This week's beer review comes with a couple of, unintentional, themes. The three beers that were tried come from various breweries around Ohio, each coming with its own citrusy twist. While I enjoyed some more than others, each was something I could see myself ordering in the future.
Kick Around - Fruited Kettle Sour
Great Lakes Brewing Co. (Cleveland, OH)
4.3% ABV
The Can: This is a great can. The use of the funky font gets me interested right off the get-go. The jungle theme gives the sense that you're about to have a very fun time wherever you are drinking this beer. The color scheme delivers a little hint about what's to come from that first sip: a hoppy beginning with a slightly fruity kick (around).
The Taste: This was a very enjoyable beer. From the look of the can, I was expecting more hops than the taste of the fruit, but the balance between the two provides a very smooth drink. I had expected it to be a bit heavier feeling on the teeth, like some of the more common "fruity" domestic beers, but it felt like I hadn't even drunk anything. The taste of guava and orange stuck out the most, but it was a pleasant combination.
The Situation: It would be hard to convince me that Kick Around was not made as a 'Sunny D' for adults. I can imagine myself having this beer while laying out in the middle of a lake on a summer day and enjoying the sunshine.
Fun Fact: Kick Around is considered a P.O.G. Tart, which is a type of sour beer that means: pomegranate, orange and guava.
Lawnchair Hotrod - Tropical Lager
Rhinegeist Brewery (Cincinatti, OH)
6.0% ABV
The Can: This may very well be in my top 5 cans of all time. It is a very simple design and color pattern, but the aesthetic is absolutely there. What do you think of when you imagine a lawn chair and a hot rod? America. But instead of the traditional red, white, and blue pattern, the driving color on the can is blue, which gives it a cool vibe and helps it stand out.
The Taste: First and foremost, the taste of this beer definitely did not match what I was anticipating based on the can. I was expecting it to have the hoppy taste lagers tend to have, but I expected more of the "tropical" side of things along with it. The taste of hops moved in pretty quickly, and it was definitely more bitter than any "tropical" beer I have ever had. It did not deliver on the "fruit and bright citrus" component.
The Situation: While this beer was not 100% what I anticipated when I opened the tab, it was definitely still enjoyable. It was also very sneaky - I finished the first quite quickly and could have seen myself having another. If you are a fan of drinking PBR from your lawn chair, you'd enjoy this lager.
Fun Fact: Due to lagers needing colder climates for fermentation, they struggled to gain global popularity and production until the creation of artificial refrigeration in the 19th Century.
Oh, Sure - IPA
Land Grant Brewing Co. (Columbus, OH)
6.4% ABV
The Can: A pretty cool can. Nothing spectacular that stands out, but there are some cool aspects. The psychedelic look with the variety of bright colors, the patterned design, and the font of the logo gives the can strong "That 70's Show" vibes. I also am a fan of the thumbs up because it gives it a sarcastic "Oh, sure" read.
The Taste: While this is an IPA, it was made as a hybrid between a traditional IPA and citrus flavors. Surprisingly, the citrus was much stronger in this beer than the lager above. It was definitely a little heavier, as expected with an IPA, but it was sweeter than I had anticipated. The hops were noticeable right of the bat, but not overwhelming, and the citrus comes through on the backend, which was a nice way to layer a sip.
The Situation: I could definitely have a couple of these IPAs, but I don't think many after that. I enjoyed it, but the citrus taste lingered awhile, and it was a little too heavy for me to have a citrus flavor blended in. I could see myself enjoying this beer at an after-work happy hour when I still need to go grocery shopping after.
Fun Fact: Land Grant cans come with "How's It Taste" flavor profiles printed on them to give you a sense of what you are about to try. This can's read: Bright, Approachable, Clean. I would agree!
Until next time, bottoms up.
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Comments
Great post! Love the inclusion of fun facts for each beer!
Love the post! As an illiterate, it was tough for me to make out the symbols under the pictures, but those are some lovely cans!
Xoxo
BILLY B.
Hi Billy, nice to sea your hear
Its me, remember? from high school
I only drink Bud Light!
We should go grab some of these sometime
Hey, it's me, Queen Elizabeth. Charles sent me to a deserted island so he could be King. I don't have access to my royal money so please cashapp me $300 so I can get back to the UK.
Tea and biscuits 🇬🇧!