Summit Hefe Weizen

Want a warm-weather seasonal from a local pioneer in the craft beer world? Then Summit Hefe Weizen may be your beer. This has been their summer recipe for quite a while. However, I just came across some interesting info: Summit now lists this as a year-round brew on their website. If that's true, you can now enjoy this particular beverage during all seasons. (I'll have to do some emailing to find out for sure.)

Summit Hefe Weizen is an American version of the old Bavarian style. It has a lot in common with the European originals, but remains unique at the same time. It is brewed with a 66% portion of wheat malt and has residual yeast that is not filtered out. It weighs in at 14 IBUs and 4.9% ABV.

There is a traditional method for pouring a hefeweizen from a bottle. The residual yeast in the beer typically settles to the bottom of the container. With many other unfiltered beers, people try to decant the liquid carefully so the yeast is not disturbed. This is not the case with a hefeweizen, as you want the yeast mixed into the beer. In fact, the German "hefeweizen" translates to "yeast wheat," and indicates the importance of the unfiltered yeast in the style. When serving, you should first pour about half the bottle into your glass. Then, swirl the remaining beer in the bottle to agitate the yeast and mix it into the liquid. Finally, pour your yeast-filled remnants into the glass.

I pour the 12 ounce bottle into my weizen glass using the traditional method. A 2 finger white head easily builds and gradually fades back to a thin sticky layer of foam. The body is cloudy (as it should be) and golden-orange in color.

The aroma is similar to, but much more subtle than a Bavarian hefeweizen. There are slight fruit qualities, with banana being the most obvious. I also get some faint cloves and a bit of spice.

The taste starts with a honey-like sweet grainy malt and proceeds into an expected banana character with a touch of earthy spice. A nice bitterness cleanses the palate and doesn't linger at all.

The mouthfeel is medium-light and there is a mild, but crisp, carbonation level. It is very easy to drink because it goes down my gullet so smoothly. Some nice lacing sticks to the sides of my glass as the liquid level falls.

This beer is a tasty compromise between an American-style wheat and a Bavarian hefeweizen. It is lighter in banana/clove characteristics compared the the European variety, but is still quite flavorful and has similar qualities. You should try this crisp, refreshing, easy-drinking option from our local brewing legends at Summit. Buy a couple to quench your thirst on a hot summer day.

Camping

I used to go camping a lot. I love the great outdoors and really enjoy the peace that comes from being with nature. Until very recently, I believe the last time I spent the night in a tent was at least 4 years ago. Having kids can affect the types of activities you participate in, depending upon how much free time you have (or don't have). I just returned from a little camping trip with family and friends this past weekend.

The weather was not the best. In fact, on Saturday night we were told to move to the storm shelter because of a tornado warning. It rained so hard that driveways and paths became tiny rivers and nothing remained dry. Before that, it was so hot and humid during the day that it was hard to feel comfortable. Definitely not the best campout conditions that I've had. It was still fun, though.

Why did I still enjoy it? Being with my wife and kids, seeing how much fun my 3-year-old was having, and just taking it easy with friends made it all worthwhile. Of course, I brought a nice selection of beer to enhance the fun.

Camping and beer go together like, well, fishing and beer. Relaxing in the outdoors with your favorite brews can make them taste even better. For this trip, I went ahead and supported the local breweries; I purchased a Schell's sampler and a Summit sampler. The only thing I missed was sitting around the campfire while sipping on those beverages. The rain made sure that didn't happen.

Oh well, I guess I'll have to take the family camping again. After this trip, I know that we're able to do it and we'll have some fun. Maybe it will be drier, so I can get that fire going...

Local Brewery News

I was recently checking the local brewery websites (like I often do) and found a couple interesting things.

Somebody's dream job is available at Summit Brewing right now. They are apparently looking to hire another brewer. Don't get too excited, though - you need to be qualified. Here is the listing from Summit's website:

Job Summary: A proactive member of the brewing team, to assure quality in the brewery’s operations, specifically in the brewhouse, cellar, and filtration areas.

This position is non-exempt and full time.

Essential Responsibilities:

• Conduct active, effective communication, particularly with technologically based team players and supervisory personnel.
• Work variable shifts, as scheduled, including weekend duties.
• Work with prescribed cleaning chemicals, based upon established protocol, OSHA, and other regulatory requirements.
• Maintain sanitary standards for the microbial integrity of the products.
• Maintain the operational and aesthetic condition of the facility.
• Operate brewing, cellar, filtration, and sanitation systems according to good manufacturing practice.
• Maintain established quality parameters within the raw material handling, brewing, cellar, and filtration operations.
• Record and verify all required data, within the brewery from brewhouse to bright beer tank operations.
• Submit daily logs for operations control.
• Assist in the maintenance and requirement of raw material and process material inventories.
• Provide required samples for laboratory analysis.
• Participate in sensory analysis.
• Participate in specific committee and staff meetings.
• Submit relevant engineering work order requests.
• Monitor mechanical and operational integrity of brewing equipment.
• Perform routine maintenance of brewing equipment.
• Complete other responsibilities, as assigned.

Job Qualifications:

• Education: Bachelor’s degree or 2-year technical college degree. Completion of a recognized brewing certification program required.
• Experience: Minimum of one year professional brewing experience.
• Demonstrated mechanical proficiency.
• Skills in basic word processing, statistical, and production software.

Compensation:

• Based on level of experience
• Benefit package includes medical, dental and vision insurance for employee, spouse and dependents, paid time-off, 401k plan, life insurance, short-term disability and employee stock purchase plan.

Interested candidates should email their resume to employment@summitbrewing.com.

Too bad I'm not qualified; that would be an awesome job opportunity...

Flat Earth Brewing sells a lot of tasty beer right out of the brewery in growlers. I often check to see what's available and was surprised by the sheer number of beers you can get in growlers this week:

• Belgian Pale Ale
• Unfiltered Belgian Pale Ale
• Sunburst Apricot Ale
• Black Helicopter Coffee Stout
• Northwest Passage IPA
• Angry Planet Pale Ale
• Element 115 Lager
• Unfiltered Cygnus X-1 Porter
• Monkey Business (coconut infused Cygnus)
• Mystic Rhythms (raspberry infused Cygnus)
• Double Hopped Angry Planet

That's a nice selection of growlers, don't you think? Go pick a couple up for the weekend!

Next Batch of Homebrew...

Now that we're into some hot weather here in Minnesota, I'm feeling the urge to make another batch of homebrew. I want to brew something that will be thirst-quenching and also have a lot of flavor. I had it narrowed down to 2 styles: hefeweizen and saison.

Those of you who have been reading this blog with regularity will probably know that I really enjoy saisons. I'm pretty sure I will end up brewing this tasty Belgian style, but not just for that reason. I'm also excited to utilize the temperatures that mother nature is conveniently giving me right now. Saisons are typically brewed at high ale temperatures that are often too warm for other styles. As long as summer stays warm, I should have some good success.

Now I just have to decide upon a recipe. I have a clone recipe for Saison Dupont, and I'm really excited to try it. I might also look to see what the local homebrew shops have to offer. Decisions, decisions...

July 3rd Coborn's Tasting

I have another tasting coming up on July 3rd at Hastings Coborn's Liquor. It will be a little earlier in the day so you can get a head start on your beer purchases for the holiday weekend. This time, I will be pouring 3 beers each from 2 different breweries.

Deschutes:

• Black Butte Porter
• Mirror Pond Pale Ale
• Twilight Ale

Schell's:

• Hefeweizen
• Stag Series Batch No. 1 - Barrel Aged Schmaltz's Alt
• Zommerfest

These beers will be available for you to sample from 12 noon - 3:30pm. As always, I welcome you to ask any questions you may have and start a beer conversation with me. Make sure to stop by Coborn's and taste some quality brews on July 3rd!

Beer Aromas & Sinus Congestion

Well, it finally happened. After writing this blog since January, I've gotten a cold. I knew I would eventually get sick, and that I would have to halt my sessions until my sinuses get back to normal. After all, I can't relay my beer observations accurately with my sense of smell impaired.

Aromas are a very large part of how we perceive taste. When you were a kid, did you ever plug your nose before eating or drinking something that you didn't like? You did that because it erased a large part of the taste, which made it easier to swallow those flavors you didn't enjoy. The same thing happens when you get congested from allergies or a cold. It's out of your control, but food and drink can definitely become less flavorful in these situations.

When I sit down for a beer session, I want to convey my whole experience to you. The sights, smells, tastes, and feel of the beer are all very important. Since I don't want to risk missing some important nuances, I'll have to wait until the passageways are clear. Hopefully that will be soon, because I really enjoy my beer sessions!

New Brau Brothers Beer

I was very excited when I recently received an email from Brau Brothers Brewing. They are releasing a new beer very soon, and they expect it to start appearing on liquor store shelves in the near future. It will be the 3rd big brew that they've packaged in 750 ml bottles. The previous 2, Rainwater Stout and Elisha's Olde Ale, were very tasty and successful. This one is called Rubus Black and they describe it as a blackberry imperial porter. It will be strong and rich like the last 2 limited releases, and clocks in at 8.9% ABV. The email had an attachment describing this new creation, which I've attached to this post. Read it over and maybe you'll find yourself eagerly awaiting this new brew. I know I am.

Great Waters MBA party

Great Waters Brewing has a membership program called MBA (Masters of Beer Appreciation). They limit the number of members, which is nice because it gives the club a more exclusive feel and keeps the MBA events smaller and more relaxed. There are various benefits like happy hour prices any time, rewards after a certain number of visits, a free birthday meal, etc. I am a member myself and last night I was able to partake in one of the largest benefits: the yearly MBA member party.

The party started at 5:30. Two friends and myself went there straight after work. The food came in the form of a nice little buffet of appetizers. The beer was of course from the Great Waters selection of tasty brews. The beautiful part was that everything was free for MBA members all night. Another big bonus was the tapping of a special firkin of Belgian Dubbel at 6:00. Wow, that was a tasty beer (and quite strong at 10% ABV). We were able to mingle with other MBA members, tour the brewhouse, and talk to the head and assistant brewers.

At the end of the evening, my friend's wife was kind enough to pick us up and take us home. Man, that was a good night. Now I can't wait for the next MBA party!

Local Summer Seasonals

Warm days haven't been too common these past couple weeks, which is OK with me. However, I know a lot of people who long for the when the temp gets to 80° or higher. Good news for those people: tomorrow is supposed to be 82° and sunny! And to help you enjoy the warm weather even more, I want to remind you of some of the local Minnesota summer seasonal beers which go well with balmy temperatures. These should be available now at liquor stores:

• Schell's Hefeweizen
• Schell's Zommerfest
• Summit Hefe Weizen
• Surly Bitter Brewer

Click on each beer for the link to the brewer's page and learn more about these tasty brews. They're easy to drink and light enough for a warm summer's day. Cheers!

Town Hall visit

I've heard nothing but good things about Town Hall Brewery in Minneapolis. Everyone who's been there seems to give high praise to this brewpub's food and beer. Living in Hastings, it has been hard for me to schedule a convenient time to make the trek to this lauded establishment. However, this past Saturday I was finally able to visit and sample some of their beer.

It wasn't a planned trip, so I didn't have my notepad or time set aside for official sessions with each beer. This was a spontaneous fun time with friends, and I really enjoyed it. I do want to mention the beers, though. I started with a pint of their current cask ale and then ordered a sampler of their seasonal beers.

• Cask English style pale ale - I can't remember the official name of this beer, but the waitress described it as a hoppy English style pale ale brewed with Fuggles and East Kent Goldings hop varieties. I love cask ales, and this one was no exception. It was English with an American twist, as the hop level was much more than a traditional English pale ale.
• Marmelade Sky - Pale ale made with Amarillo hops and both bitter and sweet orange peel. A very refreshing pale ale with a hint of citrus. I could definitely drink a few of these on a hot day.
• American Craft Beer Wheat - American style wheat brewed for American Craft Beer Week. I was the least impressed with this beer. This felt bland to me. It was well brewed, but nothing stood out flavor-wise.
• Abominable - Porter brewed with the Yeti coffee blend from Peace Coffee. This might be my new favorite coffee beer. It tasted like a cold-pressed coffee with little bit of cream and sugar in it. I could drink it for breakfast!
• Mango Mama - IPA brewed with Amarillo, Cascade, Centennial, and Mt. Hood hop varieties and mango. I love IPAs and mangos, so this beer sounded win-win to me. It definitely was! The mango was the perfect complement to the sweet malt and citrusy hops. Tasty, tasty, tasty.
• Grand Cru - Their version of the Belgian style celebratory ale. Strong at 9.5% ABV, it was a tasty Belgian with a lighter mouthfeel than I expected.

As far as their food goes, I wasn't very hungry during the visit because I had eaten a large lunch. I went the appetizer route and got an order of the Pub Fries. Man, those things were awesome! My friends all ordered meals, and they loved their food, too.

Overall, I had a great time on my first visit to Town Hall. I'll have to plan another excursion there soon. I know that I'll enjoy it!

Brau Brothers Elisha's Olde Ale

Brau Brothers Brewing held a competition in 2009 called the South Dakota Homebrewers Challenge. I know you're probably wondering why a Minnesota brewery was having a South Dakota homebrew contest. Well, all I can tell you is that Lucan (where Brau Brothers is located) is a little over an hour away from South Dakota. Other than that, I'm not sure why. The important thing is that a homebrew competition took place, and they chose a winner: Elisha Page's recipe for an old ale.

What kind of reward did Elisha Page receive as the winner? Brau Brothers brewed and bottled his recipe as a limited edition beer. I bet a lot of homebrewers dream about something like this happening.

When it came time to make the recipe, the Braus decided to host a group-brew. They welcomed any homebrewers from Minnesota and South Dakota who wanted to help in the process. Of course, Elisha himself was there to make his brew, watching over his baby. Now the beer is bottled and wearing its creator's name, which has to make him pretty happy.

Elisha's Olde Ale is a variation on an English-style old ale. It's brewed with molasses and aged on oak cubes. There is no ABV listed on the bottle, and I can't find any specific numbers online. The info I did find claimed this beer to be around 10%. I'm pretty excited to try it.

I pour the 750 ml bottle into my imperial pint glass. A 3 finger light tan head shows up with little effort and gradually subsides to a thin foamy cap. The body is dark brown with some hints of ruby.

In the aroma I detect a little caramel followed by some toasted biscuity malt. There is some fruit present in the nose, similar to raspberries. It also smells like it could be a little dry, maybe just a product of the ABV.

Wow, I can definitely taste the molasses. It's that dark rich type of sweetness, and it leads into a nice toffee flavor when combined with the vanilla qualities from the oak. Then there is just a hint of dark chocolate covered tart cherries followed by a welcome bitterness that cleanses some of the sugar from your palate. The alcohol blends well and isn't very noticeable.

Mouthfeel is medium thick and the carbonation is very light. A nice alcohol warming builds and some pretty lacing sticks to the glass as I drink.

This is a very tasty old ale. The delicious caramelized sweetness of the combination of molasses and malt is mellowed by a solid bitter finish. The ABV is hidden well, until it sneaks up on you. This is another impressive bottling from Brau Brothers, and a wonderful recipe from Elisha Page. If you tend to enjoy rich malty brews, this one is right up your alley. This limited beer can still be found in some liquor stores. Give it a try before it's gone!

Style Breakdown - Altbier

If I asked the average beer enthusiast to name a German style of beer, what do you think they would say? Bock? Hefeweizen? Oktoberfest? Those are all correct answers, and are very well-known styles. What if I asked what the oldest known German style was? Do you think they would know? I bet they would be struggling with the answer. Would you know? You could at least venture a guess, because it's in the title of this post. That's right, it's Altbier, the subject of this style breakdown.

Long before the creation of lagers in Bavaria, the brewers in Germany made ales much like the rest of Europe. In fact, ales in Germany (that were the ancestors of Altbier) can be traced back at least 3000 years. The modern name and style of Altbier did not exist until the 1800's, when it became threatened by the popularity of lagers. In the Rhineland there were many fans of the local ale, which they just called bier. In order to preserve this old style, members of this region started asking for it by a new name. Altbier literally means "old beer," a reference to the ancient method of brewing ales, as opposed to the "new" lager beers.

When recently looking into the BJCP's classification of Altbier, I was surprised to find they consider it a hybrid style. It seems that after the emergence of lagers, German brewers adopted new ways of making their favorite ale. They still use top-fermenting ale yeast with ale fermentation temperatures (albeit on the low end of the range). However, they then condition the ale at cold temperatures for long periods of time, similar to lagers. This is meant to mellow out some of the fruitiness associated with an ale. What they end up with is an ale with very lager-like qualities.

Altbiers are typically amber to brown in color. They are generally well balanced, with the malt and hops working together to create rich, caramelly and/or biscuity flavors along with some nice bitterness. Usually light to medium bodied and around 4 - 5% ABV, they make great session beers. There is also a stronger version of an Altbier called Sticke (which means "secret", as in "I made a secret, stronger alt, are you brave enough to try it?"). This iteration is typically darker, richer, and higher in alcohol than a standard Altbier.

If you happen to see this lesser-known German style somewhere, definitely give it a try. In my experience, true imported German Altbier can be hard to find in our area. Our own local Schell's brewery does make one called Schmaltz's Alt. Unfortunately, it's a winter seasonal so you'll probably have to wait to try it. Otherwise, Tyranena Brewing from our neighboring state of Wisconsin makes Headless Man Amber Alt year-round.

Next Summit Unchained is approaching...

Summit has created some very special beers in the past year with the Unchained Series. The Kolsch, 90/- Scottish Ale, and IRA were all very tasty. Now, the brewery has officially announced that the 4th batch in the series will be a Belgian-Style Strong Golden Ale to be released in mid-July.

This Golden Ale will be brewed with 100% Belgian Pilsen malt, Czech Saaz and Styrian Golding hops, Belgian Candi Sugar, and Belgian ale yeast. Sound "Belgian" enough for you? Oh yeah, it will weigh in at a healthy 8.6% ABV. I'm really looking forward to trying this beer.

Consider this post your preparation and enticement for number 4. However, it also has another purpose. I wanted to remind all of you to get out and drink some IRA before it's gone. This is the 3rd beer in the series and is my favorite so far. Give it a try while you still can!

Avery Mephistopheles' Stout

Yesterday, I was reading an interesting article about extreme beers and the battle for the world-record highest alcohol brew. That got me thinking about a beer that I had sitting in the back of my fridge, waiting for a session. While it's not as high in alcohol as some of the 60+ proof beers in the article, it is still a healthy and naturally-fermented 16.83% ABV. Today's beer session is with Avery Mephistopheles' Stout.

This beer is part of Avery's "Demons of Ale" limited series. There are 3 brews in the series, all of which are above 14% ABV. I can count on both hands the number of beers I've tasted which are that strength or higher, and all of the Avery demon beverages are on that short list. The subject of this session is the best in the series, in my humble opinion.

What's behind the name? Well, each "Demons of Ale" beer sticks to the theme with a very demonic label. A little research shows that Mephistopheles is a powerful demon who serves Lucifer and was the "devil" in the legend of Faust. Avery's website calls Mephistopheles "the crafty shape shifter, the second fallen angel."

The label states this brew was bottled in December of 2009. I pour the 12 ounce bottle into my snifter. A 1/8 inch thick layer of tan head is generated. It falls fairly quickly into a thin, wispy patch and a ring of foam around the edge of the glass. The body is opaque black, with the edges showing a little dark brown when held to light.

I don't even have to bring the glass all the way up to my nose before I start detecting the amalgamation of scents. I smell caramel and faint chocolate, along with a subtle coffee character. There is also the nicely complementary aroma of dark dried fruit with just a hint of acidity. A strong whiff of alcohol is present, but totally expected.

There are a lot of sweet things that come to mind on my first taste. Toffee, brown sugar, and molasses with just a slight touch of chocolate are present, leading into a bit of tart fruit. Then the flavor of light roasted coffee arrives before the "just right" amount of bitterness takes hold. Avery's website lists the IBUs at 107, but I never would have guessed that because the beer is so well balanced. The rich sweet malt is washed away by that bitter character and leaves some obvious alcohol in your mouth, which is by no means unpleasant.

This beer has a velvety, heavy viscosity that coats my mouth with all the wonderful flavors. There is a mild level of carbonation, which I tend to expect from high alcohol beers. Speaking of which, the booziness really warms me up from the first sip on. Some slight lacing is present as I drink.

Out of the short list of 14+% ABV beers I've had so far, this one is my favorite. That is due in part to it's excellent balance of rich sweet malt and bitterness. Some of these types of beer seem to lose balance and become much too sweet and boozy, almost like a liqueur. This brew still tastes like beer to me. It has much of the imperial stout flavor I enjoy, along with the bonus of an extra strong alcohol kick. Make sure to be careful with this demon, as it can knock you on your butt. I drank the entire bottle myself, but sipped it slowly over the span of about 90 minutes. Even over that amount of time, it still gave me a little buzz. You definitely should try this beer, but I recommend sharing the bottle with 1 or 2 good friends. I'm pretty sure they'll appreciate it!

Skip and Go Naked

You know it's summertime when my favorite brewpub has released their Skip and Go Naked Ale. It's a light and refreshing beer brewed specifically for the warmer months. Here is Great Waters' own description of their summer seasonal:

"A light summer ale brewed with wheat, barley, and naked oats along with fresh lemon grass. The flavors are light yet earthy with a refreshingly clean finish."

They also still have some Tighty Whitey Wit left, which is another great brew for a sunny day. Get down to Great Waters when you get a chance so you can sample both of these tasty brews. Check out their website for more info.

Bell's Oberon Ale

I really look forward to the changing of the seasons. In Minnesota, we're lucky enough to have all 4 seasons be very distinct and unique. I personally believe that helps to enhance my appreciation for each change in climate. You know what else adds to my own enjoyment of the rotating weather cycle? That's right, seasonal beers.

Summer beers are brewed with the purpose of being light, flavorful and refreshing. They are not typically high in alcohol, so that you can drink more of it on a hot day. Today's beer session will be with Oberon, Bell's own summer seasonal. It's an American style wheat ale brewed with Saaz hops that comes in at 5.8% ABV.

I had been wondering why Bell's chose to name this beer Oberon, so I did a little research. Larry Bell was having some copyright issues with the name he originally chose for the beer, which was Solsun. He could not use the name, but the logo and labels they had designed were OK to move forward with. Because they wanted to use the same logo, it would be more convenient to find a new name with the same number of letters. Oberon was the fairy king character in Shakespeare's play "A Midsummer Night's Dream," and Mr. Bell actually played that part in 6th grade. He liked the literary reference and thought it was a fun name. The bonus was that it had 6 letters. So in 1996, this seasonal was dubbed Oberon.

I pour the 12 ounce bottle into my weizen glass. The transfer easily generates a huge, 4 finger white head, which takes time to fall back into a nice 1/4 inch blanket sitting on top of the beer. The body is yellow-gold and cloudy from yeast. It's easy to see many sparkling bubbles rising through the liquid to the top.

As usual, I swirl the brew before I take a sniff. I smell sweet wheat bread and a bit of citrus fruit. There is also a wonderful spice aroma from the Saaz hops. The interesting thing to me is that when the beer settles, I detect a faint scent that I can only liken to cotton candy. It's not too strong, but that's what it reminds me of.

This beer's taste of sweet malt brings to mind banana bread. I'm not saying this brew has a strong banana quality like so many German hefeweizens, but it definitely is like a sweet bread with a touch of banana undertones. A citrus lemon flavor comes on just before the sweetness is balanced out by a nice earthy spice and perfect level of bitterness at the end.

This brew has a medium mouthfeel that is creamy, almost velvety, and each swallow goes smoothly down my throat. It has a pleasant crisp finish and leaves some nice lacing on the glass as the liquid level decreases.

Oberon is an awesome warm-weather beer from Bell's. It is refreshing and very easy to drink, while still maintaining wonderful flavors. It might be just a bit on the strong side for a session beer, but I'd still be tempted to drink a 6-pack myself on a nice summer afternoon. You definitely need to try this beer if you've never had it.

Fulton Lonely Blonde

More good news for Minnesota craft beer lovers! Fulton Beer, one of our newest Minnesota breweries, is releasing their next beer tomorrow, June 3rd. I received an email from the brewery today announcing the release party. The event will take place at King's Wine Bar in South Minneapolis and starts around 8pm.

The new beer is called "The Lonely Blonde" and here is the description from their email:

"An American style blonde ale, the Lonely Blonde is so named because it is one of the only examples of the style to be found locally. Though the Blonde is American born and raised, its distinct old world roots are clear, thanks to the three German hop varieties we add during the boil. The Lonely Blonde is an exceptionally balanced beer, light enough for the hottest summer day, but complex enough to keep you company any day of the year."

According to the Fulton website, this beer is 4.8% ABV and 29 IBUs. It sounds like a good brew for warm weather and I can't wait to try it. Go out to find this beer and support our local brewers!

Refreshing beer

This past Memorial weekend, I was not one of the many people that went on vacation, whether it be camping, visiting relatives, staying at a lake resort, etc. No, I was one of the few who volunteered to help my good friend work on a big, labor intensive project: re-roofing his house. I can feel some of you wincing at just the thought of it...

We started on Friday and worked until 9pm on Memorial Day. I have helped other friends in the past with roofing, but I have to say that this was the worst one. Murphy must have been watching us work on the house. First, we had problems with tear off. Then, with the new drip edge. Then another problem, and another, and another. It was painful at times, physically and mentally.

What does all this have to do with beer? Well, like a good friend should, he provided us with food and beverages in exchange for our hard work. Don't worry, we weren't drinking adult beverages while we were working. Although I did drink more Gatorade than I can ever remember consuming before...

When we decided to stop at the end of each day, there was a beautiful cooler full of beer waiting for us. Inside was a nice mix of tasty craft brews. Almost all of them were quite appropriate for drinking after a hard days work in the hot sun. I don't think beer has ever tasted so good or been so easy to drink. 3 in particular stood out, and I will be sure to keep those 3 on hand if I ever need to tackle a tough summer project myself. They had awesome flavor without being too heavy and were quite thirst-quenching. The 3 beers were:

• Bell's Oberon
• Samuel Adams Summer Ale
• Schell's Pilsner

Keep these tasty brews in mind for any free labor that you may need in the warmer months. Your "hired" helpers will really appreciate them. I know I did.