It is spring when we drink strawberry beer, or not
On a recent bright sunny Saturday I spotted a six pack of Abita Strawberry Harvest Lager from Abita Brewing in Covington, La.
Ordinarily, I shy away from fruited beers, but in the springtime our impulses sometimes get the best of us. I bought a six pack for about $7, brought it home and poured a glass and passed it around to my family.
My wife liked the aroma, which the label says comes from Ponchatoula strawberries in Louisiana. Not bad, she said.
Our 23-year-old son, home for the weekend, took a whiff and a sip, then shook his head. He went to the fridge and grabbed a Magic Hat Lucky Kat IPA.
I took several sips of the Strawberry Lager but could not warm up to it. I did taste better, less artificial, than I expected. The aroma of strawberries was pleasing, but a cloying aftertaste left me cold. I dumped out the strawberry beer and grabbed a Victory Prima Pils. Ahhh, bitter beer is better.
Anyone else taste this strawberry lager?
Where do you stand on fruited beers?
Are you opposed to any fruit in any beer, or do you take it on a case by case basis?
Anyone taste other Abita brews?
Comments
I think it is def a case by case basis. I can stand a framboise sometimes.
I wish you would have let us know you were trying the strawberry (I had the same experience, but went for Dogfishhead).
Posted by: Jason | March 25, 2008 1:22 PM
I have the remnants of a sixer of Abita's Amber in my fridge. It's nothing special. Solid, fairly malty, amber beer.
I have a friend from Louisiana who likens Abita to Yuengling. It's insanely popular among locals because its relatively cheap for a relatively good taste, but it's really not remarkable in any way. That's about how I felt about the Amber.
Incidentally, I bought it because it had these funny squat little bottles. Sometimes my impulses get the best of me.
Posted by: Grant | March 25, 2008 1:23 PM
Abita Ambers are beloved down in Louisiana. Not bad, really, but as Grant said, not great either. It goes really well with the jubalaya and crawfish dishes down there, though.
I'm not a fan of fruity beers, but the Belgians seem to have managed to make the best of it with the framboise etc. type beers. There isn't a person alive who can drink those regularly, but a rare pouring or two seems appropriate to spice things up.
Posted by: Brian | March 25, 2008 3:39 PM
I haven't tried the Abita.
I do still have a few of the Lancaster Strawberry Wheat left over from a mixed 12 pack. I will try them again when it is warmer out.
Your son made the right call. I also had the Lucky Kat this weekend and I will definitely pick that up again.
Posted by: C Double | March 25, 2008 4:48 PM
Grabbed a six of Sam Adams Cherry Wheat the first time I ever saw it. Absoulutely loved the first bottle but, about halfway through the second, I was done with it. Maybe it was just the novelty of trying something new but it lost it's appeal quickly. Once in a while I'll have one but make it a point to avoid a second.
Tried some Abita brews years ago in New Orleans. As stated by others, nothing out of the ordinary. Not really a bad beer but nothing I'd go out of my way to get either.
Posted by: Sam.I.Am | March 25, 2008 8:00 PM
I treat them as dessert beers and I love a Lambic after a great meal of Mussels at Mannequin Pis and a glass of Framboise or a Kriek with some Belgian chocolate is the way to top off the meal.
Sometimes I'm also in the mood for a sour lambic as well.
Posted by: Mark | March 25, 2008 10:02 PM
I used to like fruited beers but as my tastes have matured I am less inclined toward them. I do like the occasional pumpkin beer in October. For those who do like fruited beers, I suggest they try Wachusett (a Massachusetts brewer). They brew a good blueberry.
Posted by: Duane | March 25, 2008 10:19 PM
I will enjoy a Pete's Wicked Strawberry Blonde on a hot summer day in front of the grill or on the porch. Same goes with a few other fruited beers, but that's pretty much the only time they taste right to me.
In fact, I have one lonely Pete's Strawberry which survived the summer still sitting in the fridge. I'll probably crack it open the first day the mercury hits 90 because I just couldn't bear to do it over the winter.
Posted by: Brian | March 26, 2008 9:32 AM
I think that fruit flavored beers need to be taken on a case by case basis, but I know that they are getting more popular in the marketplace.
My favorites would have to be Atlantic Brewing Company's Bar Harbor Blueberry Ale, and Shipyard's Sea Dog Blueberry Ale. Both of these brewers come from blueberry country (Maine) so, they know what they are doing with the berries.
Boston Beer Company's Cherry Wheat is very good too, and New Glarus Brewing Company's Raspberry Tart had an amazing following at the Great American Beer Festival back in October.
Posted by: Rick | March 26, 2008 3:26 PM
Case by Case:
Seadog Blueberry
Dogfishhead Fort
Kasteel Rouge--currently on tap at Max's
Posted by: Mike | March 27, 2008 8:18 AM
I must defend Abita. Having lived in New Orleans, I love their Abita Amber, which is widely available in almost any bar. It is great for cooking and best served very cold.
My favorite Amber though, is Anderson Valley Brewing, Boont Amber Ale.
Posted by: Ted | March 27, 2008 11:48 AM
I'm a big fan of the Apricot Weizen from Pyramid Brewing in Seattle. I'm able to get here in Owings Mills. They used to brew this as Apricot Ale, but switched to the unfiltered Weizen. Great aroma, and the apricot doesn't overpower the beer. Weizens tend to have a fruitier feel to them already, so it works nicely.
Posted by: Mitch | March 31, 2008 9:00 PM
I like some of Abita's offerings, as they are available over here in the FL panhandle. The Amber is pretty good but my favorite is their Restoration Ale, a very tasty IPA and proceeds from it help with fixing the damage from Katrina.
Their Purple Haze, which I tried when in New Orleans for the Ravens game, is a fruited raspberry (?) ale. Stay away. Stay far away.
I'm not much for fruity beers.
Posted by: Rob in the Redneck Riviera | April 4, 2008 8:51 AM