Cheers!

Let's start with the fact that I come from a long line of beer drinkers. Must come from my German heritage.

The best beer I ever remember having was when my older brother converted an old refrigerator in the basement into to a tap. He kept it well stocked with Labatt's Blue. Yum!
He eventually de-installed the device when he got tired of supporting all his buddies. (and his mother and sister, I think)

As of recent, I've noticed a distinct change in the type of beers the kids have been drinking . There seems to be a influx of more unique and distinct beers on the market and many of these are being sampled by my family (although hopefully, not Stinky). Here's some of the brands that we've been most impressed with:

1. Blue Moon (Molson Coors Brewery) - This beer was developed on the Molson side of the house. The beer is orange-amber in color with a cloudy appearance because it is unfiltered. It is also spiced with corainder and orange peel in addition to the hops found in most beers. Blue Moon does have a more pronounced orange flavor than many other beers of the style (gently lifted from Wikepedia). Blue Moon has been a favorite of ours for some time now. Delicious with a slice of orange. This is the dessert of beers.

2. Final Absolution (Dragonmeade Brewery) - This local beer is produced in Warren, Michigan. It's Dragonmeade signature product and it is considered a Belgian Ale. The Belgian wheat gives it its banana and clove aromoas. Just found out that this brew has a 10% alcohol content. So careful if you try it. (Right "Doc Hollywood".)

3. Landshark (Margaritaville Brewing Company) - Jimmy has sure turned the whole Margaritaville thing into a profitable brand. This is a smooth lager that goes well with a wedge of lime. Kind of an Americanized Corona. A good summertime beer.

4. Oberon (Bell's Brewery Company) - An American wheat ale brewed with Saaz hops. Spicy and fruity, Oberon is the color and scent of a sunny afternoon (gently lifted from Bell's website).

5. Magic Hat No. 9 (Magic Hat Brewing Company) - An English ale that is a dry, crisp, refreshing, not-quite pale ale. (gently lifted from Magic Hat's website)

6. Shock Top (Anheuser Busch Brewing Company) - This is an unfiltered Belgian-style wheat ale which is naturally cloudy and unfiltered with a light golden color. Seems to be Bud's competitor for Blue Moon. Again delicious with a slide of orange.


To give a more well rounded list, I enlisted the help of my cousin Evan, in Texas. He's a proud beer aficionado, so I asked for a few of his favorite beers. So here's a couple more that are worth a try.


7. Shiner Cheer (Spoetzl Brewery) - Although a dark wheat beer, it boasts an extra taste of Texas. It's brewed with pecans and Stonewall peaches from the Texas Hill Country. This delicious, fruity beer delivers remarkably pleasant peach and apricot flavors, with light spice, caramel and toffee notes. (gently lifted from the Dallas News review)


8. King's Peak Porter (Uinita Brewing Company) - This beer is a deep mahogany in color and has a full-bodied malty flavor. Hints of chocolate malt are easily detectable. Topped with a tan creamy head, this beer has a definite hop character that nicely balances its mild bitterness. (gently lifted from Uinita Brewing website.)

So, the next time you are at an establishment with a long line of beer taps, you might want to venture out to one of these beverages. Enjoy