627. Brewery 33 (Logan, OH) - CCC Coconut Cream Ale

“Smooth cream ale with coconut flavors.”

Tried this in the taproom a couple of days ago, and it was the best first sip of a beer I have had in a long time. There was light coconut flavor up front, and then the back end filled in with the almost-vanilla smoothness of a fine cream ale. The second one in the taproom the next day wasn’t as good as the first, but became more interesting as it warmed. The two out of the crowler (one last night at the cabin and one today after we got home and the bottle had bounced around in the car for four hours), also were not as good as the first—but contained echoes of that excellence. This place has come a long way since the first time we visited, four years ago while the world was still shitting the bed. That time, there wasn’t anything for Amy to drink, so I only had one beer and got some cans to go. This time, Amy tried a flight of mead and really enjoyed it. Just be sure to plan your visit for when it’s nice enough to sit outside, because the inside space is small and the bartenders can be surly.

626. Short’s Brewing Company (Elk Rapids, MI) - Pure Michigan® Fall IPA

“When fall arrives the air changes. You can smell it before you see the leaves start to change. And by the time the rolling glacial hills of our backyard finally explode with color so splendiferous you can see it from space, the harvest of the hops and malts we use in our Products of Passion is well underway. It’s tough to pick a favorite season, but fall is pure magic in Pure Michigan®.”

Um. That’s from the can; what they have on the website is only marginally better. Strong flavor of pine, especially as it warms. There’s also something soft and fruity that I can’t quite pin down. I’m going to go with stone fruit and maybe a tiny sliver of lemon zest. Another excellent Short’s joint.

625. Lakefront Brewery (Milwaukee, WI) - Pumpkin Lager

“Real pumpkin and pie spice join Munich and caramel malts in our brewhouse, then lager for four weeks in our cellar, and come together with all the flavors of a lush pumpkin pie.”

And on the can it says, “Lager brewed with real pumpkin, cinnamon, allspice, ginger, nutmeg, cloves and mace.” I think I can taste the mace. (This is a bad joke, which means it has a good chance of being confirmed as the next Secretary of Defense.) The cinnamon leads the way and sort of buries everything else, but the general effect is solid; and all of that baking spice imparts an unusually dry finish for a lager. The 6.1% ABV is just icing on the cake. I haven’t made a list of the best pumpkin beers I’ve tried, but this would have to be top five.