Blind Squirrel Brewery American Hefeweizen

Blind Squirrel Brewery is based in Plumtree, NC.  They have a unique set up that includes a resturant and lodge that litteraly make this a beer destination.  So wheather you are looking for a weekend getaway or just 22 ounces of bliss this brewery has you covered.  So their American Hefeweizen has a 5.3% ABV.  It pours a nice pale gold color and it is aggressively carbonated.  Seriously be very gentle when you pour this one.  That massive head that forms persists for a long time.  If I drink this one again I'm pouring it into a stein or a tankard.  The massive head makes you feel like you are drinking a very German beer.  For added authenticity bring your own moustache.  This one is going to be fun.  So this one is tough to get a good nose from because that head is just so thick you can't smell anything else.  What I could smell was the sweet characteristic aroma of a hefeweizen.  This one is so carbonated that you taste the carbonation.  It makes this a bit sweeter and gives it a light acid tang.  There is a nice cool sensation to this beer.  I very much wanted a hot summer day to sit on the porch and enjoy this one.  Well if you live in North Carolina you know that we havn't had many warm summer days this year.  Alas I had to settle for a nice brisk day on the porch.  So the beer has very light flavors.  I assume this is filtered as there was almost no sediment left in the bottle and the beer was very clear.  As you would expect from a hefeweizen there sin't much hops flavor so not much citrus in this one either.  It was a nice sweet malty beer.  Had there been summer in North Carolina this year this might have been a favorite beer of mine for those hot afternoons.  I expect it would have been quite enjoyable.  If you enjoy a hefeweizen you should pick this one up, skip the orange wedge, it stands fine on its own.  Check out their current beer selection here.  

Highland Brewing Company Gaelic Ale

Highland Brewing Company, based in Asheville, is a relatively large brewery that has a large line-up of year round, seasonal, and one off beers.  Their Gaelic Ale is one of their year round staples.  In fact it was the first beer they produced, it was originally called Celtic Ale but another brewery had trademarked that name.  Enough with the history lesson and on to the beer.  Gaelic Ale is an American Amber with a 5.6% ABV.  It pours a dark amber color just as you would expect from an amber ale and forms a light head. There is a strong citrus hops aroma on the nose. There are some floral notes as well but the word I keep coming back to to describe the aroma is citrus.  A nice hops flavor initially. Strong pine notes which is surprising based on the aroma of this one. The citrus is muted comparatively but still present. The citrus helps balance things out and  makes this easy to drink. A slight hint of the toasted malt flavor presents itself as you continue drinking this beer.  This one has a lot of carbonation as you drink it.  Much more than would be expected based on the volume of head produced.   In fact the carbonation gives it a sweet, acidic flavor there is so much.  This is a nice safe beer.  There isn't too much hops, there aren't weird flavors fighting over each other, and it is very easy to drink.  You can find more information about this one on their website here and general information about their beers here.  

French Broad Brewery Rye Hopper Ale

The French Broad Brewing Company Rye Hopper Ale is an American Pale ale that is sufficiently hoppy and has some rye malts added.  It is definitely an American Pale Ale.  I have to admit that the name on this one threw me off a bit.  It gave me some expectations of something else.  Now Hopper is definitely the biggest word on the label and had I been paying attention I might not have been so thrown off.  The hops is definitely the primary contributor to the flavor of this beer.  Now this isn't a bad thing I just got excited based on my expectations from the name.  All of that said this is an excellent American Pale Ale.  The beer pours a nice gold color and builds up a nice white head.  The level of carbonation seems low based on the head that forms.  After those first confusing sips of this one I finally was able to wrap my head around what I was drinking.  As American Pale Ales go this one is excellent.  The hops characteristics in the beer make it an excellent spring or summer choice.  You get the full citrus and some other floural aromas.  All of the malt character is rather subtle and added to give this beer something to differentiate it from other American Pale Ales out there.  Using rye gives this one a pleasant but light spice flavor that helps to mellow the hops bitterness quite well.  You can find a listing of current beers by French Broad here or if you find a bottle at your local bottle shop you should definitely consider it.  French Broad is one of those consistent Asheville breweries that make the area such a great beer destination.  They deserve to be one of your go-to brewery choices.