Everyone! Let’s raise a glass in honor of today! Today, December 5th, 2013 is the 80th anniversary of the signing of the 21st amendment. The 21st amendment, for those of us without a degree in the constitution repealed the 18th amendment. Now the 18th amendment started one of the saddest periods of time in these here United States… prohibition! So please, raise a glass and be happy that we live in a country as great as we do, and that thankfully, 80 years ago, we decided that those freedoms should include drinking alcohol!
That’s way too much history for me, so let’s celebrate. I am doing so with Dry Dock Brewing’s Hefeweizen. Dry Dock is a company out of Aurora, CO and I am fairly certain they only distribute within state lines. Thankfully for me, as I am back in Miami, I smuggled back a 12 pack sampler of their beer called the booty pack. Dry Dock is a brewery that mostly cans their regular line up of beers, and bottles some more special stuff. And as I’ve said before, I really respect canning craft beer, both protects the beer and is more environmentally friendly!
I poured from a 12 ounce can into a regular ole pint glass, it pours a foggy golden color, and again, I should have poured a bit harder, so I didn’t get a good head to form on the beer, but usually there will be a pretty solid one finger white head, fading over time. It smells of banana and clove, which before I understood how yeast interacts with the beer, I always thought that a banana was a weird ingredient for a beer, especially a German beer where they should abide by the German purity law, the Reinheitsgebot which dictates beer can only use four ingredients: Water, malt, hops and yeast. (Can’t tell that I enjoy the style, right?)
However, because of the strains of yeast used in Hefeweizen, weird flavors are pulled out and pushed forward. In Dry Docks example, it gets pulled pretty strongly to the front. Since Hefeweizens are fairly simple styles of beer, it’s not a complex beer to drink, and I wholeheartedly think anyone can enjoy a Hefeweizen, even those girls who don’t like beer. It’s got a creamy wheat feel, with a fruity banana and a burst of clove. It’s a bit less carbonated than I like a lot of my beer, but the way this is carbonated really compliments the style, and makes it considerably. Hefeweizens are notoriously low in ABV, this one coming in at only 4.3%, 2/3 a percent less than most Nascar beers. But as a guy who generally likes a bang for my buck, I can get down on a sessionable beer like this!
Judgment
If I am ever back in Colorado, I won’t hesitate getting this beer again. I could totally see this being a great beer with dinner, and the fact that they can it makes it a nice session beer at the lake or at the beach (assuming we ever get it out here in Florida).
Definitely try it next time you see it! I’ve seen it in bomber form for 2-3 bucks, buy it and try it with your girlfriend!
Let me know what you think! Hit me up for some killer Cigar City beer trades if you’re up to try something new from my neck of the woods!
呼乾啦! “Let it [the cup/glass] be dry [empty]” (Chinese-Taiwanese)
Normal Guys' Guide to Beer 