Regina Heffington
Feel that? It’s the feeling of spring. Forget the fact we had some bone-chilling weather in late March–it’s time to look forward to springtime beers! This is an exciting season for craft beer lovers. It’s much like legendary Hall of Fame baseball player, Rogers Hornsby, said, “People ask me what I do in winter when there’s no baseball. I’ll tell you what I do. I stare out the window and wait for spring”.
Saisons, sours and lambics are traditionally featured during the spring and are the source for a lot of excitement. The anticipation of warmer months and these styles of beer is finally realized during April. For those of you unfamiliar with these styles of beer, I offer the following general descriptions:
Saisons – Saisons were brewed to have a dry flavor profile, and hops and spices are usually added for their bacteriostatic properties. What defines these beers as a style are an extremely high attenuation and a highly carbonated, fruity and/or spicy flavor profile due to the unique yeast strain.
Sour Beers – Sour beer is a beer style characterized by an intentionally acidic, tart, sour taste. Unlike traditional brewing, which is done in a sterile environment to guard against the intrusion of wild yeast, sour beers are made by allowing wild yeast strains or bacteria into the brew.
Lambic Beers – Lambic is a type of beer brewed traditionally in Belgium. Unlike conventional ales and lagers, which are fermented by carefully cultivated strains of brewer’s yeasts, lambic beer is produced by spontaneous fermentation. It is this unusual process which gives the beer its distinctive dry, vinous, and cidery flavory, usually with a sour aftertaste.
This month, spring into action–visit one of Jacksonville’s many craft beer purveyors, and start enjoying the warmer weather by ordering these delicious beer styles.
Other Brew News:
One Spark
The World’s Crowdfunding Festival (also known as One Spark) will be held in downtown Jacksonville April 9-13. Jacksonville’s Intuition Ale Works is the official beer for this event! According to their Press Release:
We’re excited to announce that Intuition Ale Works will be brewing two limited release beers just for One Spark 2014! Demand for the One Spark Kölsch was extremely high during One Spark 2013, so we’ve added a second brew for One Spark 2014! Demand was so high, in fact, that we ran out of the One Spark Kölsch on Day 4 of the festival. With two great brews and increased production this year, we made sure that isn’t likely to happen again!
The One Spark Kölsch is a smooth, German-style ale with mild hops and a crisp finish inspired by kölsch beers of Cologne, Germany. If you tried it at One Spark 2013, you know that it is deliciously light and refreshing.
One Spark Alt is the new beer for One Spark 2014. It’s an amber malty brew that finishes with a nice, smooth taste. Alt was inspired by the Altbiers brewed in Dusseldorf, Germany.
Whether you prefer a hoppy or malty beer flavor, you’ll find what you’re looking for between these two flavorful brews. Both beers will be unveiled at a release party at Intuition Ale Works on Wednesday, April 2, 2014. You can RSVP or get more information about the One Spark Brews Release Party by visiting the Facebook invite.
“As a Jacksonville native and small business owner, I know that supporting our downtown core with events like these and contributing to the spirit of innovation will be vital to our city in years to come”, says Intuition Founder and Brewer Ben Davis about the inspiration behind the brews for One Spark 2014. You’ll find One Spark Kölsch and One Spark Alt on draft at the One Spark 2014 Food Village presented by San Marco Dining District, the One Spark Beer Village presented by Sea Best and beer kiosks around the festival April 9 – 13. Don’t miss out on trying both of these mouthwatering brews!
Jax Beer Week
The third annual Jax Beer Week takes place May 25 – 31 2014. It is an annual gathering of local breweries and better beer businesses to celebrate the growth of craft beer in Jacksonville. A number of events are planned throughout the week that focus on beer brewed right here in Jacksonville and by other craft brewers in Florida.
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