Beer 36 of winter – pine fresh!

Brewer: Yards       Craft: Tavern Spruce       ABV: 5.0%

Time for another local spotlight.  Yards, which brews down in Philadelphia, has a series called Ales of the Revolution – three crafts which highlight traditional recipes from back in the days of liberty and freedom.  The Tavern Spruce is “crafted following Ben Franklin’s original recipe”, as it says on the label.  If you’ve read my Why Craft Beer? page on my blog, then you know that Ben holds a special place in my heart.  And hearing that there was a craft beer modeled on his recipe was music to my ears.

The Tavern Spruce has aromas of malt, pine, and bread.  And when I lift my mug to drink I’m transported back to the birth of our country.  A time when the simple life was much simpler than it is now.  A time when Ben was working with the basics of brewing.  And then having the wisdom and creativity to use molasses, spruce tips, and sprigs to give this craft a sweetness and a piney, resiny character just makes me like Ben all the more.

I’m glad Yards took a chance with this series.  There are two other Ales of the Revolution that you should give a try as well.  They are equally good and creatively brewed.  Sometimes it takes going back to basics to bring things up to a higher level.  Yards has succeeded in doing just that with this series.  I hope you can find this series near you.  Ask your local craft beer store if they can get it.  You don’t know unless you ask!

And if you haven’t noticed yet, I really do think that beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy.  Of course, everything in moderation.  Enjoy the blessings – don’t waste them!  Cheers!