Krausen Rising

I missed the previous Session, which was about smoked beers. I love smoked beers, but just didn’t feel the need to write about them last month. This time I’ll give it a go. Today’s session is kindly hosted by Beer at Joe’s.

I don’t care much for the original beer cocktails I had - black and tan, snakebite…. I think that’s it. Admittedly, I was fascinated for a while by the separation between stout and (lighter colored ale) in a black and tan, but then I found out people get all edgy about it if you order it in the wrong place, and anyway I don’t drink Guiness or Bass much nowadays. I also feel a beer cocktail should be more than two beers mixed together (or a beer and a cider). That’s a blend of two beers, not a beer cocktail. I once tried blending a Young’s Double Chocolate Stout and a Lindeman’s Framboise (being easily influenced and highly malleable, I’d read about that combination on a beer blog and it intrigued me). It was a syrupy mess that may have been awesome on top of some ice cream. I still drank the contents of both bottles, but I had to down a bit of water to get through them. Another of those drinks for 10 year olds.

I’ve always been an extremely half-assed purist about things I like. I enjoy pure, traditional versions of food, entertainment, drinks, and all that, except when I find something non-traditional that I like. Maybe it’s the raised-amongst-puritans thing that makes me want to adamantly condemn what I haven’t experienced. Then I guess it’s whatever got me out of Puritania that makes me try it anyway.

I don’t know how long radlers have existed - they could be an ancient tradition for all I know. Oh wait, now that I’ve read the content at the other end of that link, it looks like they’ve been around since the 1920s. Quite a bit older than me. But is that long enough for the purist? I have no idea. Speisekammer in Alameda has them. Jen tried one once, back before The Trappist had turned her on to wit beers and eventually corrupted her to the point where she can enjoy pilseners, the occasional blonde, and at least appreciate tripels. The radler at Speisekammer is made with some lemony soda, and is delicious, light and refreshing, if you drink it quick. The malt and lemon blend together perfectly until it cools off, then the sugary soda pop is more obvious, and even though the malt is, as well, it doesn’t quite work warmed up.

My other favorite beer cocktail is the michelada. That one is my favorite, actually. The radler is just something I like the idea of, but I almost always prefer a straight beer. Sometimes, though, you’ve got a case or so of light lager, preferably Mexican lager like Pacifico or Modelo Especial (both a half step above US macrobrews). And with me, if that’s the case, I’m usually in a situation where I’m hungover, if not at the beginning of my Pacifico drinking, then within 12 hours or so of the session’s beginning. At that point, half a (fresh, squeezed) lime per beer, with a couple splashes of hot sauce (I recommend Valentina) and a bit of salt around the rim makes for a passable hangover cure, or at least a slow rise back up into buzz-dom and away from headaches. Though not absolutely essential, a nice-sized serving of ceviche with some tostadas, some more limes, and a fresh avocado or two, can’t hurt. If you’re in Oakland, try Mariscos La Costa. Hell yeah.