I’ve always loved beer. I enjoy any style and, of course, the social atmosphere accompanying beverages is always fun. In high school (yes), we were extremely happy to have access to anything and had some very memorable experiences with Budweiser and its ilk. In college we consumed cases of Natural Light (and of course, Natty Ice) and kegs of whatever was available, but while at Middlebury, I was also introduced to the finer tastes of microbrews, in particular from the local Otter Creek Brewery, with its seasonal releases and growler fills. Since then, I have made an effort to taste everything and recently the varieties have expanded even more and brewing methods and ingredients have been refined to produce some truly exceptional beers.
Recently, two styles have emerged to change my perception of beer. Sours have an incredibly wide range of flavors and pucker punch of zesty tartness, often involving fermented fruit, and with the vast possible combinations of ingredients and methods, it is always an exciting surprise to sip a sour! India Pale Ales have been around for a long time, but over the past 5 years they have morphed into denser Double IPAs and New England IPAs, which have a hazy texture and resinous aroma. Ingredients can include oats and lactose, which impart a creamy mellow to the heavy hops. At the moment, I am chasing that taste and I seem to have acquired a habit of biking past Other Half Brewery on Fridays after work to fill a growler and see what cans might be available.
The evolution of beer has been thousands of years in the making and yet we find ourselves in a period of incredible development in the craft. The industry and the range of available styles have shifted immensely since I sipped my first Miller Lite at my dad’s work softball game and, with the exception of the hangovers, I have enjoyed it all!