Tag: citrus

Hoppin’ Frog Barrel Aged Turbo Shandy Citrus Ale

Well, life as a blogger is hard.  As I do not blog as my living, living seems to want to slow my blogging down.  However, intrepid readers, I am far from stopping my search for great beer and places to enjoy it!

After an enjoying walk around one of my local park’s lakes, here in Raleigh, I had the pleasure of swinging by, with my drinking pal Alan, Raleigh’s Hop Yard, located in the Durant area of North Raleigh.  See, here is one of my weaknesses.  Tired, hot, and definitely thirsty, I enjoyed a beer from the tap (Great Divide’s Yeti Imperial Stout) and then searched for a couple of bombers to bring home for my wife and I to enjoy.  Wow.  Today, I cracked the wine priced bottle of Hoppin’ Frog’s Barrel Aged Turbo Shandy Citrus Ale.

Hoppin Frog Turbo Shandy

A photo posted by First in Flights (@1inflights) on

Not only is the name a mouthful, but this sweet citrus ale is smooth and complex.  Minuscule bubbles bring a light effervescence with minimal head over a slightly cloudy hay colored ale.  Yes, my wife and I drank it out of wine glasses (white wine glasses, to be exact) and it was the right choice.  A lemon zest and honey nose, this smooth and velvety ale stayed nice and chilled, as we used the stemware, leaving an almost homemade lemon drop flavor across our palate.  At an ABV of 7%, it’s not too strong, nor is it too light.

What a way to help the missus unwind after our Sunday routine.

 

Rating 5/5

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Westbrook Brewing – White Thai

This past week has been quite busy, putting together a new website (still in progress at time of typing this review), dealing with four seasons of weather over a week in North Carolina and just the day-to-day living. My wife came with me this time to choose the two beers to review. First on our list was Westbrook Brewing‘s White Thai.

Sunday tasting with home made shwarma chicken and hummus. Quite delicious.

A photo posted by First in Flights (@1inflights) on


Wow.  What a beer!  On our pour, the body was a cloudy yellow with a pale head that lingers for a bit due to its Belgian Witbier roots.  The aroma as the glass came up was sweet lemon and ginger, very light but quite intriguing.  On tasting, a clean and bright citrus flavor hits your tongue, with mild herbal notes and a noticeable ginger bite on the back end.  The flavors stayed on the tongue but was not over powering with the lemongrass and ginger.  Westbrook did a wonderful job at adding an asian  twist to a belgian witbier, and it paired well with foods of similar roots.

Rate:  4.5/5

Recipe ideas:  Possibly use this as part of the base in a lemon tart or to marinate tuna, prior to covering in sesame seeds and searing.  Mmmm, seared tuna.

Enjoy!

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