I was pretty skeptical when the manager of the liquor store told me about this month’s beer selection.

Another beer in a can, but this time it is a Belgian style double from the Santa Cruz brewers, Uncommon Brewers.

I mean sure, lagers in a can.  That seems fine.  But a Belgian style ale?  That just seems crazy.

And then he went on to tell me that they included such things as Lemongrass and Kaffir lime leaves.  I was afraid for the worst.  That this would be another Lienenkugel’s Sunset Wheat fruit-loops-in-a-bottle debacle.

I’m pleased to report that this beer is not a debacle at all.  It is on the sweet side, as is typical of the double sytle, but the spices are very subtely deployed.  If I had to pick a beer it reminded me most of, I’d say it is Chouffe’s Holiday beer, N’Ice Chouffe.  In addition, neither Mrs. Flannestad nor I could detect any significant alumininum note in the beer.

If you read up on Uncommon Brewers, you will discover that their brewery is carbon neutral, they only use organic whole spices, influenced by the Slow Food movement, etc.  You know, the typical California Hippy stuff.

But anyway, despite all that or perhaps because of it, the beer is very, very good!

Dinner tonight was meatless.  Pasta with a sauce made from Two Dogs Early Girl Tomatoes, Romano Beans, King Oyster Mushrooms, Zucchini, Squash Blossoms, Marjoram and Thyme.  Topped with some goat feta.  The Two Dogs tomatoes are so good!  We had to restrain ourselves from eating them like candy.

Quite tasty!: