Independence Day Beer!

[Shawn, the Beer Philosopher]

Today is my Friday! Such is the case for many hard-working beer lovers ... tomorrow is the 4th of July and we celebrate our nation's independence with a day off work!
I'll take it, I don't know about you!

Thinking about having a three day weekend and realizing that it will surely be hot and very likely a little rainy for the duration I am contemplating my beer choices for the festivities that will ensue ... soggy or not. The rain is not so much the factor; it's the heat. Oh, the heat. I'm every bit the beer geek that the next guy is (arguably more so), but 90 degree + weather does not put me in the mood for high gravity and/or heavy beers. I don't want the extra alcohol and I definitely don't want something that is going to weigh on the palate like a bowling ball.

Call me carzy.

So, I ask myself, "self? What beers do you plan to drink over the Independence Day holiday?" Here is my short list of beers I plan to drink, or will hope to drink assuming I can find them:

Anchor Liberty Ale (in honor of the occasion, of course)
O'Fallon Wheach
Brewery Ommegang Hennepin
New Belgium Mothership Wit
Unibroue Ephemere (probably the apple)

So, what am I missing? What are your choice Independence Day beers?

[Smitty]

I'd planned on a six pack of Chamberlain Pale Ale from Shipyard but the local purveyor was out of stock. We went with Cinder Cone Red from Deschutes. Paired with grilled chicken, beef kabobs and grilled salmon. (I poured a touch of the Cinder Cone on the salmon as it grilled. Nice.) They've stopped brewing Cinder Cone for the year so I've hoarded three six-packs away for later....think I can leave it alone until fall?

Hope everyone's Independence Day was glorious.

[Wilson]

Brats, hotdogs, fireworks, a bonfire and...

For Those About to Bock (homebrew)
Olde Main's Off KILT er Scottish Ale
Ceremony Dubbel (homebrew)
Duck-Rabbit's Rabid Duck RIS (my last bottle)

[Shawn, the Beer Philosopher]

'For Those About to Bock' .... classic. Great name!

My only attempt at a bock ... a bock infused with heather sprigs called 'Heather Bockbier,' of course.

[Chipper Dave]

What a 4th holiday it was! I got familiar with two different Quads. The latest was Ommegang's Three Philosophers. Wow - what a nice brew that was. Posted a review on the blog.

[Mike Koch]

Sorry so late, I was away for the 4th...but my beer for the festivities was...(drumroll)...Sam Adams Cherry Wheat. Easy on the palate for the aforementioned reasons, and, besides, didn't George Washington cut down a cherry tree?

[Smitty]

Nice tie-in with the whole cherry tree thing...who says beer drinkers aren't a thoughtful, creative bunch?

[Jinja]

I just visited St. Louis for the first time over July 4th weekend and really enjoyed the Shlafly's (which I still can't pronounce) APA. We visited The Tap Room July 3rd and picked up the IPA and some more of the APA. We also sampled O'Fallon's 5 Day IPA, some Arcadia and other Shlafly's in bottles after hitting "Friar Tuck's" the afternoon of the 4th. This afternoon before getting on the plane we went to Buffalo Brewing - a tiny brewpub near the university and had the Rye IPA which was better than I thought it would be.

It's amazing to me how "hoppy" in the West and "hoppy" in the Midwest are so different. The server at Buffalo Brewing made sure I knew what an IPA was before serving it to me, which I can understand in a city devoted to AB, but it was so mild compared to our regular afternoon beers!

Jinja Out