Drink Matron

Tag: bell’s brewery

  • Drink Matron’s Top 5 Craft Beers

    Drink Matron’s Top 5 Craft Beers

    bells-oberonI love craft beer. If you find me in a bar, you will most likely find me with whatever local brew they have on tap. I’m not a dick about it, I just like beer and I like drinking stuff I’ve never had before. I wasn’t always that way, I drank Bud Light religiously for much of my early 20s. It wasn’t until I realized the bevy of what was out there, and the difference between what I liked and didn’t, that I put down the watery standard. Along the way, I’ve picked up some favorites, and since it’s National Beer Day, I thought I’d share them with you. I do not have the kind of pallet that can give you any real incite into why I like what I like, but I think my preferences are pretty solid.

    1. Oberon Ale/Bell’s Brewery, Inc.

    Bell’s Brewery’s summer seasonal is not only the first craft beer I ever loved, it also remains my favorite to this day. Smooth and fruity, it’s perfect for any summer night, especially one on the patio. I’ve been missing this brew, but now that Bell’s has come to NYC, you can be sure it will be back in my hand.

    2. Baba Organic Black Lager/Uinta Brewing Company

    This black lager hooked me the moment it touched my lips. It’s dark and creamy, but also light weight and straight up tasty. You can bet that if it’s on tap, it’s in my glass.

    3. Duvel/Duvel Moortgat

    It’s Duvel. Do I have to say more?

    4. 90 Minute IPA/Dogfish Head Craft Brewery

    Of Dogfish’s minute brews, I have found that 90 minute suits me best. Don’t get me wrong, I’ll take 120 any day – I like any strong IPA – but this one is just right for me.

    5. Two Hearted IPA/Bell’s Brewery, Inc.

    It wasn’t named the best IPA in the world for nothing. If you’ve never had it, you’re either a) not in an area where it’s distributed or b) crazy or c) not into IPAs (and that’s okay, but you should still try it). The next time you see this on tap/in a store/at a bbq, etc, drink it.

     

  • Bell’s Brewery gets into Wine

    On Monday, Bell’s Brewery announced that they would be adding three wines to Bell’s General Store and Eccentric Cafe – Great Northern White, Great Northern Red, and Great Northern Blanc de Blancs Sparkling Wine. Bottles will be available in 750ml, and Blanc de Blancs will also be available in 375ml bottles.

    Bell’s is working in conjunction with two wineries – Circa Estates Winery will produce Great Northern White and Great Northern Red, and L. Mawby will produce Blanc de Blancs. Circa Estates owner David Bell is the brother of Bell’s president, Larry Bell.

    Release dates for the wine have not yet been determined.

  • Our Favorite Craft Beers

    Everybody has a favorite drink, and craft beer drinkers are no different. Some like a brewery in general, and others, just a specific brew. My beer drinking friends have some of the most eclectic tastes of anyone I know, and being that it’s American Craft Beer Week, I thought you’d like to know just exactly what it is we’re drinking.

    Adrian’s & My Favorite

    Bell’s Brewery, Inc, Kalamazoo, Mich.

    While Adrian and I both like Bell’s, he likes the taste and range of their beers. If he was going to pick the one he likes the most, he says Two Hearted Ale comes to mind. The reason? “I like hoppy beers, and Two Hearted has a piney, fruity flavor that is just ideal.”

    As for me, I enjoy one Bell’s beer in particular, Oberon Ale. I love Oberon not only because of its fantastic flavor, but because it’s the beer that got me started with craft brews. Since taking my first sip of Oberon about four years ago, I’ve given up the domestic brews that once dominated my early 20’s.

    Andi’s Picks

    Andi’s favorites are two fold because she enjoys them at different times of the year. In summer, Leinenkugel’s Summer Shandy fills her fridge, and in winter, she warms up with Sam Adams Cherry Wheat.

    Leinenkugel’s Summer Shandy, Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Co., Chippewa Falls, Wisc.

    Andi says she enjoys Leinenkugel’s Summer Shandy because “it tastes like refreshment in a bottle. It feels like you could run a marathon and drink it to replenish yourself.”

    Sam Adams Cherry Wheat, The Boston Beer Co, Boston, Mass.

    Sam Adams Cherry Wheat shows up on Andi’s list because “it’s a warm beer, even though it’s served cold, and it’s flavorful enough that it warms your tummy, and thick enough to take the chill off.”

    James’ Favorite

    Left Hand Brewing Milk Stout, Left Hand Brewing Co., Longmont, Col.

    James loves this dark brew “because it has an amazing flavor without being overpowering. Stouts are my favorite style of beer, but some can be a little potent. I enjoy a lot of flavor in my beer, but some seem like they try too hard. Milk Stout seems to have perfected the balance.”

    Erica’s Pick

    Goose Island Beer Co., Chicago, Ill.

    Erica “knew it’d be something from Goose Island” because “it was my first taste of a beer outside of the Big 3. It’s what made me realize beer wasn’t ‘gross.’ My go to is 312, but my favorite is Sofie.”

    Danger’s Favorite

    Shine On, Central Waters Brewing Co., Amherst, Wisc.

    Danger enjoys this red ale because it “is a darker beer that I can drink without feeling like I had a meal in a bottle.”

    Rob & Ryder’s Pick

    Widow Maker Black Ale, Keweenaw Brewing Co., Houghton, Mich.

    Rob likes Widow Maker because “it reminds me a lot of Stroh’s Dark, which was always a favorite. It has a good flavor but isn’t real heavy or filling like some dark beers can be.”

    Ryder isn’t much for craft beers, but if he’s going to drink one, it’s going to be Widow Maker.

    Other Picks

    My friend Keith loves beer from Horny Goat Brewing Co. in Madison, Wisc., and Sprecher Amber from Sprecher Brewing Co. in Milwaukee, Wisc.

    Melissa thinks the Cream Ale from Sun King Brewing Co., in Indianapolis, Ind. is “super yummy.”

    Donna likes Red Sky Ale, from Frankenmuth Brewery in Frankmuth, Mich., “because it goes so well with molten chocolate cake.”

    Pyro says “If you’re going to twist my arm I’ll say Surly Furious (Surly Brewing Co, Brooklyn Center, Minn.). It’s a delicious hop heavy IPA.”