Robin Shepard
Third Space Brewing's Liquid Getaway.
The latest beer in Third Space Brewing’s specialty IPA series is Liquid Getaway. It’s full of orange and pineapple aroma. That juicy character comes in part from a trademarked concentrated liquid hop additive called Euphorics. It’s a new product that some brewers are starting to use to enhance aroma without overdoing the hop flavor. Its aroma is assertive, and for that reason hazy fans should give it a try. This beer is strong and warm at 8% ($16/four-pack). Next up in Third Space’s IPA series will be Total Consciousness, an even bigger double IPA (although not a hazy) at 8.2% ABV and loaded with four types of hops. Look for it in late September.
G5 Brewing has added a new West Coast inspired IPA into its regular line-up. Lack of Color, as the name says, is lighter (with a golden color) than what one expects for an IPA. That’s because it’s made with pale pilsner malt that allows the hop character to stand out even more. To take advantage of that, G5 Brewer Tim Goers chose Krush hops as the signature for this beer, giving notes of stone fruit, strawberry and blueberry. Goers boosted the citrus qualities as well by blending in Simcoe and Mosaic hops, and it stands apart from other IPAs. Lack of Color finishes at 6.5% ABV ($19/four-pack).
Among my most memorable discoveries at the recent Great Taste of the Midwest was Summer Buzz, a Belgian tripel from Lake Louie Brewing. Followers of Lake Louie might remember Brother Tim’s Tripel, named after its creator brewer, Tim Wauters. But Summer Buzz is an altogether different take on the style. It was developed by brewer Luke Foth who used the Lake Louie Dockhaus Brewery in Oconomowoc to scale up this new recipe for a tripel. It is a full-bodied, vivid golden copper-colored ale with slight sweetness. It has just enough bitter orange peel for a dry citrus finish. It’s on tap in the Verona taproom ($7/pint).
Young Blood Brewing Company has a reputation for making boldly fruited sours. I’m always a little skeptical of such big juice bombs because they are tricky beers to make well. Too much sweet or sour tropical flavor and they seem more like a fruity cocktail rather than a beer. Young Blood’s “You Had Me At Sugar Mama” is a sour I like. It is a golden ale first, with assertive fruity peach flavor. It comes off a little like a bubbly sweet beermosa, crisp and full of fruitiness — yet still a beer. It’s very easy drinking, and I appreciate the 4.2% ABV on something so flavorful, making it a nice summer beer ($16/four-pack).
Note: Working Draft’s official release party for its Oktoberfest, Stackenblocken, is September 12-14. The eastside brewery plans to go all out with over 15 other German beers to mark the occasion.
