Summertime, and the livin' aint' easy. . .

. . . unless you have a great "session" beer (see post of 7/27/11) cold, handy, and yes, served in the proper glassware!  

After my less than stellar review of the Samson, I figured I would post a few thoughts and reviews of some lagers/pils I feel are pretty damn good summer (and for that matter, anytime) drinking.  I wouldn't be caught dead without a sixer of one of these in the fridge.

The Polestar Pilsner is one of the first craft brews I tried, and while I have refined and expanded my palate since that time, this beer still holds a special place in my hop-soaked heart.  I know Left Hand aren't necessarily considered craft beer all-stars, but its hard to beat the Sawtooth Ale as a great session beer, the Milk Stout for a creamy stout experience, or the Fade To Black 2 for some smokey goodness.   . . . For some reason I'm digging the old Polestar label more than the abstract new one. 

The Boulevard Pils hasn't been around for as long as some of the more established session beers from other breweries, but it's an excellent example of the style, and is very reasonably priced.

The Boulevard Pils pours a yellow-orange with a small white head which wisps away quickly. Aroma is subtle with some floral hop notes, grass, and distant sweet and grainy malts. Fairly crisp with some dryer edges going down and a good mix of sweet malts and bitterness overall. Mouth-feel rounds itself off after a bit, but remains highly drinkable and fairly tasty.

The Marhsal Old Pavillion is brewed right here in Oklahoma, and should make every Okie beer lover proud.  Here's a review I wrote a while back:  This mofo had big residual chunks of lacing all over after it settled in an unhurried manner. Color was pale gold. Lots of excitable fizz clambered to the top throughout the session. The usual suspects were at the nose; grass, some lemon, a bit of caramel and faint hops. Sucker went down easy, but didn't fail to keep the palate interested with a good partnership between its satisfying sweetness and a long-lasting bitterness. Had a damn fine creamy intro with a semi-dry finish that made me want to go mow the lawn, even though I lived in an apartment at the time. This beer will treat you right, and that's basically what it's all about. Sometimes the stars align and beer just fits the moment perfectly. No one night stand here baby.

If you're ever down Austin way don't forget the Live Oak Pils, an outstanding, albeit somewhat hop-centric example of the style.  Live Oak pretty much does no wrong, so I highly recommend seeking out as many of their beers as possible, and even filling a growler or two for your trip home. Here's my review from back in 2008 while dining at Opal Devines:  Pours almost pure gold with a pure white head. Had a very thick lacing which stayed throughout the life of the drink. Tasted of big hops and spice with a perfect unmistakable pils crispness. Was really surprised at the hop bite on this one. Behind all of that there was some grain, yeast, spice and grass. The lacing was thick throughout. There was a quick burst of bubbles on a shake, displaying the high carbonation of the beer. Excellent and tasty pils, and like no other I've had before.

Finally, we can't forget the Full Sail LTD Series 02 Helles Bock, which I don't see around much when it's in rotation, but I don't think is retired yet.  This is another one of my favorite early craft brews which I would recommend to anybody, anytime, without hesitation.

Pale amber-orange with a one and a half finger tan head that recedes fairly quickly. Smells of deep sweet and bready malts, well beyond what you would expect from an "American" lager. Caramel and candy aromas are also mixed in. Taste involves a certain biscuity essence which is offset by some creamy banana and then some subtle hops which even things out. This beer resides somewhere between summer and autumn, and heaven and hell, depending on your preference.

Ok, that's all for now folks.  Loading up the ice chest with some good beers and getting ready to spend some time at the pool this weekend.

Cheers!