Summer Needs Some Bobcat Goldthwait!

Beer #168 Wildflower Wheat / Otter Creek Brewing Company/Wolaver's, Middlebury, VT

Yes, the summer is upon us.  Mother Nature has offered up a hot and humid day to unofficially launch the summer season, and I'm incredibly thankful it (plus a three day weekend) is here.  The sun was out this afternoon for our bike ride down the Schuykill River Trail, and some clouds are moving in now to I'm sure dump rain on us, but hopefully we can get some food on the grill before that happens.

The beer for the day is the Wildflower Wheat from Wolaver's.  You get a clear gold color in the glass, and your nose picks up aromas of grain and honey.  When you drink it, you find a nice balance of honey, wheat, and sweetness.  The honey is really well done here.  Per the bottle, it's also brewed with chamomile, and after reading that I could find that flavor as well.  Great, easy drinking option for a muggy summer day.  For those who are more environmentally conscious, this beer is USDA certified organic.  For those who like drinking in a parking lot, I can see this 4.25% ABV option being a summer tailgate beer.

Vermont Tourism Board should pay me some
cash for this beer & pint glass combo!

For those who are curious, Wolaver's is part of the Otter Creek Brewing Company, although I wasn't able to quickly dig up information on how Wolaver's (born in 1997) came into the Otter Creek family.  I think (stressing: think) Otter Creek started Wolaver's as an experiment in organic beer, and then based on the success brought them under the bigger umbrella.  If someone knows the story and cares to share, feel free!

Thing to Think About Today:
To launch the summer, let's all think back to an under-the-radar summer classic from back in the 80's, One Crazy Summer.  Starring John Cusack, Bobcat Goldthwait, the dude who played Booger in Revenge of the Nerds, Jeremy Piven, and a young Demi Moore, this movie tells the tale of some underachievers who band together to help save a beautiful girl's grandfather's house from greedy developers.  If you're not familiar with this one, definitely check it out on a rainy summer day.  Hilarity ensues, as it always does.  It always does....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0xJu_qJw_Rk

I sincerely hope you all have one crazy summer, starting today.

Beer 168: Wolaver's and Meat in the Air

This is a dog who smells barbecue. He's been trotting back and forth across the deck, nostrils flaring, trying to figure out where the grill smell is coming from. Then he dropped a turd that could peel paint off the house. I guess that's payback for serving kibble and not grilled steak for dinner.



Today I'm drinking a Wildflower Wheat from Wolaver's Fine Organic Ales. Wolaver's merged with Otter Creek Brewing Company back in 1997 so I guess I inadvertently crossed two breweries off my list today.

The Wildflower Wheat poured a hazy deep gold with a small white head. It smells of wheat and malt. It's brewed with pure organic Vermont honey and chamomile and approved USDA organic if you're into that sort of thing.

There are hints of honey in the taste along with a smooth malt and wheat flavor and a bit of lemon. It drinks cleaner and crisper than a hefeweizen. I'll give it a very good rating, but not top 25.

Cheers!