5 Excellent Beers You Can Get at Publix
“WHERE SHOPPING CAN PROBABLY GET YOU LAID”
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BRSKY is the Beer.
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Hop Stoopid by Lagunitas
CRYSTAL METH FOR HOP-HEADS
On a recent trip to Northern California, on a beautiful cloudless August day, something fortuitous happened. A small pit stop from Highway 101 would turn out to be one of the most glorious moments of my beer-loving career… for what to my wondering eyes should appear, but a modest little sign acknowledging the presence of Lagunitas Brewing Company, in a non-descript industrial park. After a peek around the corner of the building, we soon found out that yes, it was THAT Lagunitas Brewing Company… the men and women responsible for single-handedly crushing any reason to ever drink shitty beer again. The laid back staff opened their arms to my family and I, and showed us around the bar that they were building on their ‘campus’, one that I sorely wished would have opened two weeks sooner. Regardless, on that August day, I got to see the birthplace of some of my favorite beers.
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Three Philosophers by Ommegang
What would you say if Brasky were to tell you that there exists a beer, made right here in America, that was nearly ten percent alcohol, came in a corked 750 ml glass, was made from 2% cherries, and sold for eight bucks or so at most respectable beer vendors? Well, if you were as epic as you think you are, you would say ‘Dude, I love Three Philosophers!’
Ommegang Brewery in Cooperstown, New York, continues to bring Belgian beer-geekery stateside. Three Philosophers is an intense brew, dark red in color, and almost indescribable in flavor. At 9.8 percent alcohol, it is not for the weak of heart, or rather for meek beer drinkers. Yet it contains some affable quality that could just win over even the staunchest of swill-lovers… the lingering aroma of cherries and the identifiable sparkle of alcohol make this a crisp, flavorful brew. The official designation is a quadruple-bock, although this beer almost runs over into the ‘unique’ category.
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Ayinger Celebrator Doppelbock
Celebrator is a reknowned doppelbock, or if you prefer, “double bock” beer. Bocks are German beers that can be traced to farmers and Roman Catholic monks of centuries past, characterized by malty fullness. A doppelbock, as its name suggests, extends these qualities, including a higher alcohol content that ranges from 6% to 9%.
First, let me say that this beer isn’t cheap. A 4-pack of 12-oz bottles set me back $12.99. At over $3 a bottle, I can assure you my palette was in overdrive. My prevailing reaction was being genuinely impressed. Despite a rich brown color and tan head, the flavor was mild in comparison to previous doppelbocks I’ve tried. This is partly explained by emphasis on malt in favor of hops, and also by a modest 6.7% ABV – just right, in my estimation. The flavor is rich and dark, but not bitter. On my first sip I noticed a distinct roasted flavor, but this retreated as a pleasant chocolate/coffee accent seemed to lace each sip. The aroma is particularly inviting, boasting a complexity that would require a bigger bullshitter to properly honor.
Despite the full flavor, the beer finishes clean, leaving the palette ready for anything. This makes the beer a great complement for a meal – I can say this confidently, because I was eating when I poured out the Celebrator. Normally I don’t enjoy beer with meals, but this beer was truly refreshing, a total surprise from a Doppelbock (or any beer that looms so darkly in your glass).
When sampling a beer with a reputation like Celebrator, it’s easy to swoon and make an over-appraisal. But I can say honestly that, if anything, I approached this beer with skepticism and it emerged vindicated. Most everything about this beer is “just right”, a real treat for any beer geek in-the-making.
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