Three the Hard Way

Beer #352 Gumballhead / Three Floyds Brewing Company, Munster, IN
Beers to go: 14

Tonight I'm reviewing a beer from a brewery I've had on my wish list for some while.  I managed to score a bottle as a gift from a friend who is connected in the seedy beer trading underworld.  Ask them no questions, they'll tell you no lies.  Tonight, you get the long-anticipated Gumballhead, a pale wheat ale from Three Floyds Brewing.

This beer is a hazy gold, with very little head in the glass.  The aroma is of grapefruit and lemon - more like an IPA than a wheat beer.  The texture of this beer is thin, but the taste is flavorful; packed with citrus, wheat, and some light peach notes.  There's a nice bit of hops in there giving it a dry, mildly bitter finish.  Definitely more hops than I was expecting from a wheat beer, but nothing overpowering.  With a great blend of drinkability and flavor, this beer will hopefully be a go-to beer for me... should they ever decide to ship to Pennsylvania.  Until then?  Someone in Chicago (because really, I don't know anyone who lives in Indiana) needs to ship me some, and pronto.  While this beer doesn't reside in my home state, it does officially earn a spot in my Top 25 for the year.

Fun label, better beer.

In case you were wondering, and you probably were, this brewery was in fact named for three Floyds: Mike Floyd and his sons Nick and Simon.  The brewery started in 1996, and in 2005 they added a brewpub for to serve the many people who came to visit and sample their beers.  Gumballhead was named in honor of a character created by underground cartoon artist Rob Syers.

Thing to Think About Today:
In this space, I've shared with you one of my favorite bands in the world, Talking Heads, five times to date.  Let's face it, if today is a Top 25 beer, don't you deserve the best?  Well, you do, but I have interests beyond the music of Talking Heads, so I'll leave you with another great artist - Warren Zevon, and his unusual classic Roland the Headless Thompson Gunner.  This particular performance was the last live show Zevon did, as he passed away shortly thereafter in 2003.

A world class beer named for an underground comic, wrapped up by a beautiful and mournful song about mercenary from Norway who served in the Congo War, only to lose his head (well obviously) and haunt the battlefield to exact his revenge.  One of those nights, people.  One of those nights.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WhRRWwH3Fro

Beer 338: Three Floyds Gumball Head

I bought myself a cashmere cape. It has a lot of buttons and I'm not sure how to put it on exactly. And here I thought I was smart.

One thing I do know is a good beer when I taste one. And the Gumball Head from Three Floyds Brewing is an awesome beer. It's brewed in Indiana and is an American pale wheat ale. I'm fortunate to have gotten my hands on this one. Three Floyds only distributes to Kentucky, Indiana, Illinois and Wisconsin. Thanks to a good friend who was willing to part with one of his last bottles!



First off the artwork on the label is phenomenal. Next the aroma. So good. It smells of strong, rich citrus hop with some pineapple and peach mixed in. The flavor is citrus hops, wheat and peach. It has a solid hop profile and is a very flavorful wheat beer.

If you've ever said you don't think wheat beer is for you, definitely find yourself a Gumball Head. It'll change your mind. This is a great beer and I wish I had more. Cheers!