Acton's Warm Specialty Beer Section
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     What's New in BrewIt was the dog days of summer in the mid ‘70s when I first discovered the great German summer beers. As teenagers my two cousins and I would work on our Grandfather’s place in the Catskill Mts. in upstate New York. At night we would sit around drinking Genesee beer and playing poker, using our cigarettes as chips. At least two nights a week my Bavarian grandfather would take us for dinner at a German restaurant in town. Although at the time the drinking age was 18, and we were only 16, the owner of the restaurant would serve us each a Weisse Bier as a treat. Poured slowly in long, 22 oz glasses, and topped off with a slice of lemon that seemed to float on the rich creamy head, the Paulaner Weisse complex citrus fruit flavors and aromas were savored.
Summer, I count the days until June, starting some time in November. I am encouraged that it is just around the corner sometime in April, when the leaves start sprouting, and when the baseball season begins.
And sometime in April the summer beers are released, hinting at hotter and lazier days to come. Many are Kolsch style, ales brewed at lager temperatures of 55 degrees F as opposed to the normal 80 degrees F, with German hops of Saaz, Hallertau, and Mittelfrueh. This makes for a brew that has the fruity character of ale, the crispness of a lager, and a hop complexity that is aromatic, but not bitter. Who needs to be bitter in the summer? Some excellent examples of this style come from Geary’s and Gritty McDuff’s from Maine, and Harpoon’s Summer Beer. Crisp and refreshing, these are the perfect beers to load in a cooler and bring to a baseball or soft ball game.
A more straightforward style lager is Sierra Nevada’s Summerfest, made with lager yeast, Pale and Munich malt, and boiling hops of Perle and Saaz. Finally, a judicious amount of Saaz is used as a finishing hop, not to impart bitterness, but to add to the crisp, dry finish. This is a delicious beer to wash down a few hot dogs with.
Aficionados of craft brewed beers may appreciate the aggressive complexities of Imperial Stouts, double malt IPAs, or huge double and triple fermented Barley Wines. These are the Shiraz’s and Zinfandels of the beer world, where complexity hits you over the head so you cannot miss it or ignore it.
However, summer is a time when complexities are better expressed in subtle ways, and this is apparent in the wheat beers of summer. These are ales based on the German Weizen and Weisse beers of Bavaria, and the Witbeers of Belgium. Among them are Sam Adams Summer Ale, Wachusetts Summer Ale, Harpoon’s UFO, and Anchor Summer Ale. All have at 30% wheat in their grain mash giving long, light fruit flavors, and huge head of foam, so pour slowly. Some have added spice, such as Sam Adams, and some have a refreshing addition of lemon peel. These are picnic table beers, enjoyed with cold salads, fresh caught trout, and grilled chicken.
While the domestic craft beer makers introduce their summer brews in April, at the start of the baseball season, they are usually sold out by mid July, when they would be appreciated more. For me, summer begins with the Solstice, and in honor of the longest day of the year, in honor of my cousins and grandfather, my wife and I celebrate with a bottle or two of Bavarian Weisse bier. Our choices vary from Julius Echter for it’s simplicity of style, to Paulaner for its inherent citrus flavors, to Weihenstephener for its legendary status as the oldest continuous brewery in the world, or to Schneider’s Kristal Weisse for its clean, complete style and flavor.
So wherever your tastes may lead you, whether to the big, aggressive craft brews with the unique names and artistic labels, or perhaps to a Bud Lite, or a Corona. Take time out from the usual and try one of the many domestic summer beers that are offered. Or truly treat yourself, and enjoy a meal of grilled trout by a lake or river and open a bottle or two of a Bavarian Weisse bier. And enjoy the long, slow, lazy days of summer. Cheers, Peter McCann Store Manager Marlboro Wine & Spirit Co.
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Beer Tastings every Friday from 4:30-6:30pm in Marlboro and Acton 
