A look back at April's beers...ginger, white, and Sam's stunning pils!

Ah, a little late this installment, but I hope you enjoy this brief look at some craft brews. I will have yet more beer reviews coming quite soon, so expect a treasure trove of tastes this month! Remember to support non-corporate artisan and local breweries, and do like Nancy Reagan and "Just say no" to lowest common denominator beer. Prost! Reviews are scored on a 5-point scale, with 1 being toilet swill and 5 being the nectar of Mount Olympus itself.

MICHELOB - GINGER WHEAT (St. Louis, MO) - 2.5

An unusual blending of citrus and spice with a zingy ginger flavor, this cloudy amber wheat ale boasts of a warm ginger aroma and a well-balanced taste. It's not harsh or complex in any way, though not offensive either. In fact, this one seems too tame and lacks personality. A promising idea, but not fully delivering.

TWO BROTHERS - MONARCH WHITE BEER (Chicago, IL) - 3.5

This hazy golden Belgian-style wheat ale pours with a big frothy head and a lovely spicy citrus aroma (according to the label, it's orange peel and coriander). Tastes rich and sweet, with a nicely-balanced tartness. Quite a pleasant drink, and this one doesn't need the orange slice to give it that zesty, crisp flavor. Solid.

SAMUEL ADAMS - NOBLE PILS (Boston, MA) - 4.0

I anticipated this well-advertised pilsner, as it's a seasonal lager from the always dependable (though never flashy) Samuel Adams. Brewed with 5 different Noble hops from around the world, this pours a golden yellow, with little discernable aroma, oddly. The abundance of suds subsides to reveal a clean, floral hoppy character (not a shocker, there) that's light and smooth, with a nice "flavor roll", which is the mark of a complex, quality brew to my taste buds. Superb.

Mid-Summer Beer Lowdown

Here's my impressions of some of this season's beers. My tastes are growing to appreciate every kind of beer, and those with unique or standout tastes are more likely to impress. I do have issues with generic American lager-styles, for they taint the novice's impression of what diverse flavors, consistencies, colors, and complexities a good beer can have. Damn you one and all, macros! Keep beer local, or at least independent! Hail beer!

My ratings scale goes from 1 being absolutely detestable hogwash to 2 being tolerable, 3 is average/drinkable, 4 is exceptional and worthy of praise and purchase, and 5 is a masterstroke, an artisan ale/lager/cider that deserves your support NOW!

For more info on these and other beers, visit this site (where you can find my reviews archived):

Beer Advocate

St. BERNARDUS ABT 12 ABBEY ALE (Watou, Belgium) - 5

Ah, this is the real deal. A true abbey ale from Belgium, this one pours a dark amber and is characteristically spiced, rich and heavy. It's opacity demonstrates the large amount of yeasty sediment, and this is one beer that would be even better aged. It's 10% ABV, so St. Bernardus is a sipper, and with a complex and fairly unique flavor, it's a sure winner.

JK'S SCRUMPY HARD CIDER (Flushing, MI) - 5

Nice foggy appearance, and tastes like, well, a sweet, farm-fresh cider should (albeit with a fermented nip). Seriously, this is some tasty stuff, and ideal for a sweltering Summer's day. And it's organic! No headache-inducing sulfites here, just pure apple juice and yeast. I've always been partial to Woodchuck brand ciders (Dark & Dry, please), but this one dispenses with that notion. I'll be picking some of these up for the lady and myself, pronto.

HOEGAARDEN WITBIER (Hoegaarden, Belgium) - 3

Another Belgian this month (a treat)! This one's a white ale, with a clouded, pale appearance and plenty of spice, hinting at citrus and clove. It's kinda sweet and malty, definitely easy on the palate. Can be compared to Blue Moon, though Hoegaarden has more of a spice edge, and does not require a slice of orange to balance itself. Enjoyable.

BASS PALE ALE (Luton, England) - 3

A nice amber ale with a thick head, this Bass is a mildly-bitter pale ale, pretty well-balanced with a much lower acidity than India Pale Ales. I detect faint tastes of caramel or maple filtering through. Tasty enough, not too complex but certainly satisfying.