Ever taste something you know you don't like, and have a bit of an odd moment when you realized you're actually enjoying it? If you're stubborn like I am, you might have been adamantly avoiding certain foods your whole life, only to find out you love them as an adult.
I grew up hating green beans. My mom used to make shepherd's pie a lot, and I would always complain that the ratio of green bean-lovers to pea-lovers was not properly reflected in the pie. I would go so far as to pick out each and every green bean and protest loudly the entire time. And now, 5+ years later, you know what I've found? Green beans are great. I buy them at the grocery store with my own money, and they taste delicious. The lesson I learned? Be open minded about your food. Taste buds can change, and so can your stubbornness.
BG Poured from a 12 fl oz (355ml) bottle into a stemmed tulip, 4% ABV, Enjoy by 02/17/15, Purchased cold from The Beer Store
A Pale straw in color, and a little hazy. There was less than a finger of head, even with a semi-aggressive pour. I’d like to see a bit more head on a hefeweizen, but I guess this is standard for the American version.
A Some aromas take you to an entirely different place. It’s late summer. Sweet nectar dribbles down my chin after chomping into a fresh-from-the-vine apricot. I’m focused on devouring a few of these before I realize the juices have been dripping all over my shirt. But I could care less. I continue on and stroll through a field of swaying wheat. My fingers stretch out lazily to tangle in the stalks. My eyes are half closed and counting clouds. Summer sun. Warm breeze. Hot skin. This is where I’m taken.
T A storm rolls in. The wind picks up. It starts raining… blood? Just kidding. That would be gross. There’s a lot more wheat on the tongue than the nose. But it balances nicely with the not-overly-sweet apricot. This is about as simple as it gets. Like sitting on a porch swing, watching the day go by one cloud at a time. It has wheat, and it has apricot. That is all.
M A little creamy from the wheat. Med-light carbonation.
A A loooong wheaty finish
C It’s no wonder this beer won bronze at the 2014 GABF in the American-Style Fruit Beer category. When you taste a beer as simple as this one, there’s no option to not nail it. Otherwise, it's crap. And let me tell you something. My least favorite style, other than those nasty sweet pumpkin ales, is American wheat beers. But this is actually great! I wouldn’t go out of my way to have one, but I certainly wouldn’t turn my nose up at it. Give it a try. You might be surprised where it takes you.
FP multigrain toast with apricot jam and bleu cheese crumbles, bitter greens salad with grilled chicken, roasted red pepper, and a light herb vinaigrette, a good old fashioned scoop of vanilla ice cream
Oh, and here's something kind of fun. Remember that Epic Brainless Raspberries Belgian Style Ale I had last night? I had a bit leftover, so I corked the bottle. Know what I did with it today? Poured the rest into my half empty glass of apricot hef. It's quite a bit more raspberry than apricot, but the wheat shines though nicely. It actually tones down the sweetness of the Epic beer. Not bad! I'm going to start blending different beers together when I can. What if I added a chocolate stout and the Epic raspberry beer together? It could either spell disaster or delicious. I'll keep testing, and I'll let you know if I come across anything note-worthy! For science!
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