Beer of the Weekend #978: MacRae of Sunshine

The beer of the weekend is something I used to repay The Foxy Lady’s brother for a ticket to the Indianola-City High baseball game last week: MacRae of Sunshine, brewed by the Confluence Brewing Company of Des Moines, Iowa.

MacRae of Sunshine

Serving type: 16-ounce can. “CANNED ON JUL/15/22” is printed on the bottom. This is pretty fresh stuff!

Appearance: Poured into a pilsner glass. The color is clear, clean light gold. Two fingers of white, fluffy head dissipates slowly and unevenly, leaving trails of foam stuck to the sides of the glass. A slow but steady stream of bubbles rise from the bottom.

Smell: Bright with earthy hops. There are scents of grapefruit, citrus seed, lemon, and lime. The hops tickle the nostrils.

Taste: Bright and acidic with a touch of melon. There are flavors of grapefruit, lemon, lime, earthy hop spice (which seems akin to pepper at times), and something that reminds me of muskmelon.

Fun facts about MacRae of Sunshine:

• Style: New Zealand–style pilsner. I misread the can it when I bought and thought it was New England–style pilsner.

• Price: $9.99 for a four-pack of 16-ounce cans at John’s Grocery in Iowa City.

• Alcohol content: 4.6 percent ABV.

• Here is the description from the can and webpage:


Parks are vitally important as gathering spaces in the community for fitness, socialization, and relaxation–regardless of age or economic status. We’re fortunate to be sandwiched between two parks here at Confluence, with Gray’s Lake in our backyard and MacRae Park in our front. Thanks to the Des Moines Parks Department, MacRae Park is undergoing a renaissance with a brand new overlook to take in the city skyline, and a nature playground and pond-front boardwalk soon to come. In celebration, we brewed up this hoppy lager featuring Riwaka and Motueka hops for a little burst of sunshine, with notes of grapefruit, lemon, and lime. It’s as bright, crisp, and refreshing as a walk in the park. In fact, that’s what we recommend; enjoy a walk in MacRae Park, then come and join us for a pint. Cheers!

• I checked out MacRae Park on Google Maps and started scanning through the satellite view of Des Moines. It has been a long time since I was in Des Moines, especially the east side and the Iowa State Fair. While checking out the fairgrounds, I stumbled across the route my dad took when we went to the fair: Highway 6/Hubble Avenue from Altoona to E 33rd St. I vividly remember waiting in traffic on 33rd.

The Quiet Man’s grade: B+/A-.

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