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| Les Trois Mousquetaires Blanche. Photo: Les Trois Mousquetaires. |
With much of the country smothered by a hot, damp quilt of humidity, drinkers need a brew suited for combating the unrepentant sun. While mowing-the-lawn beers like the Brothers Light (Bud and Coors, that is) may slake thirst, they're like fizzy tap water. A finer alternative is the flavorful German Hefeweizen.
Classically, the cloudy, unfiltered ale (examples include Jolly Pumpkin's sour Weizen Bam and the classic Schneider Weisse) possesses heaps of wheat, creating a lively beverage with a banana aroma and tangy edge.
"When I'm looking for the perfect thirst-quencher, I want a beer with a light body without being watery," says Jonathan Lafortune, the president and brewmaster behind Quebec's Les Trois Mousquetaires."[I like a] beer with a slight acidity that gives me a refreshing sensation and a little bit of spice."
That's Blanche to a tee.
Starting with Canadian malt and German wheat, Lafortune dumps in heaps of German hops and a dose of Weizen yeast. The result (a way quaffable 5 percent ABV) pours pale yellow and bubbly as seltzer, with a scent reminiscent of fresh-baked banana bread. Tastewise, the Blanche is light and zesty, with a twang of sour bitterness and carbonation as energetic as first-graders bouncing around a playground.
For your taste buds, it's as refreshing as a plunge in a swimming pool.
What Hefes are good when you're hot? Spill 'em in the comments.
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