Weekend Brews

Happy Monday, all -- hope you enjoyed the beautiful weather this weekend with friends and your favorite brew. My weekend was spent in Sommerset, Wisconsin enjoying the sunshine with some friends by floating down Apple River.

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The Apple River camping experience has been a tradition for my group of college friends for four years now. This year I was blessed to reunite with my favorite undergrad cronies and enjoy one last weekend of summer shenanigans before the school year begins.

My "river beer" of choice has been the same for the past four years:

Leinenkugel's Summer Shandy

While Leinie's Lemon Berry Shandy tastes a little soapy to me and the Orange Shandy hones a bit too much of an artificial orange taste, I'll never turn down a good ol' Summer Shandy. It's a beer I look forward to every summer. I'm not sure if it's the drinkability, the lemon flavor, the fact that's refreshing served ice-cold, or the pure nostalgia of times enjoyed whilst drinking it -- probably a combination. It's my go-to beer to pull out of any "Beer Cave" within a five mile radius and throw into a cooler. Doesn't get much easier than that.

Another thing my college friends and I share is a love for PBR. This is my go-to, year-round choice when I've got an evening of card-playing and general shenanigans in store.

But really...does it get more all-American than this?

Now, I know what you're thinking. "C'mon, Rach. We didn't come here to read about PBR and admire pictures of you in patriotic garb celebrating the land of the free." Well, fear not, my faithful readers -- I have saved the best for last: 

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Behold, Spotted Cow by New Glarus Brewing Co. This is an American Cream Ale with an ABV of 5.1%. It's smooth, clean, and has a touch of fruitiness. The New Glarus Brewing Co. has described the flavor as "fun," and I couldn't agree more. The beer is naturally cloudy due to the yeast that New Glarus has allowed to remain in the bottle. Let the flavor to linger on your palate long enough and you may even be able to pick up on a subtle hint of corn flavor.

When I found this beer tucked away in the (tiny) craft section of a local Somerset liquor store, I literally set down my cases of Shandy and PBR and did a little happy dance (I'm not afraid to admit it). When it comes to a smooth, delicious, satisfying cream ale, it doesn't get much better than this. Add that to the fact that it comes from a small local brewery and it's got a name and logo that's just plain fun and I'm in love. If you're ever in Wisconsin, you've gotta pick up at least a six-pack. I savored these babies and brought a couple home to enjoy and maybe (if I find some lucky friends/volunteers) share.

So, there you have it, a quick run-down of my weekend brews. If you follow my Twitter (@BigPalateBrews) or my UnTappd, you'll also notice that I stopped by the beloved Wooden Legs for a quick pint of Three5Three Stout. While I was there I had a lovely chat with owner Seth Koch and of course checked up on the Pumpkin Porter and Double Nut Brown, both of which will be finished oh so soon. You'll bet I'll be up there for a growler of each when they're ready. 

Stay tuned for future blogs about sharing my new hobby with my friends as well as a blog about my current read, Tasting Beer by Randy Mosher. 

Cheers! 

Rach

p.s. If you've got the chance, hop on over to the Wooden Legs Blog and check out the first installment of their Barside Stories, which I helped edit! 

Thank You!

I was going to wait until tomorrow to post a blog about my newly purchased book, Tasting Beer by Randy Mosher, as well as my first experience at Monk's, but I just couldn't wait... I had to say a huge THANK YOU!

When I first posted a link to this blog on my personal Facebook, I'll admit, I was nervous. What would people think about me (a twenty-two year old female from South Dakota) dedicating a blog to (craft) beer? I was pleasantly surprised to receive a huge amount of support, from Facebook "likes", to people adding me to beer clubs (thanks Big Dan!), to phone calls, to private FB messages, to emails. I was overwhelmed with the amount of support I got, and honestly, it really made me feel justified in my journey. I was almost brought to tears by the excitement my blog sparked. Trust me -- I will not let you folks down. You have added so much positive fuel to my already glowing fire.

You will notice that in my about me, I have mentioned that I've never met an unfriendly microbrewer, and I would like to extend that sentiment to all craft beer nerds I've met so far. These are the most supportive, friendly, fun-loving and community-based people I've had the pleasure of knowing and I can't wait to meet so many more.

Though South Dakota presents a challenge to me as far as finding those unique craft beers that spark my interest and my "big" palate, I'm so thrilled to know that networking among beer nerds and just plain friendly people will not be difficult at all.

Tonight I was thrilled to receive Twitter interactions from my two favorite Brookings-based beer bars: a mention from my new favorite brewpub Wooden Legs Brewing Co., and a follow from Pints and Quarts. I will be mentioning both of these fine establishments in later blogs (upon their permission), but I definitely think that they are both worth mentioning. Both can boast fine service and excellent beer selection.

I've left a bit of my heart in Brookings with these establishments, but as I mentioned before, I'm thrilled to explore Sioux Falls. If any of you are from the area and would like to help me explore and/or grab a pint with me, please feel free to comment below or contact me via Twitter.

Again, thank you to everyone -- from high school classmates who liked my status to SF beer nerds who welcomed me with open arms, to you I say:

Cheers!
Rach

And so it begins...

I don't really remember a distinctive moment when I fell in love with craft beer, but I definitely remember the moment I knew that waterbeer (or Macrobrews, big-name brews, or any of the "big 3", if you will) and I would never form a happy union.

I'm sure most of us have a similar story, so I'll keep it short and sweet: The first beer I ever tried was a Bud heavy. I was among other first-time beer samplers and the girl next to me affectionately deemed the taste similar to "bubbly crackers." Generous.

Don't get me wrong. I am not above waterbeer. If I am dying of thirst in the desert, am I going to turn down a Mic Golden Light? ....probably not. But would I order a Coors with dinner? Don't count on it. However, when it comes to PBR, well, I am an American after all. It's my guilty pleasure beer. More on that later, I'm sure.

Now, I'm not here to look down my nose (and over my glass) at anyone. To be honest, if you're a beer drinker in general, I'll raise a toast. Rather, I'm here because I need a hobby. Some people knit, others breed cats, I drink beer. Not only do I drink beer, I enjoy beer. 

Another incentive for me to drink, taste, enjoy, and write about beer is the simple fact that I'm a female. Let's be honest: you just don't hear about chicks drinking beer (outside of college keggers). Me? I'd order a Porter over a Pino Gris any day. In fact, studies are pointing to the fact that women may, in fact, be better beer tasters than men. (source: Wall Street Journal) I'm here to prove that theory right. 

You'll notice from the title of this blog that I've deemed myself "Small-Town." I'm from South Dakota. Quick: name three microbreweries located in South Dakota! .....okay, name two. .....one? If you named Crow Peak, congratulations: we're new best friends. If not, you're definitely not alone. The simple fact is, breweries are few and far between here in the Rushmore state. Access to craft beers is limited, but not impossible, and I'm making it my mission to explore the best I can within my means (more on my favorite SD brewpubs, beer bars, and breweries to come).

Source: craftbeer.com

Finally, I've decided to share my love for craft beer through blogging because I love to write. I daylight as a middle/high school English teacher. Because of a huge change in life plans, I'm currently substituting while searching for a full time job. Thankfully, though, substituting is temporary and allows me to look nationwide for my next job. We'll see what life brings.

So, there it is in a nutshell. I am no beer snob by any means. I'm truly a beginner. I know the basics, but am looking to expand my knowledge and develop my palate. I'm looking to network, share, and learn more. I'm searching for fellow beer, food, wine, coffee, and adventure junkies. 

Cheers.

Rachael