Back in college I had this roommate who ordered his burgers denuded of everything but patty and bun. Ask him why, and he would respond with a question of his own: “How can you trust someone who relies on toppings to make a good burger?” A solid point - and one that lives on in my memory as reminder to always make sure and get the basics right first.

For that reason, one of my favorite things to do when exploring a brewery is to start with the most simple style of beer they make and go from there. And for this purpose, I often settle on a light lager. Popularized with the rise of light beer in the mid to late 20th century (oh jeez that’s how we’re referring to it now), this style is now the most commonly drunk beer in the United States. The knock on light lager has always been that it lacks flavor, but with the cultural shift towards drinking less alcohol, craft breweries are reviving the style and putting their own spin on it. Light and crushable with enough personality to  let people know they aren’t just drinking water, light lagers are ideal for when you just need something refreshing. 

While Knotted Root Brewing is known for its hoppy ales and funky sours, some of which we featured in this very club 2 years ago now, I am spotlighting their American Lagers this month. Are KR just relying on the extra ingredients in the sours/hoppy ales to make good beer?* We’ll find out, because I have also included their ‘Thick Strawberry Lemonade Goo Berliner Weisse’ and a hoppy ale, so we can compare the simpler style with the stuff they are known for. This hoppy ale is also a first for this club, as it is non-alcoholic. Whether you’re participating in Dry January, abstaining while Expecting, planning on driving or just curious, the craft side of non-alcoholic beer is expanding and improving all the time and definitely worth an occasional taste. 

Here’s to a New Year with New Beers

Daniel

Beer Buyer

*(Spoiler Alert: they aren’t. Everything here is very good.)