Quick Hits
Great beers from Thick-n-Thin, Abita, and Real Ale…
Warning: This post is about alcohol. If you struggle to drink with moderation or suffer from addiction, know that you are not alone. Please skip this post and join us back here next time. We’ll be waiting for you. If you need help, check out this website. May the Lord bless and strengthen you, friend.
Hey everyone, as a reminder, I am currently publishing the standard Into The Blue posts monthly (on the first Friday). This post is the first in an experimental series of aperiodic Quick Hits—brief writeups of excellent wines, restaurants, trails, and such. I am also toying with another idea, which is to publish the short meditations weekly as a separate newsletter. They would appear on the Into The Blue website, but you could subscribe or unsubscribe from them separately depending on your interests. Please leave a note in the comments on what you think of these ideas. Thank you.
Into The Blue is about finding joy in simple pleasures. One of those pleasures is beer.
Today I’d like to highlight three great beers I’ve had the pleasure of discovering during my winter wanderings. Each one made me stop and say, “Wow, that is joy in a glass!”
Paw Paw Pie Sour Ale, Thick-n-Thin Brewing, Maryland
You had me at Paw Paw, a native fruit that grows near rivers and creeks in the mid-Atlantic region. I’ve never heard of anyone making beer with foraged paw paws, which taste like a banana-mango custard, but this might be the greatest idea in the history of humanity. The wonderful folks at Thick-n-Thin in Hagerstown have produced a light, pleasantly sweet and tart, fruited Sour Ale that is totally unique, and totally awesome. Check it out if you’re in the area!
Bourbon Street Stout, Abita Brewing, Louisiana
Bourbon Street Stout from the good folks at Abita outside New Orleans is an Imperial Stout aged in Pappy Van Winkle bourbon barrels. This beer is a dark, rich, slightly sweet work of art. The taste is smooth, but be careful; it clocks in at 10% ABV. After fermentation, the beer is cold aged for 6 weeks, then transferred into bourbon barrels for 8 more weeks. The result is extraordinary: flavors of roasted malts, vanilla, and bourbon. Laissez les bons temps rouler!
Real Heavy Scotch Ale, Real Ale Brewing, Texas
Real Heavy is a very nice Scotch Ale (Wee Heavy-style) from Real Ale Brewing Company in Blanco, Texas, between Austin and San Antonio. It is a malt-forward brew with a classic brownish hue and toffee notes. This thing goes down real smooth!
Cheers!