Remember to drink plenty of fluids during the summer

I know that is has been a good long while since I put a post up last.  It has been since the winter Olympics…and yes, I know that it is now summer.  I get very absent-minded at times (all the time) and I always think about it but alas, I always forget at the end of the day.  Every post starts up with me stating how I am going to be better about writing more frequently…this one is just going to be subtle about it.  I mean come on, I review and drink A LOT of beer, some memory lapses can and should be forgiven.

There have been so many wonderful, delicious beers that I have drunk in the past season and there have been a fair share of not so good ones as well.  Too many to cover in one post anyway.  So today I am going to go over a few beers that I have been drinking a lot of lately.

You see, summer here in St. Louis really really sucks.  There are mostly 85 degree plus days and the humidity is usually around 179%.  It is just a miserable place to be.  This is why I have been relying on those few beers made for these awful days that are hot and sticky.  Beers that just make the unbearable weather that much more enjoyably.  I know there are those out there who say drinking is the worst thing for hot days outside.  I was at the store recently purchasing a twelve of one of these brews and the cashier mentioned how she liked the beer.  I replied that nothing is  better after cutting the grass in the sweltering heat than to sit back and enjoy a few of these ice-cold brews.  Upon coming out of my mouth almost the entire store started harping on me about how unhealthy that is and barking about dehydration and the negative affects of alcohol.  Apparently water is the go to thing in that situation.  I just laughed and left the ignorant amateurs to their business.

My first go to beer of summer is a local one.  This is the beer I was buying in the above story.  It is from the O’Fallon Brewery and is called Wheach.    This is a wheat beer that is brewed with peaches.  Upon pouring, one can see that it is a nice golden, almost peach color and finished with a nice creamy white head.  It smells of peaches, not too strong though, not like opening a can of fruit cocktail.  The first taste is not quite as one would expect from the aroma it gives off.  The initial flavor here is of a very light, crisp, unfiltered wheat beer.  One that is comparable to a Boulevard or better than any A/B In-Bev go around.  The back-end of this beer is where the peach is.  After the initial wheat beer taste then comes the peach on the back of the tongue.  It is not a strong peach flavor at all.  It is just enough to taste the hint of peach and be really enjoyable.  This is a very light wheat beer and is easily drank in any situation.  Yet, this beer really excels to me in the ridiculous heat of these Missouri summers.  The peach and the lightness of taste and body make this the perfect summer beer.  Wheat beers are usually summer beers for me, the problem being that some of them sit heavy in my stomach after having a few.  This beer does not do that at all.  A smooth crisp flavor and a very light body and feeling in the tummy.  Sitting at 5.10% ABV this is a standard beer and you will feel it after a few in the sun.  The best word to sum up Wheach is simply refreshing.  Also, on a side note, O’Fallon has started distributing this is 12 packs of cans.  The best for a float trip or to throw in that BBQ cooler and not have to worry about breaking.

Here is the link to the O’Fallon page…check out the Wheach and all their other great products

The next summer beer must is Hoegaarden. This beer is distributed by In-Bev which made it easy to get in this area for a little while now.  Hoegaarden, which according to the six-pack is pronounced (Who-gar-den), is a white ale that is a Belgian style.  Traditionally called a witbeir, which means “white beer” this beer lived up to that in the color.  It is a very pale yellow color and has a white head as well.  Ok, the first time I had this beer was a while ago…and I remember not caring for it too much.  Upon going back to it, I love it and it is a staple of my summer (all year ’round actually) drinking.  This beer is comparable to a wheat in many ways. It is brewed with orange peel and coriander and a number of spices.  It has a nice light fruity flavor on the palate.  This beer is another refreshing beer.  It is light and just sits well after drinking.  At this stage of the game there is no lemonade for me in the summer to cool off, it is strictly these types of beer that are cold, light and have a hint of fruit to them.  Hoegaarden is a beer that, if it is possible, needs to be drank out of the tap. This one sits at 4.9% ABV.  A cool pint of this is an ideal add to any meal, any morning, evening, night, midnight, date, birthday, bar mitzvah, baby shower, etc… Also a little trick of the trade, if you are at a bar that has this and Guiness on tap, ask for Cream of Wheat.  That is half Guiness and half Hoegaarden.  It layers and it is as delicious as it is pretty.

Hoegaarden’s web site link

One more staple for me to drink in the heat of the summer is the one I get the most crap from all my buddies for.  I like the fruitier beers and this beer is refreshing, delicious and fruity.  Remember what I said about me not going for lemonade anymore.  Well, I lied a little bit.  Leinenkugel’s Summer Shandy is the exception to that rule.  I loved this beer from the first sip.  This is a beer that is brewed with lemonade.  This beer has the taste of beer that is followed by the refreshing taste of a tart lemonade.  It is the perfect combination.  This is not a beer for everyone though. For those that want their beer to have a distinct hop and barley taste to it then stay away.  This beer has no distinct hoppy taste.  One can sense the light pilsner taste from the get go but the lemony taste takes over fairly quickly and strongly.  This is a sitting outside with the friend’s on a hot summer’s eve and enjoying good times beer.  Plus, at least it’s not Mike’s Hard Lemonade.  Sitting at 4.2% ABV, this is definitely a lighter. enjoy in refreshing mass quantity beer.

Leinenkugel’s web page is here…look em up, they got a very unique selection

That sums it up really. There are a couple more that I have just found and loved but I need to save those to motivate me to get my ass back on here to write some more.  All in all though, I think that it takes an open mind to try summer beers.  They are lighter and not very beer like, yet, that is what I like about them.  I could never drink a sixer of Budweiser or Miller Genuine Draft on a 95 degree day.  These types of beers are meant to be enjoyed in those extremes.  I have noticed that a lot of the craft breweries put out summer seasonal.  Beers that are lighter and a little more citrusy to enjoy on those hot days.  So after spending a hot summer day outside, whether it be cutting the grass or lounging in the pool, reach for one these.  I promise it will get you ready to do it all again (especially if it was lounging in the pool).

Cheers!!!