'Bout Time

Character crafted on the beach.  Those are the words that adorn the can of the 'Bout Time Session-Style India Pale Ale produced by the Outer Banks Brewing Station.  Recently, my beautiful family took a vacation in the Outer Banks and, as we usually do when we are in the area, we stopped by the OBX Brewing Station.  I picked up a four pack of the beer for the vacation.  

The five words describing the beer -- "Session Style" India Pale Ale -- got me thinking about what exactly makes a "session style" beer.  Is it just the ability to drink it easily?  The 'Bout Time does drink very easily.  Is it the lower ABV?  This beer has an ABV of 5.8%, which is definitely on the low end of an India Pale Ale. 

The origin of session beers is generally thought to have began in Britain during the First World War.   Manufacturing employees, including those who worked in munitions plants, worked long hours, broken up by breaks or "sessions" of four hours.   The employees drank beer during those sessions; and, if they drank their usual ales, porters or stouts, that could create some problems when they returned to their jobs of producing ammunition, ordnance and the like.  So, brewers produced easy drinking beers with lower alcohol contents; and, thus, the "session" style was borne. One example is the Whitbread IPA had an ABV that decreased from 4.61% in 1914 to 3.30% in 1918.   The only issue with this example is that 4.61% for an India Pale Ale is fairly low, especially by today's standards.  It was also lower than the Whitbread Pale Ale, which had an ABV of 5.31% in 1914 and 3.83% in 1918.  So, an IPA had a lower ABV than a pale ale?  Now, that is truly a session beer. 

The brewers at the OBX Brewing Station produced the 'Bout Time IPA session ale with El Dorado and Azecca hops.  Their work and those hops produced a beer with a copper or light rust color, which one would expect of an India Pale Ale.  The session nature of this beer is evident in both the aroma and taste of this beer. The aromas are there, with some pine bitterness and grass coming out in the nose of the beer.  But, unlike a typical IPA, those elements are not loud.  Their smoothness is consistent with the nature of a session beer.  Likewise, the taste taste elements -- such as the grapefruit notes -- are well rounded and impart some bitterness that quickly recedes after each sip.  The session-style takes what would be a very hoppy IPA and makes it a very good pale ale, at least in terms of the hoppiness and bitterness.  

A four pack of the beer is available at the OBX Brewing Station and, if you happen to be in the area, it is worth the $11.99 per pack.  Until next time ...

ENJOY!

Lakefront Brewery New Grist Beer

Typically, beer is brewed with four ingredients: malt, hops, water and yeast.  Then, there is the Reinheitsgetbot, the Bavarian purity law,  that limited beer making to those four ingredients.  The problem for some, is that one of those ingredients -- the malt -- makes all of those beers off-limit.  The malt is typically barley or wheat, which creates an issue for those who suffer from Celiacs Disease.

The good thing about the American craft beer movement is that the innovation and ingenuity knows little to no bounds.  To serve those who suffer from disease, craft brewers have begun making gluten-free beers, substituting high-gluten grains with ingredients like sorghum, rice, corn and buckwheat.

Recently, I purchased a six-pack of Lakefront Brewery's New Grist Beer.  I bought it partly because I wanted a Wisconsin craft beer for my Super Bowl Party and partly because I was intrigued with the idea of a gluten free beer.  Until the New Grist, I had never tried such a beer.

Gluten-free beers are completely different than regular beers.  This is something that I think escapes most people when they review the beer.  I've read reviews and, for the most part, they tend to be a little negative.  Raters give the beer a C or a D, instead of an A or B, arguing that, while the beer is very drinkable, it just lacks something.  So, I went into drinking this beer with a completely open mind, recognizing that this beer is brewed using different ingredients in an effort to open the craft beer movement to people who ordinarily cannot enjoy beer. 

The beer pours like a very light beer, with a lot of fizzy carbonation that quickly dissipates.  The nose of the beer is very subtle, reminiscent of club soda.  Maybe some light apple or other fruit.  The taste of the beer is different from a beer made with traditional ingredients.  The beer has flavors of a light cider or pears.  It is definitely a different drinking experience, but that is what I expected.  I really like the beer and would recommend it for those who want to try something different.

Obviously, when it comes to pairing this beer with food, all foods with gluten are literally and figuratively off the table.  The crispness of this beer makes it a good pairing with spicy foods, chili or barbecue.   I served this beer with the Mini-Open Faced Ribeye Sandwiches and the Hot Wings. 

The beer is about $8.99 a six pack and is available at most beer stores that have a large craft beer selection.  I found this six pack at Corridor Wine in Laurel, Maryland.

ENJOY!