Beers for Veterans Day
ten thousand miles off in the future somewhere,
where the beer is so cold it sweats in your hand . . .
—Brian Turner, “R & R”
Raise your glasses to veterans near
And far-flung! Let us toast them with beers
That are martially honed
Or are veteran-owned.
Here are three tasty ales to revere.
1.
Hop Commander, a Captain’s delight,
Is an IPA flavored just right.
Neither hazy nor juicy,
This West Coast style brewski.
The Bravo hops brighten its bite.
2.
For a darker and mellower pour,
Try this Altbier: Scout Dog 44.
With its sweet malty smell,
It brings roasty as well.
Have it after a meal or before.
3.
Here’s a Tactical ale we should tout:
The Aztec Death Whistle, a stout
That will flout expectations
With spicy sensations
Of cinnamon, peppers throughout.
Tasting Notes:
Hop Commander IPA. Captain Lawrence Brewing Co., Elmsford, NY. 6.5% ABV.
Pours a translucent topaz with a finely bubbled white head and piney aroma. The West Coast hop profile tingles your fore tongue before rising to your upper palate. Its mix of Bravo, Centennial and Citra hops brings some citrusy notes to this ale’s crisp, dry finish. Refreshingly bitter, this robust IPA is not a hop bomb. The namesake of Captain Lawrence Brewing Company is its founder’s home street, named for a captain in the American Revolutionary War.
Scout Dog 44 Amber Ale. Veterans United Craft Brewery, Jacksonville ,FL. 5.4% ABV.
Pours a near-mahogany brown with a creamy beige head and pleasantly malty aroma. This well carbonated beer tilts toward the sweet side of brown ales without neglecting the roasty side of malty; there’s a hint of hops in the finish. While its light, smooth mouthfeel may tempt you to quaff, I’d savor the flavor instead. Veteran-owned, the Veterans United Craft Brewery was founded by a former Naval flight officer. Scout Dog 44 honors the 44th Scout Dog Infantry Platoon and its member who initiated the Military Working Dog Teams National Monument.
Aztec Death Whistle Imperial White Stout. Tactical Brewing Co., Orlando, FL. 8% ABV.
A mixologist walked into a brewery. Or that’s what you’ll think when you pour out this copper-colored concoction with a thick, creamy head. You’ll notice some coffee and lactose in the aroma, and these notes hit your tongue first along with white chocolate. As you continue to drink this outlier stout, the habanero peppers and cinnamon kick in to boost the rich flavor with some lip-prickling heat. Founded by veterans, Tactical Brewing Co. aims to make “Strategically Chaotic Beer.”
Marsha Bryant writes about literature, culture, and craft beer. Her recent essays appear in The Poetry of Bob Dylan, Creativity in the Classroom, and The Bloomsbury Handbook to Sylvia Plath. Marsha taught for many years at the University of Florida. Her Untappd handle is LimerickLady.
