It’s March Madness, and you know what that means! That’s right, a socially acceptable reason to sit on your couch or a pub stool all weekend and drink beer, watching eighteen year-old communications majors hoist far too many three-point attempts, earning millions of dollars in advertising revenue to line the NCAA’s corrupt coffers. Sure, it’s not even quitting time and your bracket is already FUBAR, but let’s focus on the positives… this is one of the great drinking weekends of the calendar year, right up there with next weekend, and, of course, last weekend.
So what to drink? It’s technically spring now, although across much of the country you wouldn’t know it (to our California and Florida readers: the rest of us despise you right now. You’re not so great the rest of the year either. Have fun sliding into the ocean sometime mid-century). So you’re perfectly within your rights to drink anything from the fresh maibocks and saisons popping up on store shelves, to the burly stouts and DIPA’s that keep winter’s lingering chill at bay.
This weekend I’ll be enjoying some Great Lakes Alchemy Hour, my freshman-of-the-year for the 2013 DIPA season- a big, fruity mosaic-hopped beauty that stands toe-to-toe with the NBA-bound Hopslams of the world. And it’s hard to find much in the way of American-brewed sours in western PA, so I’m excited to try a bomber of Uinta Birthday Suit 2oth Anniversary Sour Brown I happened upon recently. I’ll let you know how this one scores at the Aleheads combine. It’s got tremendous upside potential.
So I ask you, Alehead Nation:
ALEHEADS 
Terrapin Mosaic – red rye, Jailhouse Mugshot IPA, Victory Session Saison
I picked up a bomber of Anderson Valley “Heelch O’ Hops” as it was one of the only DIPAs at Whole Foods that I haven’t tried yet. It’s been in the 70’s here in CA so I’ll probably drink it outside, because I can.
Travis, let me know how tba Swing Saison is. Hoppa, bite me.
Slouch, the swing saison is not bad. It has a peppery back end that I am trying to put my finger on. It is no Hennepin, but definitely sessionable. At first taste it reminded me or 21st Amendment’s Sneak Attack, but I would rather have Sneak Attack if given the choice of the two.
Drinking Shorts Huma Lupa Licious and it is DeeLicious also My Homebrew a Steam Beer and New Albion Pale Ale Clone. Life is Good!!!
I’ve been drinking that Alchemy Hour from Great Lakes as well. It has a unique hop character I haven’t tasted before. Definitely has made me excited to try making a Mosaic pale ale as my next homebrew–I have some of the hops waiting in the fridge.
I know, I am intrigued by Mosaic. Was thinking about using it for an IPA. Wonder if there are many other commercial examples.
I think there are going to be a lot of commercial examples very soon, I am hearing the name all over the place. I had a very nice homebrew APA today from a homebrew shop operator that was Mosaic and Nelson Sauvin.
Lost Abby Saint’s Devotion
I’m weak. I had to try Terrapin’s Hopzilla, I was so in love with Rye Squared that I had to see if its replacement was worthy. As it has warmed up, it’s opened up and gotten much better. Bro-in-law is flying in, so there’s a sixer of Breckenridge Vanilla Porter awaiting and tomorrow night I’ve got Lindley Park 7. A 10% “Stout brewed with honey, and with raspberries added” from Olde Hickory in NC…Here’s hoping the fancy wax seal lives up to the hype..
Drinking a home brew Belgian Strong Ale which I would call a Belgian Maize to honor the Michigan Wolverines making the Final 4