On my most recent trip to England, I had two kinds of beer drinking experiences. In pubs, I was dedicated to tasting all the cask ales – uncarbonated, finished in barrels in the pub basement and served at room temperature – I could, and, back home at night, I’d try something brewed in the area, bought from a local store in a can.
Be they cask ales, lagers, golden ales, etc., they all had one thing in common most were at or under about 4 percent ABV, with a few going as high as about 5. Not one of them was found wanting in flavor or body.
Once I got back home, I was reminded that the ABV wars are still raging here and recently, a friendly neighborhood brewer referred to a new DIPA as an “easy drinking” 8 percent.
More than ever before I’ve found myself checking ABV on beers and as often as possible opting for the lowest or somewhere near the lowest possible, without sacrificing quality.
Thus, was I pleased to see that two new releases from Indeed Brewing in Minneapolis and Milwaukee are the refreshing and tangy Brightside Sea Salt and Lemon Lager, with a respectable (for a summer lager) 5.2% ABV, and Modern Age Session IPA, which has really earned its “session” label at just 3.8.
The latter is a hazy dream come true for someone looking to enjoy more than one or two beers on the patio without ending up napping face down on the lawn.
While I wish it had a tad weightier mouthfeel, that’s a tradeoff I’m willing to make for a sweet and fruity IPA that’s truly sessionable. For me, it’s the IPA counterpart to O’so’s malty 3.2 percent God Save the Queen mild English-style dark ale.
With Citra, Mosaic, Galaxy and Strata hops there’s plenty of flavor here – it’s got 40 IBUs – without the high gravity.
“It took us a few different batches of R&D to get this one right, but the final liquid is delicious,” says Indeed’s Director of Experience Ryan Bandy.
“I love the hop profile with the classic combo of Citra and Mosaic and then adding newer hops like Galaxy and Strata. The brewers found a way to have it drink closer to a 6 percent IPA, with a nice mouthfeel and a little bitterness. But, as an aging Millennial, we all appreciate the ability to have a few beers without needing to call the Uber or take a nap!”
Brightside Sea Salt and Lemon Lager is the result of a collab with Minneapolis’ ace Smack Shack seafood joint (which you can read about here) and although I haven’t tried it this way yet, I bet it’s the perfect accompaniment to a nice icy tray of freshly shucked oysters.
Apparently the base of the beer is Indeed’s honey lager, but then it gets laced with a bit of lemon and sea salt to give it a hint of tartness and a subtle briny note that will surely elevate the experience of those oysters.
“The ocean salt was an inspiration,” says Bandy, “how it stays with you in your hair, on your lips, on your skin. When we were doing R&D for Brightside, we were shocked at how good salt was in the lager. It makes sense in hindsight – salt acts as a magnifying glass, intensifying flavors.”
The brightness from the lemon hits and there’s a dry fade thanks to the sea salt.
I’m going to have to ask Maxie’s to stock this (or let me carry one in) so I can test out my oyster pairing theory. In the meantime, I’ll just enjoy it on my patio in the sunshine.
Both are available in six-pack 12-ounce cans and on tap in the two taprooms: Walker’s Point and Northeast’s Logan Park.
Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., where he lived until he was 17, Bobby received his BA-Mass Communications from UWM in 1989 and has lived in Walker's Point, Bay View, Enderis Park, South Milwaukee and on the East Side.
He has published three non-fiction books in Italy – including one about an event in Milwaukee history, which was published in the U.S. in autumn 2010. Four more books, all about Milwaukee, have been published by The History Press.
With his most recent band, The Yell Leaders, Bobby released four LPs and had a songs featured in episodes of TV's "Party of Five" and "Dawson's Creek," and films in Japan, South America and the U.S. The Yell Leaders were named the best unsigned band in their region by VH-1 as part of its Rock Across America 1998 Tour. Most recently, the band contributed tracks to a UK vinyl/CD tribute to the Redskins and collaborated on a track with Italian novelist Enrico Remmert.
He's produced three installments of the "OMCD" series of local music compilations for OnMilwaukee.com and in 2007 produced a CD of Italian music and poetry.
In 2005, he was awarded the City of Asti's (Italy) Journalism Prize for his work focusing on that area. He has also won awards from the Milwaukee Press Club.
He has be heard on 88Nine Radio Milwaukee talking about his "Urban Spelunking" series of stories, in that station's most popular podcast.
