Pursuit of Hoppiness
Craft beers your Bud Light-loving friends will enjoy
Time to teach your friends about beer, not that watered down stuff they’re currently drinking.
Five years ago, you couldn’t have persuaded me to try a “craft” beer. The names, the terms, the flavor descriptions were confusing and downright intimidating.
Bud Light and Coors Light were my limit, or when I felt really adventurous I would order a Blue Moon. Crazy, right?
I think we all have one or two friends who refuse to try anything new. Or maybe you are that friend — it’s OK if you are!
The next time you find yourself out with that friend, encourage him or her to expand their horizons by looking for these beer styles on the tap list.
Blonde Ale
According to beerwiki.com, blonde ales are a product of craft breweries trying to figure out how to attract new beer drinkers.
Light in color, with a bit of sweetness, blonde ales are aren’t going to overpower your taste buds with hops or malt.
Better yet, they typically have a low ABV so you can drink more than one without falling off your bar stool.
Making the beer more approachable, some breweries add fruit to a blonde ale to mix it up a bit.
Locally, you can’t go wrong with Shamrock Brewing’s Steel City Gold. Brues Alehouse has a tasty blonde ale, but be warned, it’s 8% ABV and hits you like a ton of bricks. I’d be lying if I didn’t admit Florence Brewing’s Beer Whistle Blonde is one of my personal favorites.
Cream Ale
Cream ales are a good starting point for someone who doesn’t like a ton of bitterness or hops in a beer. Depending on the brewery, most cream ales should offer an equal balance between malt and hop flavors.
PDub Brewing has a strong, yet flavorful cream ale that’s not too overpowering. At 7% ABV, it will sneak up on you. I’ll let you decide if that’s good or bad.
What about at the liquor store?
Not all beer is consumed in a bar or brewery. You can look for the cream or blonde ale style on the shelf in your favorite bottle shop and probably come out with a decent six pack of beer.
For those who prefer to have a plan going in, here’s a couple of suggestions.
- Oskar Blues’ Mama’s Little Yella Pils: Smooth, low ABV, and not overly bitter.
- Boulevard Brewing’s Unfiltered Wheat Beer: Don’t let “unfiltered” scare you, this is a flat-out delicious beer.
- Breckenridge Brewery’s Agave Wheat: Its tagline is “Nectar of the beer gods,” and that pretty much sums it up. The sweetness from the agave, mixed with the wheat flavor makes for an easy-drinking brew.
If none of those sound good, most local stores have a section dedicated where you can a build-your-own-six-pack. Typically, there’s single bottles of a wide variety of craft beer in a cooler. You pick six bottles or cans, pay a flat price, and don’t have to worry about being stuck with six of a beer you hate.
It’s a cost effective way of trying a lot of different beers, and a good starting point for someone who is just testing the craft beer waters.
My gateway beer, if you will, was Breckenridge Brewery’s Agave Wheat — after drinking one, my taste and appreciation for craft beer grew exponentially.
On Tap: Red Led Brewing in Colorado Springs is a consistent brewery with varying styles and selections. Most importantly, it’s veteran owned and deeply involved in the veteran community in our area. The next time you’re in Colorado Springs, visit the tap room and, if you’re brave enough, order a pint of SGT Pils.
