RIP Summerfest

Not as much around here -- maybe in Wisconsin where many craft brewers have been brewing lagers for years, but I have to go to specific liquor retailers to find the likes of Metropolitan or Dovetail -- and then I have to double-check dates.

Which leads to the drum I continually beat -- how many of these lagers are just using the term as a marketing grab to sell hop juice? Many of these Nouveau Lagers resemble Pale Ale more than Pilsner -- so would the "lager" label really matter?

 

For what its worth, fw lager is a nice simple lager. Maybe helles would be the closest style description? Definitely a no frills kind of a beer.

805 is a blonde ale basically, I think. And doesn't claim to be a lager

 

Is Pivo Pils readily available to you?

Cheers!

 

It was originally Honey Blonde before a recipe tweak and rebranding as 805. So I'd guess what you're proposing would be going backwards in their perspective.

 

Firestone Lager stats.

 

I know you liked the "tank conditioned" canned Celebration, and it sounds like that's going to essentially become Celebration in time. But given your comment about "historical identity" above, is there concern about the shift in ester character of the beer, or is this something that people are willing to let go of given the business realities? If sales of bottled Celebration are not dipping worse than the general market, might this production change be a case of "don't fix what isn't broken?"

 

Or would it be "back to the future"!?!

 

And also:

“ABV: 4.5%

IBU: 17

Color: 4”

A beer with 17 IBUs is not even close to being confused with a Pale Ale.

Cheers!

 

It's not the hops (except maybe Saphir), it's how they're used.

And, as most good beer drinkers know, hops aren't just bitterness.

Conspicuously absent, Pivo. Tried it a few times, didn't scratch the itch.

*Looked up FW Lager and I have reviewed it -- actually forgot, and probably because it didn't hit all the bases. IIRC it was originally listed here as an American Lager and now it's a Helles -- but I found it closer to a Pilsner with less malt backbone than a good one.

Funny thing though, I compared it favorably to Summerfest.

 

Haven't seen it up here, other than on tap, in years

You and I must have very different palates. I think "American lager" is a great term for the beer, it doesn't have the malt depth I associate with European helles examples, but I'm pretty unfamiliar with that style. Either way, I've never gotten any prominent hop character in fw lager

 

I don't think I necessarily said it wasn't.

And we agree there.

We'd have to define *prominent,* but at 4.5%, the beer allows hop character to stand out -- and I'm not a big hoppy beer drinker most times, so my palate is probably more sensitive to hop flavor and bitterness.

 

I have had one draft pint of FW Lager and I agree with you 100% here. This beer is not prominent in hops in any manner (i.e., bitterness, flavor or aroma).

Cheers!

 

I think that's the big difference. Hoppy beers are a staple for me, especially the ipas that California is best at with fairly thin and light malt.bodies that let the hop bite shine through. So I suspect we have very different definitions of "prominent hoppiness"

PS: where's the hop cone emoji?

 

Actually, Celebration draught sales are solid, excluding this year, for obvious reasons (Covid). I think the tank conditioned version will do just fine and the fact it's in cans, which is a very acceptable package with todays drinker. I understand your "historical identity" perspective, but I think that would have more relevance if it was a year round beer. The fact that you drink it for 3 months out of the year, it wouldn't be that much of a shocker, next go around. And again, most people that really like it in package also prefer it on draught, so I think it's a different animal that if were to do the same with Pale Ale.

Well, at least when people state the 2021 version is different to the 2020, we can always say they were right (slightly)...

Lastly, we haven't made the final decision, but my guess is we go away from BC.

 

As one of the foremost Celebration drinkers (10th 12- pack in the fridge and one more to go), I have my reservations about going all cans. It would be interesting to have one season of both bottles and cans in the store to see sales and drinker reaction. I’m sure I’ll enjoy it either way, but I’d also hate to see it become just another IPA in order to stay current on packaging trends.

 

Don't you worry that you're desensitizing your palate to the flavors you like?

Of course, it could work the opposite too, I suppose. About a year ago I quit beer for over a month to stabilize some health problems. Now it seems like I can really taste flavors I didn't previously.

Gotta be a benchmark, right?

 

But the big question is:

Will you be changing the mix of spices for 2021?

Cheers!

 

This has actually been a motivation for me moving to more seasonal drinking habits, I drink much fewer ipas this time of year than in the summer and I do notice that I appreciate them more after a break. But its tough, cause I just really like them. I wish I had access to more packaged dark lagers and milder dark ales. I find myself drinking a lot of stouts this time of year and often by march/April they all kind of taste the same.to me (I think its something to do with the roasted flavors, they all start tasting burnt).

But, such is the plight of the modern american drinker I suppose. Hopefully these breeders can get some new hop.varieties out soon and brewers can find a new way to deliver even more flavor to keep up with my dulling sensitivity

 

LOL... I think over the course of 40 years, we have found the right blend of spices to compliment Cascade and Centennial hops.
Cheers

 

A hazy session IPA, no thanks, another SN seasonal I won't buy.

Soon we are going to be left with IPAs, AALs and seltzers. Rarely see much aside from that now unless I go somewhere like TW.