Selecting the perfect Craft Beer for any occasion
At Earth Rider Brewery, we are in constant pursuit of an evermore pleasing beer. An amazing and ancient beverage, Beer is brewed in a vast variety of styles. Each style can reveal unique flavors, colors, and levels of alcohol.
Beer styles have been in evolution for thousands of years. Traditional European invented and cutting-edge American styles are notorious for pushing the boundaries of what beer is. Each occasion may call for a varying style of beer to elevate your imbibing moment.
Photo by Alex Repensky
Probably the most important question to answer about what beer is best now, is what’s the occasion?
Are you looking for a post ski workout refresher, a beer to enjoy at dinner with friends, or a beer to imbibe at a sporting or music event. The occasion will likely guide the first decision point of selecting the desired level of alcohol (ABV). A higher ABV beer may be most appropriate for sitting next to the fire as you read. A lower ABV beer can be perfect during times when you want to enjoy multiple beers and still function at your best.
The next question you’ll need to answer is what flavors do you prefer?
Beer’s wonderous flavors are derived from the brewer’s process of combining malt, yeast, and hops. Hop flavors can vary from bitter to berry, stone fruit to citrus, and beyond. New varieties of hops are continuously being developed for brewers to continually create new and exciting beers. Malt flavor is affected by where it’s grown, the variety of the grain, and how the grain is malted and roasted. Light beers use a more lightly kilned malt, while dark beers such as stout or porter are made with a higher percentage of dark toasted malt. The latter can taste and smell like dark chocolate and coffee. Some beer styles even use malt that has been smoked to render a beverage that tastes much like the campfire you’re sitting next to. Esters formed by differing yeast varieties may offer fruity notes reminiscent of pears, bananas, bubblegum, anise, or even rose petals.
Earth Rider brews more than two dozen divergent beer styles each year. The list includes everything from the crisp and refreshing Tap Shack Caribbean-style lager, Caribou Lake, a West Coast style IPA, the highly drinkable Superior Pale Ale, wild fermented ales, and a Russian Imperial Stout with raspberries and aged in a whiskey barrel.
A great way to try a variety of beer styles from a brewery is to pick up a variety pack. Earth Rider’s Flagship variety Mix 12 Pack includes four diverse styles that will please any party host. We also produce Mix Packs with seasonal brews perfect for the summer months as well as a Mix 12 pack for your winter coolers. Check out Earth Rider’s currently available styles here https://earthrider.beer/brewery
Selecting a variety of craft beers can add some fun to your beer fridge. With so many high quality craft beers available at your local retailer, there’s never been a better time to be a beer consumer. Cheers and Enjoy!
Coming up at the earth rider cedar lounge
Friday, December 29th – The Caskmates
Saturday, December 30th – End of Year Party with Grand Holler and opener Blu Volta
Friday, January 5th – First Pour Friday for Spirit Mountain Hazy Double IPA
Saturday, January 6th – Brothers Burn Mountain
Friday, January 12th – First Pour Friday for Haakon Honey Bock
Saturday, January 20th – Fuzz Lung & the G’narwals
Thursday, February 8th – Pert Near Sandstone
You can check out all of our upcoming events (we’ve got goodness scheduled through winter already!) on our website EARTHRIDER.BEER