Dear Ohio, Please Inject This Beer Into My Veins

Hey from Ohio! I’m here for a year while my partner works her teaching magic at Oberlin College. If you’re in the area and you like beer and you’re reading my blog (because, really, who isn’t?!), please contact me so we can grab a beer!

I picked up my first Ohio-bought brews from Johnny’s Carryout the other day. I don’t necessarily want to go in there again, but I will because their selection is immense! Their freshness is a little sketchy, but a sharp eye will do the trick. I grabbed a 6er of Bell’s Two Hearted IPA and Great Lakes Glockenspiel Weizenbock (Great Lakes is the local brewery out of Cleveland…hopefully there will be a post soon about my trip to the taphouse!). Basically, I am addicted to Two Hearted. Here is why:

Two Hearted – Bell’s Brewery, Inc.; Kalamazoo, MI
7.10%ABV
Serve: 12oz to pint glass

A: Three fingers barely off-white head over a somewhat hazed golden. Fluffy retention and sticky lacing all over the glass.
S: Aromas are citrusy goodness. Mandarins and grapefruits, with caramel malt all the way in the back and barely discernible. I know I am going to love the taste of this beer.
T: Great citrus hops up front, and lingering in the back. There’s a dark fruitiness that is also pleasant. There is a faint bready malt, which only tones the hops down in a minor way. They’re really there to balance. Tons of florals. I just might die…this is exactly what I crave in an IPA!
M and D: Crisp carbonation and a smooth, medium body make this such a drinkable IPA, especially for this Ohio humidity that I am having to get used to. I can drink this stuff all day, and I just might go do that now…

Pairs well with: everything. and another bottle of itself. really, it’s amazing.

Two Hearted – A+

that's my new house in the background...

And here’s the other brew I’ve been enjoying. An actual Ohio beer!

GLOCKENSPIEL – Great Lakes Brewing
 8.00%ABV, 20IBUs
Serving: 120z to weizen

Four fingers of dark beige head here, though I felt like I had to force the pour to get the beer to grace the height of the glass (which will bring the scoring on appearance down a bit for me). Colors of the body include dark copper, plum and golden edges. Aromas are huge out of the pour, with clove and ripe banana as promised on the label. Tastes are similar, with an emphasis on the ripe banana. This is a tasty brew, though it’s a bit hot. With time and warmth, a tart fruitiness comes out, which is a nice addition. Mouthfeel includes a lighter body than I’d like, with mild carbonation. I like this beer, but it’s hard to love a weizenbock after you’ve had Aventinus and Vitus! I’d buy it again, but I look forward to trying more from Great Lakes. 
Glockenspiel – B+

On one last beer related note: My landlord left a 6er of Great Lakes Edmund Fitzgerald Porter in the fridge waiting for our arrival. Very cool, and very delicious. And we killed the 6er very quickly. Yum.

Prost!

Und Hopfen-Weisse…das good!

I don’t actually speak German, but you probably couldn’t tell from my very convincing subject line. Here’s an awesome collaborative effort between Garrett Oliver of Brooklyn Brewing and Hans-Peter Drexler from Schneider (see Aventinus!). Thanks to Jason in CT for sharing this (and many other) incredible beer(s) with me.

BROOKLYNER SCHNEIDER HOPFEN-WEISSE
8.50%ABV
Serving: 750mL bottle to weizen glass

A: A massive, lively beige head over hazy dark golden. A small layer of retention with very little lacing.
S: Lots of ripe fruits explode out of the pour. There is pineapple, very ripe peach, and green (unripe) bananas. I enjoy the spice on the nose, but I can’t quite put a finger on the clove, so “dark spices” as a description will have to suffice.
T: I’m pretty blown away by the heat on this brew. While cool, the alcohol is overwhelming. This subsides with a bit of warmth. There are some really great grassy hops that leave a very strong bitter residual coat. Two other very notable flavors are the citrus and ripe fruit, with granny smith apples demanding attention. Kara notes a bit of minty leaf at the beginning of the sip.
M: Medium, syrupy body. Carbonation is low to medium and, like I mentioned, the residuals coat my entire mouth. I’m a big fan of the way this beer hangs out on my palate.
D and notes: I do mourn the lack of ripe banana and clove that I would expect in a weizen of this proportion, but I did enjoy the grassy hops a great deal. The alcohol is a little off-putting, so I’m glad it subsides with a bit of patience. Kara and I paired this brew with a spring green mix salad topped with peaches, feta and a honey/mustard/balsamic dressing. Round two of this big bottle went with store bought veggie burgers topped with a reduced fat aged cheddar and my terribly famous potatoes. I highly recommend a similar pairing with a delicious weizenbock like this one.
Hopfen-Weisse – A-

Prost! to Weizenbocks

WEIHENSTEPHANER VITUS - Brauerei Weihenstephan; Friesing, GER
7.70%ABV, 17IBUs
Serving: 500mL poured into a proper weizen glass 

A: Very cloudy light golden and dark yellow colors with an enormous 2-3 fingers of white frothy head. Throughout the session, a small head retains just over the surface of the brew. Some smatterings of lacing on my glass.
S: Huge aromas at the pour. Cloves and other spices, wheat, banana and various fruity esters.
T: The cloves and spices are dominant and oh so enjoyable. There are plenty of other flavors, including dark fruity/berry in moments. The sip ends in some citrus and bitters. Metallic notes are barely present, but the balance of this big brew leaves them in the dust.
M and D: Medium-bodied and incredibly slick. A good dose of carbonation brings out the bold spices. This is an easy beer to drink, and the alcohol hides so well that I got a nice warming sensation afterwards that didn’t hit me until the last sip. I’ve already recommended this beer, and will continue to do so. I look forward to enjoying another bottle again very soon.
Vitus - A+

AVENTINUS - Private Weissbierbrauerei G. Schneider & Sohn GmbH; Kelheim, GER
8.20%ABV
Serving: 500mL to weizen

A: Two fingers of off-white head over a delicious dark brew of hazy chocolate and caramel-colored hues; yeast particles both in the head and settling at the bottom. Lovely!
S: Heavy, refreshing wheat aroma complete with bananas, light clove and some spices, and eventually an enchilada/mole sauce smell. Not sure where this came from, but it made me hungry!
T: Refreshing wheat and damp grains (not quite “wet”, but not completely “grainy”). Great flavors that imitate the aromas, particularly the cloves and spices. Hints of caramel and light chocolate malts. Sweet fruits, as well. A sour kick meets up with my mouth at the end of the sip.
M: Light on the mouthfeel, but the carbonation is great!
D: Did I mention this is incredibly refreshing? Each sip throws out new and different characteristics. I look forward to more weizenbocks!
Aventinus - A
 
AND…a close-up of the yeast:

the best floaties a gal could ask for

Both available at the co-op for under $3. You have no excuses. Go buy these bottles. Now.