#10. Drink'in The Sunbelt - Jester King Brewery & Mikkeller

Tonight's drink is a collaboration between Austin-based Jester King and the Danish brewer Mikkeller. This is the first effort between the 2 and both are known for ignoring boundaries.

At 4.2 ABV this is a low-alcohol session beer. It is also bottle refermented which was evident by the nice "pfftt" when I pop the top. There is also quite a bit of head with larger bubbles.

The aroma is slightly piney with some funkiness to it, almost like an old towel. The funky towel smell goes away and some orange emerges, almost like an orange candy.

On the tongue there is a sour orange flavor and the hop bitterness coats the mouth. A slight lime flavor comes through at the end. The lively carbonation keeps the hoppiness in check.

This is a different kind of wheat beer which was expected from these 2 brewers. At first I didn't think think I would like this one, but the more I drink the more I am warming up to it. I am not sure this would be my first choice for a summer wheat refresher, but it would be something to consider when I am looking for a little bit different. 89 out of 100.

#9. Organic Hefeweizen - Brauerei Pinkus Mueller

I was at Central Market the other day looking for something different when I came across this one. A route salesman from a local distributor was there stocking the beer case and tried to steer me to the Banana Bread beer, but somehow that didn't pique my interest.

The first thing about this beer is the organic label. I try and buy organic foods whenever possible, but after trying several organic wines I have come to the conclusion that organic beverages are on the gimmicky side. Whereas I think organic apples make a better apple, organic beer and wine do not. Let's see if this one steers me a different direction.

This beer pours into the glass a little darker than pale with a very short living head. When I see unfiltered I think cloudy of course, but this one isn't so much cloudy as it is just a little opaque. On the nose is some slight citrus and some yeast, along with a little bit of honey and some grassy notes.

On the palate this is a light bodied beer that almost tastes flat. I've had a few other German hefes, so I don't think this is indicative of the style. I like a little more fizz with my wheats because I find them more refreshing that way. Flat can also be applied to the flavor profile - nothing really stands out. This is 60% wheat which will make it very light flavored, almost too light. There is some lemon on the back of the palate and a little hit of hops and sourness.

This is not an easy drinking beer because I am finding the flatness hard to overcome. German hefes are not supposed to be fruited like American ones, but a slice of orange would probably perk this one up a bit. Not my favorite hefe - 83 out of 100.

#8. Edelherb - Kulmbacher

After a week off, it's time to get back to drinking! Today's beer is a German pilsner called Kulmbacher Edelherb.

I have never truly appreciated this style mostly because I associated it with American beers. The label for Miller Lite says "True Pilsner Taste" which is just marketing. The flavor of this pilsner is so far removed from typical American lagers that companies like Miller should be charged with false advertising.

This beer pours a very pale, straw color with a good amount of head. On the nose there is what I think is the distinctive smell of a pilsner - mild grain with a slight hop backbone. There is a very crispness to the smell as it is very clean. It doesn't linger much, but you instantly know this is a pilsner. I also detect a little flowery perfume, almost like a lavender or honeysuckle but again it doesn't linger.

On the palate this has classic pilsner flavor. You get the earthiness of the malt with the punch of the hops, paired with delightful effervescence. The good thing about true pilsner is that it is a light style, but packs good flavor. Again the taste is crisp & clean and completely refreshing. This would be an ideal summer beer.

I think this is a great example of a pilsner, true pilsner. I had this one with a thin crust cheese pizza tonight and it was a great pairing. You should be able to drink this one with burgers, pizza, & spicy chicken wings. 90 out of 100.

#7. Alpine Spring - Boston Beer Company

Today I am trying a new beer from the Sam Adams people, Alpine Spring. Now I have been a fan of Sam Adams for a long time. I feel that modern craft brewers owe some level of gratitude because Sam helped launch the microbrew craze. However, that was then and this is now. Based on their website they make over 40 different beers which makes me curious as to if the brewery can consistently crank out quality, tasty brews.

Since the label reads that it is an unfiltered beer, I immediately think that this is similar to a hefeweizen. I pour it into a wheat beer glass and take notice of the cloudy, but slightly darker than pale body. The head is very white, with dense bubbles.

On the nose there is citrus and some pineapple. A faint sourness is there too, almost like lemon. There is a subtle little hint of pine. As the beer continues to warm up I get Lavender coming through (which I love - my favorite scent).

The taste is a little malty with some hop bitterness on the back of the palate. I get a little citrus flavor , that of maybe lemon. But it isn't the tangy part of the lemon or the zest, but rather the pith. It is a little unpleasant and the bitterness lingers a bit.

This would be a good beach beer that you could pound all day, but so is Coors Light. I had higher expectations for this beer like I do with all the Sam Adams varieties, but this one is too light on flavor to really stand out. I don't quite get why this one was made with all the other varieties Sam makes. I give it an 80 out of 100.

#6. Baltika 7 - Baltika Brewery

I have to admit, I was a little scared about this one. Mother Russia has never been one for quality and a Russian friend of mine thought I was crazy to try it. In the back of my mind I thought maybe blindness or even death, but what the hell.

First off, it is a green bottle which tells me this might be a little skunky. I have to admit though that I don't mind skunkiness all that much. Call me weird. This one has an unusual crown that looks almost like an old fashioned pull-top. It comes off with a nice "pffttt" like you get with a bottle conditioned ale.

As I pour it into a pilsner glass, I am first noticing the very pale, straw color. This one starts to remind me of a typical American lager.

On the nose there is a slight skunky smell, but nothing too offensive. Outside of that there is a smell of sweetness probably coming off adjuncts in the malt. My guess is a lot of rice and corn, yet their website makes no mention of anything but pale malt.

Drinking it, I am amazed to find that this beer has no flavor whatsoever. The only thing that gives me a hint that I am drinking beer is the slight bitterness of hops and carbonation. I might as well be drinking water. This is probably the lightest bodied, lightest flavored beer I have ever had. If you go to their website and get past the initial load, there is an ocean scene which is appropriate - this is my new "canoe beer." A special shout out to the honey once the website completely loads - I'd buy beer from her.

They describe the beer as one with "special mildness" which is probably putting it lightly. I can't give this one a score.