Easy-sipping brews perfect for late-summer days

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 24/08/2024 (747 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A quick dispatch this week, as I’m off on a quick trek to the Twin Cities for a late summer vacay, with the hopes of maybe trying some new/new-to-me Minnesota brews and some good eats at the Minnesota State Fair.

So here are six new local and easy-drinking brews — two lagers, a pair of pilsners and a couple of wheat beers — for your sipping consideration on warm, late-summer days and/or the glorious, looming Labour Day weekend…

Oh, and speaking of said long weekend, there will be no Uncorked next weekend — we’ll be back Sept. 7.

Bookstore Brewing Co. Timeless Light Lager (Winnipeg — $3.95/473ml can, Oxus, beer vendors, Liquor Marts)

Made as a fundraising brew for the CJNU 93.7 FM radio station, this lager’s medium gold in colour and slightly hazy, with fresh malt, cracked oat and subtle herbal and citrus notes aromatically. It’s mainly dry, light-plus-bodied and with a subtle creaminess on the palate, which accentuates the grainier, doughier flavours while a herbal (but not bitter) component lingers in the background. Four per cent alcohol, with 93.7 cents from every can going to CJNU. Brewed at Oxus. 3/5

One Great City Local Lager (Winnipeg — $2.75/355ml can, brewery, beer vendors, Liquor Marts)

One Great City’s new light lager, released in the slimmer 355ml cans, is deep gold and clear in appearance, bringing friendly malt and toasted oat notes and the slightest hint of caramel. On the light-plus-bodied palate, the effervescence isn’t excessively sharp, leaving the grain and caramel notes front and centre before the short finish (it’s 3.5 per cent alcohol). 3/5

Black Wheat Brewing Co. Pink Boots Pilsner (Brandon — $3.95/473ml can, brewery, beer vendors, Liquor Marts)

Medium-straw in colour and slightly hazy, this pilsner is brewed with Pink Boots malt, used by both brewers and distillers; they also spearhead a scholarship fund for women and non-binary people in the fermentation industry. Aromatically, it brings nice grassy and herbal notes, along with slightly chalky and earthy notes that show well. It’s dry, crisp and refreshing, with bright, grassy and fresh malt notes showing well before a hint of grapefruit on the lean, clean finish (it’s 4.5 per cent). Nicely done. 3.5/5

Barn Hammer Brewing Co. Chill Pilsner (Winnipeg — $4.00/473ml can, brewery, beer vendors, Liquor Marts)

Medium gold in colour and clear, Barn Hammer’s pilsner brings compelling earthy, spice and biscuit aromas along with the robust malt and secondary citrus notes. On the light-plus-bodied palate, it’s weightier than the Pink Boots, with malty, biscuit notes showing particularly well alongside that hint of spice, while the slightly gutsier 5.1 per cent alcohol provides nice length, with a subtly bitter note emerging. 4/5

Sookram’s Brewing Co. Horizon Wheat (Winnipeg — $3.99/473ml can, brewery, beer vendors, Liquor Marts)

Pale gold in colour and hazy, this American-style wheat beer delivers fresh malt and citrus aromas as well as subtle floral and peppery notes. It’s dry and light-plus bodied, with the wheat flavours front and centre backed by secondary chalky and citrus rind notes and just a hint of spice. The Horizon’s five per cent alcohol and delivers a more crisp, refreshing style than, say, a hefeweizen — tasty. 3.5/5

Fort Garry Brewing Co. 1994 Hefeweizen (Winnipeg — $4.49/473ml can, brewery, beer vendors, Liquor Marts)

Medium copper in colour and hazy, this hefeweizen was brewed in celebration of Fort Garry’s 30th anniversary of re-entering the Manitoba beer market. Aromatically, it brings big clove, banana candy and wheat notes, with underlying hints of spice, which ring true to style. It’s medium-bodied and off-dry, with those wheat, banana candy and spice notes showing well, plus zippy effervescence, modest bitterness and, at five per cent alcohol, a medium-length finish. Thumbs-up. 4/5

uncorked@mts.net

@bensigurdson