Summer Drinks: Grapefruit Beer

After a gin & tonic, my go-to summer drink as of late has been grapefruit and tequila. It’s tart and refreshing without being as fizzy as a tried and true paloma. But sometimes I want to drink a grapefruit libation throughout the evening and too much tequila usually = poor life choices (or just as likely, me asleep by 8pm).

Enter grapefruit beer. One of the ultimate thirst quenchers, beer and summer go together like peanut butter and jelly. (or is that beer and sports?) But I enjoy a bit of flavor to my brews, and the addition of grapefruit is seasonally perfect.

Here a few I’ve had a chance to try - any others you would recommend?

Schofferhofer Grapefruit My first foray into grapefruit brews also claim to be the first grapefruit beer on the market. Schofferhofer says their beer is a 50-50 split between heferweizen and carbonated grapefruit juice and it sure does taste a bit like a soft drink. The sweetest of the three, you can barely tell you’re drinking beer at all. And sometimes that’s exactly what I’m looking for. (available at Anderson’s)

Leinenkugel Grapefruit Shandy Leinenkugel’s beers can be so hit or miss for my palate, some of them are great and some of them are just plain terrible. But having spent a portion of my childhood in the badger state, I don’t mind supporting great products from Wisconsin, and I’m happy to report Grapefruit Shandy is one of them. Here Leinie’s starts with their famous Weiss beer and combines it with “white grapefruit flavor” and the result is definitely more beer-esque than the Schofferhofer. Served super cold on a hot summer day, its twice as refreshing with its grapefruit finish. (available at Kroger)

Ballast Point Grapefruit Sculpin This beer is a serious new find for me and its one I never would have picked for myself with out being forced to try it. You see, if there’s one type of beer that I’m usually guaranteed to refuse while out with friends, its an IPA. In general I hate how hoppy they are and I’d much rather enjoy a smooth dark brew. But there’s something about the grapefruit in this IPA that turns my IPA hate upside down. To be sure, this is a BEER. It’s not a hybrid like the two options above, it’s a 100% brewski - you can even tell just by looking at it (and at 7% alcohol, you'll start to feel it to). The grapefruit shines here though, its tart, it’s fresh, and perfect when you truly want a beer to finish off the day. (available at Trader Joes)

The A List: 11.6.15

A break in the craziness of opening a sports season = a new A list!  Here's a collection of things I'm loving this week.

Spectre

I was fortunate enough to see a sneak peek of the new bond movie last night (thanks Brad!) and for those who know me, trust me when I say it kept my attention THE WHOLE TIME. The movie is sexy, opulent, expensive, gritty and cool - and boy can Daniel Craig rock a suit. But the thing I like the most about Bond movies? In a cinema full of CGI created superheroes, James Bond's action scenes and character seem real, which to me is a true action movie.

Carpool Karaoke

I’m not even ashamed to admit that a new Carpool Karaoke can make my day. James Corden’s show airs WAY after my bedtime, but his quirky, cute english humor is so delightful. His unabashed car singing is hands-down my all-time favorite bit of his. Once again, James makes the bit, he knows ALL the words, but Derulo brings it and is just as funny, fully admitting to his late-night habits and teaching James how to dance. This one might move to my second/third favorite Carpool Karaoke, after Bieber and Mariah of course.

Motor City Brewing Hard Cider

Whereas rose and white wine are my cocktails for summer, come fall I want something crisp but just a little heavier. Enter cider. I have no clue if cider has less calories than beer, but I love that it’s a nice, seemingly lighter, alternative to the hoppy stuff. My favorite cider so far? This one from Motor City Brewing.  It’s dry, not too sweet, and made with local Michigan apples. Every time I’m in Detroit I pick it up (it’s only in Michigan =( ), along with one of their delicious pizzas. My supply has been drained recently, so I think it’s time for another trip up north to restock. Dear Columbus breweries, do you make something similar?

Henri Bendel White Pepper Candle

When it’s seventy degrees in the first week of November, I have a hard time justifying fall and winter scents. Don’t get me wrong, I can’t wait until the chill is permanently in the air, and the smell of firewood, spice and cedar are SUPPOSED to be normal. In the meantime, I’m looking for something a little sophisticated and masculine to burn, while waiting for the temps to lower. This white pepper candle fits the bill perfectly

JT and Chris Stapleton at the CMAs

This week’s list is heavy on the pop-culture moments, but when there’s a moment as AMAZING as this one, you can’t not include it. JT played the CMA Awards with Chris Stapleton and in turn helped turn the country onto Chris, an amazing artist on his own. Sure Justin’s faces are classic, but his talent is UNREAL. There might not be a more talented artist out there right now - and yes, I’m VERY biased. *image via instyle.com