I've been itching to get a taste of Great Lakes' newest brew and asked her to pick up some Lake Erie Monster if the store had it and to surprise me if not. Thus, I was presented with the result of the latter situation, a sixer of Ithaca Ground Break, an American-style saison.
The Enthusiast chose this beer because she recently enjoyed Ithaca's Apricot Wheat and knew that I tend to enjoy the saisons. I can't fault that logic.
Ground Break is a seasonal, available from February to April, and weighs in at 6 percent ABV. It pours a golden orange in color with a thick frothy head. This beer suffers from a trend I've noticed in American brewing where the hops consume the flavor. And as a "springy" seasonal, what little flavor that did pop through was overly sweet.
The overwhelming sensation was fizzy, hoppy and sugary -- not tart like I expect from a saison. If that's your thing, go for it. But it doesn't suit my palate.
To me, the hops weigh down the usual light and refreshing quality I prefer from this style of beer. I guess that's why it's an "American-style" saison. What, does that mean in name only?
Maybe I'll "cellar" the rest to see if it gets better with age.
At a Glance
- Who: Ground Break (Ithaca Beer Co.)
- What: 6 percent ABV, American-style saison, six-pack
- When: May 17, 2010
- Where: The Viper Lair
- Why: Trying new things is my thing
[Drunkard's note: The Booze Hounds Beer Rating scale (0-5 Hiccups) is based on a complex mathematical formula that would be impossible to explain to such a dunderheaded audience. Let's just say the higher the score, the more likely I am to drink it again. Natty Light would get a zero.]
5 comments:
stopping by the grocer and did I want any beer?
A more Booze Hounds-appropriate way to phrase this would be "What beer would you like today?"
Wanting beer is always a given.
Sláinte!
Too often, 'American style xxxx' is a euphanism for 'We can't make the style properly, so here's our take on it.'
Never hurts to try though!
2.4 hiccups? Ouch! You're tough.
1. Not a good day if you are a beer on the Viper and Jamoosh blogs.
2. The Enthusiast asked if you wanted any beer? That was a rhetorical question right?
3. Cellaring a beer will lower the hoppiness, so that might work out for you.
Alas, in Maryland we have this silly law which prevents grocery stores from selling beer or wine. Ridiculous. How I long to buy beer and wine while grocery shopping...
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