Beer of the Weekend #496: Shenanigans Summer Ale
Five hundred is a big, round number and I am well aware that I am fast approaching my 500th Beer of the Weekend. What will it be? I thought about drinking my New Glarus 20th Anniversary Strong Ale but have decided to keep aging it. (It is, according to this article, “intended to be a beer that gets better with age, a symbol that won’t be lost on the New Glarus faithful.”) Hmm… I have a little time left so I will need to think about it.
The beer tonight is a beer that makes me think of Bobblehead and Super Troopers: Shenanigans Summer Ale, brewed by the Indeed Brewing Company of Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Why Bobblehead? Because he loved that scene in Super Troopers.
Serving type: 12-ounce can. No freshness date.
Appearance: Poured into a pint glass. The color is golden, light amber with a very light haze. A finger of white foam dissipated quickly, leaving a thinning skim on the top and a thin ring around the edge.
Smell: Bready pale malts, wheat, lemon zest, and earthy hops.
Taste: Light and sweet, which I was not expecting from the aroma. The mouthfeel is light and dry. Pale malts, wheat, lots of lemon peel zest, and something sweet. The brewery claims it’s honey but it reminds me more of marmalade than anything else. It also offers a nice dose of bitterness at the end.
Drinkability: Surprisingly decent. Though it is not quite a diamond in the rough of domestic wheat ales, it does stand out for the quality and flavor.
Fun facts about Shenanigans Summer Ale:
-Style: Indeed and BA classify it as “American Pale Wheat Ale” — which can be construed as pretentious beerspeak for “a pathetic excuse that will make any Bavarian want to shoot himself.”
-Price: $1.99/can at Zipp’s Liquors in Minneapolis.
-Alcohol content: 5 percent ABV.
-IBU: 14. I think the fact the IBU is listed for a “wheat” beer is symbolic of the American brewing industry right now. Breweries declare a beer’s IBU even if it is not supposed to be bitter.
-Nerdiness printed on the can:
The Quiet Man’s grade: C+/B-.
The beer tonight is a beer that makes me think of Bobblehead and Super Troopers: Shenanigans Summer Ale, brewed by the Indeed Brewing Company of Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Why Bobblehead? Because he loved that scene in Super Troopers.
Serving type: 12-ounce can. No freshness date.
Appearance: Poured into a pint glass. The color is golden, light amber with a very light haze. A finger of white foam dissipated quickly, leaving a thinning skim on the top and a thin ring around the edge.
Smell: Bready pale malts, wheat, lemon zest, and earthy hops.
Taste: Light and sweet, which I was not expecting from the aroma. The mouthfeel is light and dry. Pale malts, wheat, lots of lemon peel zest, and something sweet. The brewery claims it’s honey but it reminds me more of marmalade than anything else. It also offers a nice dose of bitterness at the end.
Drinkability: Surprisingly decent. Though it is not quite a diamond in the rough of domestic wheat ales, it does stand out for the quality and flavor.
Fun facts about Shenanigans Summer Ale:
-Style: Indeed and BA classify it as “American Pale Wheat Ale” — which can be construed as pretentious beerspeak for “a pathetic excuse that will make any Bavarian want to shoot himself.”
-Price: $1.99/can at Zipp’s Liquors in Minneapolis.
-Alcohol content: 5 percent ABV.
-IBU: 14. I think the fact the IBU is listed for a “wheat” beer is symbolic of the American brewing industry right now. Breweries declare a beer’s IBU even if it is not supposed to be bitter.
-Nerdiness printed on the can:
A warm day, great friends and a good beer — it doesn’t get any better. In that spirit we present SHENANIGANS Summer Ale, our ode to the season. Brewed with Sorachi Ace hops, regionally produced honey, and locally malted red wheat, Shenanigans Summer Ale has a zesty, citrus-filled aroma, refreshingly dry body, and notes of honey that weave in and out of this thirst quenching summer ale. So brave the humidity and enjoy the long days because summer is time for Shenanigans.
The Quiet Man’s grade: C+/B-.
