Beer on the beach? So crazy it just might work... 

Your favorite person in the world (that's me) has returned from a week-long exile at one of the nation's largest gatherings of geek-hood, held this year in Orlando. While I won't go into details about my time down there (to spare you from boredom... not because anything "What happens in Vegas"-like occurred down there), I did happen to notice a strange phenomenon...

It was H-O-T!

And looking at the Weather Channel's website, I noticed it wasn't only in the South. Seeing that Baltimore and Orlando each fired up to 99 degrees on the same day was enough for me to (briefly) think myself lucky for being stuck in the air-conditioned expanse of the Orange County Convention Center for 12 hours a day. This combination of over-working and ridiculous heat got me to thinking... or rather to drinking... about good summer beers. So in those rare moments I wasn't working, or attending work-related events, I managed to sample the occasional Blue Moon or Leinenkugel's Sunset Wheat. These are two of many lighter, crisper beverages that help slake the estival thirst. What my parents would refer to... back on those steamy New Orleans Saturdays, standing in front of the family homebrew supply store, brewing up a hoppy golden lager for the customers... as a "lawnmower beer", i.e. a beer you'd enjoy drinking to cool off after (or while) mowing the lawn on a sunny day, in case you didn't make that connection.

But I was thirsting, quite literally, for something more. Something different. So when Men's Style Examiner, Stile E. Coyote, approached several fellow Examiners about posting a list of the finest summer brews, I was intrigued. His choices definitely make for a tasty collection of refreshing beers. And with his mouthwatering descriptions and the running commentary from National Beer Examiner and homebrewing celebrity Charlie Papazian, you can definitely get an idea of what you're drinking ahead of time. In response, I have concocted this selection of some of my personal faves. Feel free to rant and rave about those you hate, or complain loudly that your favorite was omitted. But if you haven't tried any of these, make an effort to do so... you may just be pleasantly surprised, and refreshed. Here we go...

The Drunken Intellectual's Summer Beer Recommendations

Heavy Seas Loose Cannon: A local favorite, made by the guys at Clipper City here in Baltimore, this is a great hoppy brew with a big, crisp, citrusy taste that really cools you off without boring the palate. Great in the bottle, but if you can find it on tap... never leave that bar.

Hoegaarden: This is a typical thirst-quenching witbier in the Belgian style, made by some good folks in Belgium, no less. Not as hoppy as it could be, but definitely a light, refreshing beer.  A great "first beer", for coming out of the sun, that won't overpower the senses as you gulp it down.

Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA: This is one of an outstanding line of IPA's from the Dogfish Head brewery in nearby Delaware. I find there are hops-a-plenty in this one, but you hop-heads give the 90 Minute and 120 Minute (and the harder to find 75 Minute) IPA's a shot. Dangerous.

Blue Moon: Not my absolute favorite, but it's always a good summer default. Brewed (surreptitiously) by Coors, it is easy to find, even at the least craft-beer-friendly bars. Use a slice of orange to enhance the orange flavor (and color) that pervades this light wheat brew.

Saison de Brooklyn: Definitely my favorite of the many quality brews offered by the Brooklyn Brewery. Has that honey-banana-clove thing going on that many Belgian-style brews tend to overdo, but this one gets just right... Hard to find these days, so if you get your hands on some, let me know!

Abita Amber: I wouldn't be a good New Orleans boy if I didn't include an Abita on my list. That said, others may question my choice of a Märzen-style brew for the summer, instead preferring the Purple Haze, but this one is good anytime. And unlike my favorite winter Abita, Turbodog, it has a light mouthfeel (for the style) that belies its caramel coloring. Always have a few in my fridge.

Otter Creek ESB: I'm always up for a good pint of English bitters, even if it comes from Vermont. And I especially love them on tap in the summer months. Bottles are fine, but the flavor really seems to come out in the pour with a tall, fat glass. Some nice hops and a balanced bitterness makes this one Extra Special. (Sorry!)

Tröegs Hopback Amber Ale: This is another darker choice, but still with a clean, crisp texture and a nice hoppy bite at the finish. Definitely a smooth-drinking brew perfect for those with an aversion to the lighter beers. Whatever your preference, Tröegs just always seems to get it right...

Brewer's Art Ozzy Ale: So this is definitely a shout out to my Baltimore peeps. Not sure if this is available anywhere other than on tap at the Brewer's Art pub, but it's definitely a more summer-friendly brew than the more popular and widely available, yet still ridiculously good, Resurrection. With a smooth, dry feel, this beautiful golden beer goes down a bit too easily... although the Belgian Strong Ale characteristics (namely, the 7.25% abv) advise one to drink slowly.

Magic Hat Odd Notion: A well-known brewery, but not a very well-known beer, sadly. Discovered on tap at one of my favorite bars (JD's Smokehouse), it quickly became my pre- (and post-) softball favorite. As I do prefer a little darker beer at times, this reddish-brown ale is no surprise, but it definitely lives up to the name, not really fitting perfectly into any one category. It may be a little sweet for some, but the hoppiness balances it well in my mind... and more importantly, my mouth.

So thats where I'll draw the line for now.  There are surely more "traditional" summer ales, like the Sam Adams or Sierra Nevada offerings, that aren't on this list, but I like a little variety in my drinking, no matter the season. I can even pull off a Guinness every now and then on a cool-ish summer evening. But no matter if I'm drinking in a breezy palapa bar on the coast of Mexico or at a resort on the beach in 95 degree weather, I'll still be staying away from the Corona...

Thank you very much!

Mark Burlet
Drunken Intellectual

Boys and girls, I've never been good at favorites.  Ask me my favorite song, and I'll list a dozen different artists, each with a dozen songs that can fit the bill, depending on my mood and whichever one I heard most recently.  I refuse to choose a favorite movie, but I can list a Top 10, which will probably change slightly every time I do so.  However, if you ask my favorite food... well, I'll still be indecisive and start talking about the numerous New Orleans dishes I can't wait to consume again.  BUT... if we're talking about a favorite food EVENT, I will state quickly and definitively... THE CRAWFISH BOIL.

See... for those of you who may have never experienced a true, Louisiana-style crawfish boil, there really is no greater, more social gathering in the name of over-consumption in the land of Cajun food.  Here in Maryland, you have the crab feast, which is a similar entity, but the festivities just don't seem to have that New Orleans flavor.  The basic principle is the same, though... bring a bunch of people together outside, in front of tables covered with newspaper, to drink beer, eat crustaceans and generally have a damned good time.  So when a couple of my fellow New Orleans expatriate friends announced they were hosting a crawfish boil, I was ecstatic.  Their plan... go to Jazz Fest, return Wednesday afternoon with over 80 pounds of live crawfish in their checked luggage, and bring them home to make sweet, Cajun magic happen in the middle of Baltimore City.  I was all in.

Of course, no good crawfish boil can become a GREAT crawfish boil unless you have the right beer.  In my opinion, with apologies to Highlander, there can be only one.  Or rather, one brewer... Abita.  With a variety of crawfish-friendly products, this growing brewery located 30 miles north of New Orleans, right across Lake Pontchartrain, provides the perfect beer for each and every attendee at your crawfish boil.  We certainly had a healthy variety at our little Baltimore boil Wednesday night.  Let's go through the options, shall we?

Amber - This is the flagship brew of the Abita family.  A nice, caramel flavor and a crowd-pleasing, lightly-hopped finish make this beverage the most popular and widely distributed member of the bunch.  If you're not sure about new beers, give this one a shot... you'll be pleased.

Turbodog - Oh yeah, baby!  If it weren't for the fact that the taste backs up the ballsy-ness of the name, I might make fun of it.  However, this happens to be my personal favorite.  A dark brown ale with a smooth feel and a surprisingly canine BITE in the finish, this one was actually voted best beer made in America in 2005 by Stuff Magazine.  It's not for everyone, but in my mind... it's just that good.

Purple Haze - This is probably the most popular Abita with the ladies.  Don't come whining to me that guys like it too... there's always a few in the bunch... but a raspberry wheat beer is just not my thing.  That having been said, Purple Haze is an exceptional example of the style.  Light and refreshing with a fruity finish, it's a great choice for the summer, if you're not me.

Golden - And here we have the lightest, summeriest of the Abita brews.  The golden hued beverage, with its crisp, clean flavor and cooling properties, makes one believe, if only for a moment, that there exists a magical world in which light American lagers actually taste delicious.  But we all know the truth, don't we?

Wow, Mark!  Reading this has made me thirsty for some Abita beer.  But where am I to find such a thing so far from the mythical land of Louisiana, where alligators dance with leprechauns and giant, edible King Cakes present themselves at your door?  Well, friend, here are a few places in the Baltimore area where I have found the blessed nectar you seek:

• Chesapeake Wine Company - 2400 Boston St. in Canton
• Loading Dock Discount Liquors - 2101 Fleet St. at Boston
• Well's Discount Liquors - 6310 York Rd. near Towson
• Max's on Broadway - 735 S. Broadway in Fells Point
• Mahaffey's Pub - 2706 Dillon St. in Canton

Now I'm sure there are other places to find Abita in the area, but I can't name them all off the top of my head.  So if you know a place where it can be found, feel free to let us all know in a comment.  I, for one, would love to know... even if there are no additional crawfish boils in my near future.  Until then, I'll have to drink them solo.  Meaning one at a time.  Usually.

So as I bow out, this early Friday morning, I want to thank my gracious hosts, John and Danielle, and everyone at the 1st Annual Jazz Fest Boil for putting crawfish in my mouth, an Abita in my hand and that big goofy smile on my face.

 That's me, on the right.

Mark Burlet
Drunken Intellectual