Hello, Salty Goodness!

Sour beers...you love 'em or hate 'em. There does not seem to be any middle ground. I love them on a hot summer day.  Now melon brewed beers... again love 'em or leave 'em. I’m a leaving type.

By accident about a month ago I had an Anderson Valley Briney Melon Gose. I asked for a gose at a local BBQ joint not realizing I would get a melon one. Right off you could taste the watermelon, but not in an offensive way. I find other melon flavored beers have a floral/soapy aftertaste to me. This one did not. It was very refreshing and the briney saltiness reminded me of a good margarita. After doing some digging, I was able to find it in a can at a local beverage mart. 

I had it again at home, and it was just as good as I remember. I think it would work well in a summer beer pairing menu. Match it up in an appetizer course with a hearty cracker and hummus or stinky cheese. Or pair it with a fish course of salmon, either grilled or roasted with fennel. 

Seeking beer's Holy Grail...

Found the holy grail. Bought the glass. Heady Topper floating in its signature tulip glass.

It's spoken of as "THE" craft beer from the northeast, and has developed it's own mythos:  they say you can only get it on days it is delivered to a local store in the Stowe, VT area... with long wait lines and purchase limits.  While this was once true when they only had a location in Waterbury, VT, but with the opening of the second brewing location in Stowe in 2016, it has become more readily available. On a recent trip (while staying at great dog-friendly cabins 20 min north, btw... www.muddymoosevt.com) I finally got to try it.

When poured in the brewery's own tulip glass if formed a beautiful head, and you can see its rich unfiltered goodness.  I know they say you can drink directly from the can...but I felt the glass gave the best experience. You can smell the citrus and pine notes as you tilt the glass to your nose.  It did not disappoint as I drank it down.  It has everything an IPA lover is looking for:  bitterness, malt and citrus flavors.  It does this without having the strong alcohol taste that some DIPAs have.  It has a nice smooth finish that makes you want to open another can.  

Here's the company's website so you can begin your own search- www.alchemistbeer.com.