Independence Drinking

It's been a solid week or so for the list.  Knocked off a few different brewskies at varying events over the past few days.  To recap:

Hell or High Watermelon Wheat (Rating = 2.5)
I like me some watermelon beers.  Boston Beer Works serves a lovely version with a slice of watermelon in the pint glass.  Nothing screams manly beer like a slice of fruit in your glass.  Dearest folks at 21st Amendment - your watermelon beer, whilst it has a nice name (and a nifty can), it is not a great beer.  Someone forgot to put in the watermelon flavor into your watermelon beer.  This is not the reason they repealed prohibition.  Call the good peeps at Boston Beer Works and try their recipe please.

Stonecutter (Rating = 4.0)

I think this might be the first New Zealand beer I've ever had.  This is the last in the initial batch that I received as a gift from my British friend Harvey.  We got to enjoy this by the pool with another close friend today. 

 This persnickety beer was a surprising delight.   A little bit of caramel with some chocolate, but still very drinkable.  Apparently, some American brewers utilizing malts from Australia, Germany and the UK with New Zealand hops can make a steady Scottish Ale.  Who knew?  Even the packaging was well done.   This is a good one. 

Estrella Damm Inedit (Rating = 4.0)
So, the fanciest of fancy pants chefs took 1 year to develop this beer.  Farran Adria, the chef at Spain's El Bulli were apparently challenged by someone to make a great beer.  The restaurant has been closed for a bit after being named one of the best restaurants in the world for a few years running.  They did a nice job, this is a pretty nice beer, in a cool champagne style bottle.  This was also a gift - but not sure it is worth the amount it probably sells for.  

Golden Draak (Rating = 4.0)
A pleasant surprise at my Uncle's annual July 4th party - he had a new beer from the list.  I got a chance to try the Draak, a pretty strong sucker.  It was tasty and refreshing - hard to describe, rich, but yummy.  Not sure I could have a full drinking session on this one (if I did, I'd be a relatively cheap date).  The Belgians do know how to make a good beer though.  It is hard for me not to think of the (relatively unknown) classic movie Enemy Mine with Dennis Quaid and Louis Gossett, Jr.  This movie might have been featured on HBO back in the day and I probably saw it a few dozen times.  It was a science fiction flick where Quaid is some sort of astronaut fighter pilot vs. LGJ, who is an alien - a Drac.  I thought it was Draak - but I it was actually a Drac.  If you haven't seen it, you should.  It is touching movie about overcoming your differences.    

For the record, he did also have London Pride at the party - I stand by my earlier post, a great drinking beer (which is likely the goal of many beers - people should drink it, right?).

Saison IV (Rating = 4.0)
After (ok, maybe as) the Belgian futbol team was beating the US in the World Cup, I decided to crack open this one.  A really nice refreshing, light and crisp Belgian selection, I enjoyed this while the US was unable to come back and beat them to advance.  US lose, but we all win for this delicious selection.  Worth a try.

Beers down: 27
Beers to go: 974

Here is the updated spreadsheet.