Just Say No to Shandy

• Posted by Rick July 3, 2008 - 687 views

  “We don’t drink shandy ‘cause that’s for girls!” -- Beerzone

  Truer words have never been sung.

  I’ve heard of shandy. Never had it… until now.

  Boo was kind of enough to give a bottle of Leinenkugel’s Summer Shandy. I gladly accepted, having enjoyed just about ever other Leinenkugel offering.

  I got home and opened it up.

  And contemplated the first sip… then the second. Then the third.

  And my verdict: Beerzone are prophets. While Summer Shandy would be enormously refreshing if I was sitting in the sun in Arizona in summer during the worst heat wave ever recorded. It is very light and has a lemony taste. However, I highly doubt I shall ever be in that situation.

  Summer Shandy is just horrid.

  Then I had a Hook & Ladder Brewing Co.’s Backdraft Brown. It is OK, a little too hoppy, but has an decent underlying flavor. Nothing to write home about, and I probably won’t get it again. However, one nice thing about this brew is the maker donates money for every barrel sold to a local burn foundation.

  Dixie Blackened Voodoo Lager’s weak body is almost covered by the smoky brunt overtones. Almost. Maybe it is because the brewery was nearly destroyed by Hurricane Katrina, but I am not all that impressed. Drinkable, but nothing special.

  Now, Magic Hat Not Quite Pale Ale #9 I would buy again. A nice light ale with a sweet apricot flavor, this more than drinkable and stands out a little. Not the best, but better than average. Slight bitter finish.

  The first beer I ever tasted was Budweiser. I was probably 2 or 3 years old and my grandfather used to give me sips to start me out right. Nevertheless, I remember it tasting like crap. When I got older, it still tasted like crap.