For example tonight I went to my local beer distributor and I picked up a few different types of ale and beer. I bought a 12 pack of Franziskaner Heffe Weisse Bier, and it is ever so good. I cannot say it better than they say it show it on their own web site http://www.franziskaner.com/, with this little GIF to the right. That monk clearly knows how good it goes down. It is a one of the better biers I have ever had (I have a penchant for heffe weisse biers), and I certainly have had a lot of them over the years. Others that I really like are Paulaner Hefe Weisse Bier, Erdinger Heffe Weisse Bier, and Hacker-Pschorr Weiss Bier. A 12 pack of the Franziskaner cost me about $14.00 dollars tonight. Sure those run of the mill everyday beers are okay if you are down in the dumps money wise, but if you want something that tastes great every time (at least to me they do), and goes down very nicely with foods of all sorts, then this may be for you.
Of course, I also like American Beers and Ales, although I am not much of a fan of the really popular ones that seem to rule the market. I will drink the popular beers if I have nothing else, or maybe I won't drink them and instead drink a Coke. I really am much more of a small brewery type myself, and no I don't man so called micro-breweries that are really owned and operated by mega breweries (at least not to my knowledge). I like domestic beers and ales that are really given a nice taste, and are a bit on the stronger side. Having said that I need to point out that most of the beers made by Samuel Adams just do not do it for me. Some are okay now and then, but just that for my tastes. Many others are, to me, big disappointments - a lot of hype about their use of hops, and usually way too much hops at that as far as I am concerned. I am not saying that they are necessarily bad, but they are not exactly what I am looking for in a beer or ale. While some of their beers are okay, when it comes to their wheat beers, I will say as that as far as I am concerned they are terrible. I find this to be true of almost every American version of wheat beer that I have tried. They taste nothing like old world weisse biers to me, they come on way to strong in the flavor department (I believe to hoppy).
American beers and ales that I do like are also strong flavored, but are not overboard, and are truly brewed in smaller breweries. Some of the best domestic beers and ales that I have tasted are brewed by Brewery Ommegang in Coperstown, NY (http://ommegang.com/). To heck with the Baseball Hall of Fame, if I ever visit Cooperstown, I am also visiting Brewery Ommegang. They make some of the best tasting abbey style ales I have ever had flow through past lips - a true treat for the taste buds that really makes one think of an Old World setting, and drinking with monks in the cellars of an abbey. By the way, Abbey Style ales are a hallmark of Belgian brewing. One of the best from Belgium is Chimay Ale (a few different varieties under the same overall brand name are available). Ommegang has got it down just right, and their abbey ales are right up there with the Chimay brand (which is I believe still bottled in an abbey by monks). One of my favorites was their namesake: Ommegang Ale. They also make Hennepin and Rare Vos. The Ommegang Ale is about 8.5% alcohol content, and two bottles can easily leave you with a pleasant feeling as if you really had been drinking in the basement of an abbey. They also sell a wheat beer (which is a weisse bier) but I have not yet tried one.
I picked up an offering from Brewery Ommegang tonight at my distributor called Three Philosophers. It is one I had not heard of before, so I figured why not give it a try. It is dark, not too heady, very heavy and tastes great. It turned out to be a truly malty ale, with a hint of cherry lambic. I have got to say, that I am enjoying it, at this moment, very much - so much that it may become a new favorite if I hit the lottery. One bottle cost me about $8.60. I guess the fact that it is over 9% alcohol has something to do with the price.
I also picked up a couple of bottle of the Ommegang Abbey Ale. This while less expensive, at a bit more than half the price of the Three Philosophers, is just as tasty in its own way. It is another dark ale, and robust in flavor, and also has quite the kick. The other offerings I have tried from Ommegang are: Rare Vos and Hennepin. Both are somewhat weaker in strength, lighter in color, but certainly are not lacking in flavor. If you are a lite beer drinker, who actually likes watery tasting lite (lo-cal) beers, then forget about any of these. Speaking of water and beers, I wonder, do you know the similarity between lite beers and sex in a canoe? They are both f''ing close to water. (sorry I could not resist).
Oh well, as they say, later for you as I hear at least one of those three philosophers calling out to me wanting to discuss somethig with me over a cold one. So I am off to the back patio to enjoy the brisk nightime air of Spring's close, as I sip one of the finer ales I have ever tasted, and enjoy the allure of the Honeysuckle as it fills the nigt air with its heavenly aroma. Too bad though that I only bought one bottle of the Three Philosophers, next time I'll have to spend more on this one, and maybe do without the others, it is that good. Since I don't drink all that much, a few bottles of this could last me months weeks a week a few days at least a couple of days. As it is, I'll enjoy the one I have and maybe follow it up with a Franziskaner Heffe Weisse Bier, and then call it a night.
All the best,
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