American Darling

Beer Type: Strong Lager (the unlawnmower beer)
Hop Variety: 100% Hallertau-region hops
Malt Variety: Weyermann, Bamburg, GR
ABV: 7%
IBUs: 45
Color: Brilliantly clear yellow-gold

American Darling

Shouldn’t mow the lawn.

That lone white cloud — looks like rain.

Guess I’ll have a beer.

Lizzie, Arlington, Mass.

If you’re looking for another reason to try Pretty Things this summer, we hope a well-stated 7% pale lager might be a good bet too. We hear what you’re saying: “a filtered Pretty Things lager”? Nothing strange about that, we love to brew all sorts of beers!

This time we were looking to make the un-lawnmower beer (with an emphisis on the “UN”). Just how do we go about doing that? How about by starting with some of the world’s greatest pilsner malt from Weyermann in Bamberg, Germany? We take this and perform a single-decoction in the brewhouse.  It’s a complicated, outdated German way of doing things but it makes some insanely malty flavours that we love. There’s no rice and corn in our darling either – just the best malted barley for purpose in the world. What else? All of the hops used in brewing American Darling come from the Hallertau hop region of Germany. Fermentation uses a blend of three of Europe’s great lager yeasts, low temperature fermentation and lagering, over a period of six weeks. Yes, that’s the UN lawnmower beer.

The next step in the process is to filter so that it can be more portable, without sediment to worry about disturbing. Put it in your coolers, your picnic baskets… your saddlebags. Take it to family reunions and pie eating contests, parades, beaches, fancy mustache conventions, hot dog factory tours, monorail excursions, secret basement lairs… wherever good summer fun happens!

Then fire up the grill, not just once – how about like every day! Get out the horse shoes, kick up your feet and forget that oily red jalopy out back even has a purpose.

***

The label was inspired by true americana and our unhealthy love of the mowed lawn.  We at Pretty Things live in the city and haven’t touched one of these contraptions for decades (our thanks to cousin Rob for letting us base this label on his).  We imagine a future where unruly, overgrown lawns replace these half acre, wall-to-wall summer-wasters.  That is why we drew an overgrown, antique lawn mower.  Let’s let it get shaggy America!  Enjoy American Darling and see you next summer.

Dann

 

 

Specs: 7.00% abv

IBU: 45

Malts: two German Pils malts, German caramel pils malt

Hops: Saphir, Perle, whole-leaf Hallertau in the kettle and dry hopped.

Yeast: a blend of traditional Lager yeast strains

Style: Pale lager of grand stature with contributions from hard water and dry hops