Yesterday was Memorial Day. My family decided to spend the day together, celebrate, eat and drink. I didn't wake up till two in the afternoon, so I tossed on some clothes and went down stairs. At which point one of the first things my father said to me was, "Check the fridge". So I opened the fridge to see Cleveland's best micro brew, Great Lakes Brewing company. My dad knows they're my favorite brewing company, and so he picked up a sixer of my favorite Eliot Ness (a hoppy amber lager), and a seasonal beer I hadn't tried yet. Lake Erie Monster.
Lake Erie Monster is a Double IPA, or Imperial IPA, meaning hops, and lots of them. Traditional Pale Ales are especially hoppy because of lower malt content. However when the British were occupying India, they shipped Pale Ales over, but to keep them from going bad during the long months at sea they added more hops and raised the alcohol content. Thus, the India Pale Ale was born. Now, a Double IPA is, well, double that. So, Pale Ale's lower malt content for hoppier flavor, whereas IPA's add hops and increase ABV (alcohol by volume), and a Double IPA adds even more hops. Just a small note, with IPA's and Double IPA's it is often the case that the brewer will add more malt to level out the taste which will darken the brew.
Now this Double IPA is named after Bessie, a local legend, a sea serpent the roams the shallows of Lake Erie. Being the beer fanatic I am, I popped one open on the spot. As far as aroma goes, it was deceivingly mild. It had a bitter scent but in a mellow sense, no bite, so I dove right in. Bessie has a bold, beautiful taste with an interesting mix of malt and hops, that finishes with a bold hoppy bite that almost swirls in your mouth. As the day progressed my family had dinner, home made pulled pork. The rub used on the pork was chalked full of brown sugar for sweetness, but had some chili powder and cayenne pepper for a little kick as well, a great mix of flavors and the perfect food to pair my pal Bessie with.
Lake Erie Monster is a great beer, and a summer seasonal for good reason. Bessie is a great beer to bring to cook outs, as she pairs well with pulled pork, burgers, steak, you name it. It's not cheap at $9.95 for a four pack, but one thing to note is it tastes strong for a reason, 9.1% ABV to be precise. When I first tried this beer I was drinking on an empty stomach, and I had two before we ate dinner and I drank my third. Even for a hefty fella like me, I was feelin it. So if you're smaller and you have one just remember you just drank almost three Bud Lights, and give someone else the keys please.
Nothing much more to say, you can find it around Ohio and parts of Michigan where they sell seasonal GLBC Beer. Enjoy folks.
No comments:
Post a Comment