>by Paul Marko

Although we’ve had a decent spring in WNY, we certainly have been looking forward to summer arriving—especially after the long, notorious winter we’ve all endured. Well, the equinox has passed! It’s now time to officially push the stouts and porters to the back of the shelf and start enjoying beers that pair perfectly with the season. For many, these include lighter bodied beers, often wheat based, and sometimes lightly spiced or fruit enhanced. Pearl Street Brewing and its sister brewery, Pan-American, have released their respective takes on the summer quencher, both with a green tea twist. Pearl Street’s Green Tea Beer (4.5% ABV) and PanAm’s Green Tea Saison (5.5% ABV) were both brewed with whole leaf Tazo Zen tea. Green Tea has been described as the healthiest beverage on planet earth. I’m not sure if it transforms beer to the level of this lofty claim, but it’s certainly worth a try! The tea addition for both these brews is at near perfect subtlety, providing a quenchingly light, yet balanced flavor profile in each. The highly active saison, brewed with White labs saison yeast is particularly complex, with a nice clove finish that is augmented by a snappy Wakatu hop flavor addition. Green tea provides clean, fresh grass notes and these blend swimmingly in a craft saison. Shuffle off to (downtown) Buffalo, sit by lake and watch the world go by...with one of these cleanly crafted, Asian influenced beers in hand.

>by Chris Groves Certified Cicerone ®

If theres one beer I’ve had more of this year than any, it has to be Founders All Day IPA. It hits me in all the right places with its supreme crispness, wonderfully sharp citrus nose and medium body. It’s at almost every outdoor gathering I’ve been to and for good reason; It’s damn good. All Day, as a session ale, pulls out just enough malt character to give it body and flavor, while being balanced by just enough bitterness and aroma to let you know it’s in IPA flavor territory. At 4.7% ABV, you can keep a level head while your afternoon picnic paddle is underway. If price is any factor, it’s about the best deal going for such a quality pack. You get FIFTEEN rather than twelve for the price of a typical 3 beer bar tab. Lets talk about the packaging for a sec.: The Jeep Grand Wagoneer with the red canoe on the roof really does it for me...not just cause I have a red canoe but the fact that an early 80’s Wagoneer is an absolute dream vehicle. It’s a sexy combo. Leather AND Corduroy upholstery, V8 engine, 4 Wheel Drive, 5 speed manual transmission, power windows and AM/FM radio!?! It’s the perfect vehicle for hauling you, your friends and your gear to almost any destination, summer or winter. Just remember, you can’t drink all day unless you start in the morning.