Oh wait…that was Sandy.  Yeah we didn’t think they would name a beer after Olivia Newton John

Sandy: Danny… is this the end?

Danny: Of course not; it’s only the beginning.

But…we digress…on to the bloggings!!

Josh is spending the week in Milwaukee, WI.  He’ll be drinking classic beers from WI. First on tap: Leinenkugal’s Summer Shandy.

Leinenkugal Summer Shandy

It’s possible that you’re already familiar with Jacob Leinenkugal Brewing Company. You can get Leinie’s Red, Leinie’s Honey Weiss and Leinie’s Sunset Wheat just about anywhere in Nashville. They’ve got some great seasonals as well: Apple Spice (a little odd), Oktoberfest, Summer Shandy and Big Butt Doppelbock(Isn’t that a hip hop song?!?). It’s summer, so Josh decided to try the Summer Shandy. A shandy is a lemonade flavored beer. They’re popular in Europe. It’s a weiss beer which means wheat beer for the English speaking readers. As soon as Josh told Brian he was drinking a shandy Brian asked “did you put fruit in your beer?”   After Brian explained to readers why he won’t put fruit in his beer, Josh has agreed that this practice is nasty so let us specify, no actual fruit was placed in this beer.

This beer has real lemon flavor and is ULTRA refreshing! If you see this one in the store or on the beer list, grab one. You won’t regret it.

**Please note, the placement of fruit in beer at home (rather than at a bar) is much more acceptable by your beer school “teachers”  ~ happy drinking

Terrapin GOLDEN ALE :: Brian was hanging out with a friend in Birmingham, AL the other night…we know we know, we’re supposed to be Tennessee Beer Schoolers but hey we’re not going to lie and say we had a beer at a place where we didn’t really have that beer.  But we digress : Big shout out to The Garage in Birmingham.  It’s a killer little bar!  They only take cash (yes of course there’s an ATM) and they have an amazing patio that seems to go on forever.  Terrapin Golden Ale is kind of like a pale ale for beginners.  Seriously, it’s good.  We would put it in somewhere between a summer wheat beer (because it has a little bit of a fruity taste) and a pale ale.  It’s golden in color (why did we just write that) and it’s taste is pretty light.  It tastes a little hoppy, which is what gives pale ales their “bitterness” but the hoppy flavor is not overwhelming at all.  Overall it is smooth.  Not sure where they have it in Nashville.  If you know, leave us a comment!  B+