Happy Holiday, Beer Drinkers!

Beer #98 Munich-Style Golden Lager / Thomas Hooker Brewing Company, Bloomfield, CT

Today we come to what can be considered one of the High Holy days of drinking, St. Patrick's Day.  Everyone throws on some green and goes out to get soused all day- sounds like my kind of event!  Truth be told and maybe I'm an old man, but I haven't ventured out to drink with the masses on St. Pat's in ages.  I guess because I can (and often do) go out and drink on a regular basis, I don't need to try and cram it all in to one afternoon.  I'm not a huge fan of amateur hour, really.  However, I can certainly appreciate those who celebrate today with some beers and wish everyone a safe and happy day!

It goes without saying I'm having some drinks today.  Sure, I suppose I could have found an Irish beer for this post, but I like to keep everyone on their toes.  Instead, today's beer is the Munich from Thomas Hooker, a brewery in Connecticut.  This Helles style lager was on draft at TJ's in Paoli, a great local beer spot.  It pours a clear gold color with a wispy white head.  There's nothing overpowering about the aroma; there's a very subtle yeast and hops aroma.  The taste has malt and sweet fruit notes, with a earthy nuttiness.  Very clean, dry finish with just a hint of bitterness at the end.  Very refreshing, and fits in well with the warm weather we have today.

This brewery was named for Rev. Thomas Hooker, the man who invented prostitution a colonial leader and founder of the settlement that would become Hartford.  His direct descendants include Willliam Taft and Aaron Burr.  Kickin' it old school!

Thing to Think About Today:
In the spirit of St. Patrick's Day, allow me to suggest we all think about the most significant contribution to modern society made by the Irish:  the Shamrock Shake!

Shamrock Shakes IS back! Grammar aren't.

Seriously, if there's anyone in America not familiar with the seasonal appearance of this delicious and refreshing mint milkshake, you may have spent the past 25+ years living under a rock.  Congrats on finding the internet today, though!  This shake is as much a sign of spring for me as robins, flowers, filing my taxes, and March Madness.  Once the Shamrock Shake gets here, you know the warm days of summer are just around the corner.  Like many wonderful things, this is a fleeting experience - before you know it, the Shamrock Shake will be a distant memory as we wait through winter for next spring.  Act fast, supplies are limited.