Cigar City Florida Cracker

Last week, i spent a few days in the happiest goddamn place on earth, as the family and i made our way to central Florida for some high times with the Mouse.  Yeah, we went to Disney.  Anyway, the daily visits to the theme park was not about me.  It was about my kids, and they loved it.  But in the evening, back at the condo, watching the sun go down as my feet ached and ached, well...that was about me.  And what better way to wind down than with some tasty beverages from one of my favorite breweries, Tampa Bay's Cigar City.  The delightfully named Florida Cracker, a Belgian-style white ale with orange peel and coriander, was my go to for the trip.  The 5.5% ABV brew was light, crisp, and sweet, notes of orange and coriander layered against some slight spiciness from the Belgian yeast that hit both the nose and the tongue with zesty aplomb.  I could quite literally drink it all day long.  So, if you ever find yourself in the magic kingdom, be sure to equip yourself with some wind-down libations to ease the pain and dim the noise.

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KCCO White Wheat

One of the lovely things that happens when you write about beer on the internet is that you will sometimes get messages from like-minded people on social media with recommendations and discoveries and such.  Recently, i was encouraged to try the KCCO Black Lager from Austin's Resignation Brewery...which for whatever reason or another, i have not gotten around to doing so yet, but i did get a chance to try their KCCO White Wheat, and it's a perfect summertime brew.  This 5% ABV beer pours a hazy gold and smells of wheat and honey.  The flavor is full of the same wheat and honey notes, but with some added citrus and orange.  And it's damn refreshing.

Eventually i will get around to that black lager.

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Port City Optimal Wit

Thank you, thank you, thank you to my friend over on the east coast who was in town for ACL Fest this last weekend and brought me a care package, a variety of beers from Port City Brewing in Alexandria, Virginia.  Last night, after some furniture assembly, i broke into the Optimal Wit, a Belgian white brewed with coriander and orange peel.  The beer pours a light and hazy yellow with a white and sudsy head.  Aromas of citrus, the aforementioned coriander, wheat, and some light notes of pepper are most prevalent, while the taste smooth with predominant flavors of citrus and wheat.  It's a very refreshing brew, and it hit the spot.  A very good witbier.

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Deschutes Chainbreaker White IPA

I always love when breweries work with and tweak IPA's coming up with awesome and tasty combinations.  Deschutes Brewery offer up their Chainbreaker White IPA, a nice mix of Belgian white and IPA.  The beer pours a hazy light yellow, with a nice and foamy white head.  The aroma consists of Belgian yeast and malts, lemon, and hints of banana and grass.  The taste is malty, with the lemon coming in front and center, followed by notes of coriander and grass.  The hoppiness is slight, especially for an IPA, but still noticeable with hints of grapefruit coming on the back end.  A great anytime beer.

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Independence White Rabbit

So...maybe beer and i had a little disagreement last weekend.  And maybe some things were done and said that need to be taken back.  The past is the past.  Let's forge ahead.  Austin's Independence Brewing just released a canned Belgian white ale witbier called the White Rabbit, and it's tasty, tasty, tasty.  The beer pours a clear, crisp gold with a nice carbonated head.  Aromas of bread and spice prevail, while the taste is all spice, coriander, and orange peel.  A great libation for the ping-ponging hot and cold days we've been having in central Texas of late.

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Hoegaarden Wit Blanche

Seeing as it's well over 100 degrees here in Austin today, here's a lovely and refreshing beer for you to imbibe.  The Hoegaarden Wit Blanche is a delicious and golden white ale with hints of orange in both the aroma and the flavor.  The beer pours a cloudy gold and has plenty of carbonation and a nice, frothy head.  It's a little sweet, but has more of a tart finish (orange and lemon).  From look to smell to taste, this beer is pretty much the embodiment of one's mental image of what a beer is supposed to be.  And it's a perfect brew for these long, hot summer days.  Bravo.

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