May 2020 was another month in quarantine for Better on Draft and most of the state of Michigan.
While we sat at home, Better on Draft continued to stream podcast episodes via Zoom with guests including Support MI Brewing; Michigan State Representative Michael Webber; Dan Kiplinger, former brewer at Olde Peninsula and Bell’s; and Athletic Brewing Co.
Here’s a list highlighting the Better on Draft team’s favorite beers during the month of May. Beers are in alphabetical order based on brewery name.
Hefeweizen – Batch Brewing Company (Detroit, MI) ~ Wendy
“I’ve had a LOT of tasty beers in May, but, for my favorite of the month, I have to stick to a tried and true for my favorite. I was in heaven this month when a slew of my favorite breweries released their hefeweizens. Hefeweizens are my go-to style when I’m trying out a new brewery or when I’m having a beer on a Tuesday night. I always look forward to that subtle yet signature smell of banana and clove mixing together to delight the taste buds. You cannot hide the flaws in a Hefeweizen. While I appreciated the many Hefeweizens from multiple breweries these past few weeks, my props go to Batch Brewing Company‘s version. Welcome back, my friends! It’s almost like they read my mind when they canned it the following week, so I could purchase even more!”
RELATED: Freakin’ Flights – Hefeweizens (2020)
One Time at Space Camp – Crooked Pecker Brewing Company (Chagrin Falls, OH) ~ Ed
“No, this isn’t the beginning of a dirty joke. This is the recap of my favorite beer of the month. Crooked Pecker has been producing top-notch brews since they opened their doors last September. They sent me a few to quench my thirst during quarantine, including One Time at Space Camp, which I have been dying to get my hands on. The American IPA was hoppy yet had a smooth mouthfeel.”
Wheach – O’Fallon Brewery (Maryland Heights, MO) ~ Bill
“May’s beer pick is Wheach from O’Fallon Brewery of Maryland Heights, MO. It is an American Wheat Beer that has a bit of peach added during the brewing process. Normally, I’m not a fan of fruit beers, but this one really hit the spot for me. It was light and refreshing, poured with very little head, and had low carbonation. There was definitely a scent of peach on the nose, but flavor-wise it was quite balanced. It had a couple of six-packs of it about five years ago, and then it disappeared from retailer’s shelves. I stumbled across it at the bottom of a local store’s cooler last month, and I’m so happy it’s returned to Michigan! Move out of the way, Oberon, for me this is a “start of summer” sort of beer!
CEO Stout – Right Brain Brewery (Traverse City, MI) ~ Ken
“It was at Canterbury Village when I first ran into Right Brain Brewery‘s CEO Stout. I was attending a beer festival in Lake Orion, Michigan, and was looking forward to checking out the local craft beer selection. The beer festival wasn’t a large one, but this was around 2009 or 2010. My knowledge of craft beer was fairly limited to Kuhnehnn, Dragonmead, and Black Lotus and this masterpiece of a stout was unlike any other stout I had had.
Fast forward to 2015 and I found myself in Traverse City for a few days. I headed over to the Salon/Saloon for a few beers. I ordered up a CEO Stout since I just hadn’t had one in years. It brought me back to that day in Canterbury Village. Sidebar, Right Brain’s hummus and chips are amazing!
Fast forward another five years and I saw CEO Stout sitting on the shelf the store. I hadn’t given the beer much thought over the years, so I grabbed a four-pack. My god, the beer tasted the same as it did the first time I had it. I don’t know if the flavors are the same because my palette has changed drastically since that first experience. It was as good as I remember.
I don’t plan on forgetting about CEO Stout anymore! I plan on keeping it in my regular beer fridge rotation.”
Twice The Daily Serving – Trillium Brewing Company (Boston, MA) ~ Rob
“Gotta go with Twice the Daily Serving from Trillium Brewing Company, which is a Berliner Weisse with blackberry and pomegranate. It looks like juice. It tastes like juice. And, it makes you wonder how this is a beer. The typical tartness from the Berliner Weisse style and both fruits stay surprisingly mellow. It packs a bigger punch than it’s sibling, Daily Serving, jumping from 4.5% to 7% ABV. Well, so much for mimosas!”
We’re looking forward to getting back into the Michigan craft beer scene this month and drinking our old favorites and whatever news ones are being made.
Cheers!
0 Comments