining Sweetwater’s year round offerings.

American wheat ales have a moderate wheat character and are brewed with American yeast strains.  Citrus and spice are noticeable in American Continue Reading →

Posted in Now Tapping, Southern Tier Brewing

NOW TAPPING: Southern Tier Brewing

From what I see, the first of Southern Tier Brewing tappings are occurring in Atlanta.  If someone else is tapping today too – let me know….   Taco Mac’s in the Atlanta area – particularly Metropolis are adding Southern Tier additions.   Brickstore Pub also.

Today at Taco Mac Metro –

Hop Sun — American Pale Wheat, 4.9% ABV.  Sessionable summer wheat ale.  Dry hopped pale ale with flavors of wheat, barley, and hops.  Lemon zest and sweet malts also find their way in. Refreshing

Iniquity Imperial Black Ale — 8.9% ABV.  Called the “Antithesis of Unearthly,” this is a hoppy black ale, much like a black IPA.

Brickstore Pub –

Big Red — Imperial Red Ale, 9.5% ABV.  Single hopped w/ Hallertau. Spicy. Malty with sweet undertones.

UnEarthly IPA — Imperial IPA, 9.8% ABV.  Imperial IPA with huge hop bill.  Southern Tier describes it as aggressive.

 

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Seasonal Return, Smuttynose Brewing

Seasonal Return: Smutty’s Summer Weizen

Smuttynose Brewing’s (Portsmouth, NH) summer seasonal is back on shelves.  Summer Weizen, an American wheat ale follows Smuttynose winter ale.

Summer Weizen as described by the brewery –

“Light, tasty & full of character, our summer wheat ale is brewed with a combination of domestic and continental wheat and barley malts, lightly hopped & fermented with a Belgian wit yeast, resulting in a delightfully tangy & refreshing flavor.

This beer is brewed for warm weather enjoyment. Bring some to your next picnic, barbeque or Frisbee game.”

Availability – May – August. 12 oz/6 pks & Draft.

5.5% ABV (A little high for a session beer, but still light & easy drinking!)

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in New Releases, SweetWater Brewing

Sweetwater Sch’wheat! Hits Shelves

To catch you up – Sweetwater Brewing (Atlanta, GA) has discontinued their Summer Hummer seasonal offering.  Replacing Hummer is a new YEAR ROUND offering – Sch’Wheat! American Wheat Ale.  Sch’Wheat! just made it’s mainstream debut at Sweetwater’s 420 Fest recently.  Seems like Sch’Wheat was well received.  If you missed it at 420 Fest, the 6 pack bottles have arrived.   You won’t find it on draft yet.  Draft hits in June.

From the previous post –

“American wheat ales have a moderate wheat character and are brewed with American yeast strains.  Citrus and spice are noticeable in American wheat ales, less banana and clove like many German hefeweizens you might have had.  Hops are definitely more prevalent in American wheat ales.  Sch’Wheat! Is intended to be kind of a gateway beer by Sweetwater.  There is still a huge part of the beer drinking population that has never even tasted a craft beer, much less an unfiltered beer full of wheat.  Not every craft beer is one that you would want to hand to a friend to try hoping to get them hooked on craft beers (some are so bold in flavor, it could be a turn off.)  This offering of Sch’Wheat! aspires to be a transition into the world of craft beer with a light, subtle, easy drinking session beer.”

Availability – Sch’Wheat! can be found in the Sweetwater Tacklebox variety packs.  12oz/6 pks.  Draft debut in June 2010.  Sch’Wheat! is a year round offering.

Tasting – Be on the lookout for orange, citrus and spices in the nose.  Palette will contain some of the same.  Light orange/citrus.  Hummer was heavy on spice.  Sch’Wheat! scaled back on spice…

4.7% ABV

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Bell's Brewing, Seasonal Return

Bell’s Oberon Release Parties!

Not even a year later and Bell’s Oberon has quickly become a favorite in Atlanta.  This summer seasonal by Bell’s brewing is back on the shelves just in time for warmer weather.

To be perfectly honest, I would drink any style of beer, any time.  Yet, there are just some beers that really go well sitting outside on a sunny afternoon.  Bell’s Oberon definitely has sunny day appeal.  Oberon is an American Wheat Ale, with a light, fruity taste, and a great spicy backbone.  Wheat ales are typically unfiltered, with wheat flavors that can linger into the finish.  American wheats are different from German Hefeweizens.  Stylistically, you won’t find banana or clove, just floral/citrus, wheat and noble hops.

Tasting notes: Think fresh oranges.  Lemon zests.   Nice bready malt tones. Sweet in palette and finish.  It’s drinkable & refreshing.   A great warm weather beer.

Hops — Saaz (A noble hop. German in origin)

Availability — Summer seasonal — March — October.  12oz/6pks, 5 liter Mini Kegs, Draft offerings.

5.8% ABV

Updates!  Release Parties!

3/31 – The Porter Oberon Release Party!  Keep the glass while supplies last. 6 pm, 3/31

3/31  – Free Bell’s Tasting at Octane Coffee w/ Hop City.  Free tastes of Oberon, and 2 others

4/3 – Midway Pub Release Party! Games, Giveaways, Oberon! 1-4 pm  (Midway in East Atlanta)


by Reid Ramsay
Posted in New Releases, SweetWater Brewing

Coming Soon – Sweetwater’s Sch’Wheat!

Coming soon from Sweetwater Brewing — Sch’wheat! Sch’wheat is an unfiltered American Wheat Ale joining Sweetwater’s year round offerings.

American wheat ales have a moderate wheat character and are brewed with American yeast strains.  Citrus and spice are noticeable in American wheat ales, less banana and clove like many German hefeweizens you might have had.  Hops are definitely more prevalent in American wheat ales.  Sch’Wheat! Is intended to be kind of a gateway beer by Sweetwater.  There is still a huge part of the beer drinking population that has never even tasted a craft beer, much less an unfiltered beer full of wheat.  Not every craft beer is one that you would want to hand to a friend to try hoping to get them hooked on craft beers (some are so bold in flavor, it could be a turn off.)  This offering of Sch’Wheat! aspires to be a transition into the world of craft beer with a light, subtle, easy drinking session beer.

Sch’Wheat! will debut in the Sweetwater Tacklebox variety packs first, then at Sweetwater’s 420 Fest, then full launch on tap handles and 6pks shortly after.  Tasting notes, and more info on official launch coming soon…

UPDATE – Sch’Wheat! will replace Sweetwater’s Summer Hummer seasonal.

4.7% ABV

by Reid Ramsay