Bell's Brewery: Larry's Latest Sour Ale
Bell's Brewery is located in Kalamazoo Michigan and they have been brewing since the mid '80s. Larry's Latest is a series of seasonal beers that are a nod to Bell's Brewery founder, Larry Bell. This particular release is available between February and March.
According to the Bell's Brewery website, this beer has a "refreshingly bright, citrusy tartness combined with pungent tropical aromas". Everything about that sentence sounds refreshing and delicious to me. Like Greg mentioned, the can really stood out for him which is one of the reasons he grabbed it off the shelf. I agree with him, sometimes its the marketing that makes beers stand out more than the beer itself. Luckily in this case, the beer could hold its own.
Now I have personally seen that people either really like sour ales or they don't like them at all. This particular sour ale doesn't seem as intense as others though, which bodes well for people who might not enjoy them normally. Overall, Greg enjoyed this beer and from his testimony and the flavor profile that Bell's Brewery Gives online I think I would enjoy this one too. So if you are lucky enough to be in an area which sells this beer, pick up a six pack. It might just be the perfect introduction to sour ales for anyone.
Frankenmuth Brewery: The Hef
When Greg first told me we were going to a town called Frankenmuth while I was visiting Michigan, I wasn't sure what to expect. What I found was a town that was styled after a Bavarian village in Germany, and it wouldn't feel like Germany unless there was a brewery. The Frankenmuth Brewery was founded in 1862 and has been brewing ever since. Most of the beers that Greg and I had at the brewery were German style lagers and ales, but they did have some American styles as well.
The Hef is a German-style wheat ale and it is absolutely delicious. Having only 13 IBUs and sitting at 5.2% ABV this is extremely drinkable. It also has the typical haze that hefeweizen ales are known for. More importantly for me though, this beer has the flavors that German style yeast adds to a beer's flavor. Most people might not realize it, but yeast is responsible for a majority of a beer's flavor. German yeast gives off clove or banana notes which are very tasty and unique to beers brewed with this type of yeast.
Overall I really enjoyed this beer and I am glad I got the chance to visit the brewery. Next time I am out in Michigan and see one of the beers brewed by the Frankenmuth Brewery I will be sure to try it. If you are anywhere near Frankenmuth, you need to add The Hef to your fridge. Trust me you will enjoy it.
That's it for this edition of Da Beers. Be sure to check out our YouTube page for the most recent podcast or you can listen to any of our previous ones as well. Leave a comment if you've got a beer suggestion for Greg or I.
Cheers!
-Brian
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