WILK Friday BeerBuzz–3 Aug 2012–Wild Onion Brewing Hop Slayer DIPA

Last week I started an impromptu series of summer beach beers.  We talked about important factors….cans for safety, easy drinking, refreshing and enjoyable by everyone in your beach-posse….and full of flavor.  I took a traditional route last week recommending an American Blonde Ale from Blue Point called Summer Ale.

While that beer answered the question, “What beer should you take to the beach?”  This week I decided to choose a less-traditional summer beach beer and perhaps answer the question, “What beer do I take to the beach?”

I’m a little less traditional with beach beers, and I prefer to leave belly-space free for candy, popsicles an donuts.  With that in mind I decided to choose a beer that’s a big stronger…BUT…no less “beachable.”

Todays beach beer comes from a brewery people are still becoming familiar with.  Known well in the Chicagoland area, Wild Onion Brewing Co is still finding it’s way into the vocabulary of craft beer lovers.  But don’t be fooled by any of that….Wild Onion beers are full of of flavor and they have built their reputation on drinkability and freshness.

Wild Onion Brewery and Onion Pub sit on a restored gravel quarry & private lake.  The building is also know for their timber-frame construction that uses timbers that pre-date the American Revolution.  Not only is it a beautiful structure it’s also available for banquets & weddings….thinking of a beer destination wedding…check out Lake Barrington, IN.

Today I chose Wild Onion Hop Slayer.  This beer is packaged in 12oz cans and it uses the cool can-top-protecting caps & carrier.  Hop Slayer is a Double IPA and at 8.2% ABV, this is one you want to be careful with on the beach.   Be sure to keep it cold and re-apply your sunscreen while you enjoy it…drink it too fast and this one will burn you.  Hop Slayer is well balanced for it’s 100IBU and as the website says, it has a body so big you can almost chew on it.  Whether at home or on the beach, be sure to chew on this one for yourself.  Get to know Wild Onion Brewing Co…..you won’t be sorry you did.

Thank you to

Nancy, John & Joe for yet another fun Friday.

The Friday BeerBuzz…bringing good beers and good people together.

As always you can check out the video on-line at the WILK Friday BeerBuzz page by clicking HERE.