The Beer Circle » Beer Pairing, Bell's Brewery, Dogfish Head, Lancaster Brewing Co., Tröegs Brewing Co. » Unlikely Pairings: Weather
Unlikely Pairings: Weather

Hurricane preparations in State College. Plenty of milk and bread, but shortage on Hurricane 40’s (Photo Credit: Dave Cole – Onward State)
For my next installment of “Unlikely Pairings”, I was initially inspired by the events surrounding Superstorm/Hurricane Sandy. Up in State College, Monday afternoon classes were canceled. Being a rarity, and that the area was only a minor impact from the storm, many students raided the local bottle shops for Hurricane 40 oz. malt liquor bottles.
So, I’ve decided to scan my tasting history for what I think would be the best beer to have in the event of each kind of weather. As of this writing, I have 375 unique beers on Untappd, and have decided to limit my choice to only things I have logged on this list.
Rainy Day – Hopslam Ale (Bell’s Brewery)
Kept indoors on a rainy day? This style will remind you that soggy (or hoppy) isn’t a completely bad thing! This highly saught-after brew is a bottle to keep around for a rainy day when you’re not looking to get out for a while. It clocks in at 10% ABV with a great taste to complement. For more on Hopslam, check out Russ’s review.
Tornado – 120 Minute IPA (Dogfish Head Brewing Co.)
In the event of a tornado, you should be very close to your cellared beer. Either in your basement, tornado shelter, or room without windows, I would expect your beer is most likely kept in the same location that is ideal to ride out the severe weather. Because of this, I am recommending a beer that ages very well, so when you have the threat of a powerful wind causing major damage, at least you can ride it out with a well-aged bottle. 120 is one of those staples that I would keep in your tornado shelter. If you’re ambitious, include a World Wide Stout and make a Heaven & Hell (given you’re going through a Hell of a storm!).
Snowstorm – Winter Warmer (Lancaster Brewing Co.)
From a local brewing company, this is a beer that will definitely keep you warm while the cold wind blows outside. Clocking in at 8.9% ABV, it contains a wintry blend found in most holiday season beverages. Most noticeable is a minty taste up front. By the end of one of these bottles, you should be able to lose the Snuggie. Stocking up on bread and milk is over-rated anyway.
Sunshine – Sunshine Pils (Tröegs Brewing Co.)
This is the beer that will let you enjoy the outdoors! Many people would also consider this to be the “lawn-mower beer”. Winner at this year’s GABF for the German Pilsner style, the taste encompasses an ideal summer flavor with refreshing taste, and a low (5.3%) ABV expected from a session beer. I recommend to drink this straight from the brown bottle in order to keep it from skunking in the sunlight.
Have a weather pairing suggestion? We’d love to hear it in the comments below!
Filed under: Beer Pairing, Bell's Brewery, Dogfish Head, Lancaster Brewing Co., Tröegs Brewing Co. · Tags: Unlikely Pairings
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