The Swill: Blue Star Wheat Beer
The Still: North Coast Brewing Company
Fort Bragg, California
http://www.northcoastbrewing.com
The Drill: American Wheat Beer, 12oz bottle, 4.5% ABV
The Spill: The wheat beer has undergone the opposite transformation in coming to the United States as most European styles: instead of being made bigger and bolder, it's become meeker and milder. Most fruity beers (actual beers with fruit flavors added) start out with an American wheat beer base because it's easy for the fruit flavors to take over. Blue Star is one big exception. Stronger than some wimpy pale ales, there is a definite bite at the end of this one. Then again, North Coast doesn't like to do anything wimpy, even beers that are supposed to be that way.
Says Bill: I picked this one up to bring to another no-air-conditioning party at Frank's. I was looking for something to chug, and what I got was something a lot more. One of those rare instances where I was disappointed by getting more than I bargained for.
Refill?: This is not a beer you want to take for granted like so many other wheat beers. You probably don't want to add blueberries to it, either: 2 taps out of 5.