The Triangle

Issue date: 5/9/08 Section: Arts & Entertainment

Media Credit: Karl Kuchs Smell and taste the strawberries with this fruity "summer in a bottle" beer.

I find it ironic that Miller Lite used to have Triple H declare "don't fruit the beer" a man law, and they come out with their own pre-fruited Miller Chill.

All hypocrisy aside, it shows that there is a big market for fruit beer. There is also more to it than shoving a lime in your Corona bottle. Craft brewers have long been trying to get it right. Some fruit beers are too syrupy or too fruity. Others are so subtle that it's hard to detect any fruit flavors at all. However, there is a happy medium and Lancaster Brewing Co. found it with their Strawberry Wheat Ale.

The ale looks a bit more red than normal. A wheat beer like this would normally be a golden straw, but this is yellowish with a copper tinge to it. It has a cloud white head that builds up to about a quarter inch before dissipating down to just about nothing. Only a tiny bit of lacing clings to the edge of the glass and falls down as slowly as an August sunset.

Surprisingly, you can really smell the strawberries in this beer. A lot of times, fruit beers vaguely give the scent of their fruit, but this isn't the case here. Aside from the strawberry scent, there is a big boozy smell as well. This is uncharacteristic of a wheat beer because they are usually very light, but that booze aroma is accompanied by a floral bouquet, compliments of the hops, so it all works out well. The smell is as sweet as a dewy Sunday dawn.

Now, not to sound snippy, but Lancaster Strawberry Wheat tastes just like, well, wheat beer brewed with strawberries. It sounds obvious, but all I've had all too many fruit beers with astringent, sour fruit flavors that leave a horribly all too sweet aftertaste. This has a very natural strawberry flavor, which is perfectly balanced with the beer. It is has the tiniest bit of tartness matched up with a slight sweetness. The aftertaste is short and has the characteristic wheat dryness and biscuit flavors.

The taste, along with its easy drinkability, will make Strawberry Wheat a beer that you can't get enough of. It is so light and smooth that you can just chug it down without a second thought. It is also light on the ABV (under 5 percent), so you don't have to feel too guilty about downing bottle after bottle. It is truly a great beer for binge drinking. The beer is lightly carbonated and finishes clean. There is no mouth coating, only tasty lingering flavors. It is the perfect beer for a lazy summer afternoon.

Because of the fruity flavors, the beer isn't too versatile to pair. Since the beer is light and refreshing, it would go best with a light and refreshing salad. If dessert is more your speed, then enjoy it with chocolate covered strawberries. It would be great at a barbecue, if you are grilling up some veggies. Honestly, though, it can be enjoyed by itself.

What can I say? Strawberry Wheat is like summer in a bottle.

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