They say you should never burn your bridges behind you, and I think that's a good idea. And of course, burning bridges ahead of you isn't such a good idea, either; how then will you get where you need to go? But that doesn't mean you can't enjoy burning a few bridges all the same, as long as they're in liquid form. Case in point, Lakefront Bridge Burner Special Reserve Ale, a barleywine-style ale from Milwaukee's lakefront brewery.
The beer takes its name from an episode of Wisconsin history commemorated on the bottle:
In 1845, citizens from the west side of Kilbourntown in
Wisconsin sent their end of a bridge crashing into the murky river
below...just to prove their independence from the Eastern Juneautown. But
when the smoke cleared, that single act did more to spark talks between
towns than the previous 5 years of cussing and crying combined. The common
ground they ultimately found is the good land we now call Milwaukee. Lucky
us.
This is, in fact, the strongest and boldest beer I've yet to try from
lakefront, whose exported (from Wisconsin, anyway) beers generally run the
gamut of German style ales and lagers, with the occasional fruit beer thrown
in for good measure. These are solid beers to be sure, but I was curious to
see how they would do with a more exotic American-style barleywine.
Barleywines originated in England and were, as is the case with many a
style, appropriated by American brewers. Here they got kicked up a notch so
to speak, and became even bigger in body and alcoholic strength, not to
mention hoppier. Lakefront boasts the following of theirs:
2009 Los Angeles County Fair gold medal barley wine winner.
All well and good, but what do I think?
Lakefront Bridge Burner Special Reserve Ale pours to a murky amber
color with a very thick and creamy head formation and an appetizing fruit
and citrus hop nose. I actually took a moment just to admire the appearance
of this one before sipping. The faintly tan colored layer of foam just
floated so serenely atop the beautiful ruby liquid like a lone fluffy cloud
in a deep blue summer sky. As the liquid descended, traces of the head clung
to the sides of the glass.
A sip of the beer reveals a full, rich mouthfeel and notes of thick and
chewy caramel malt. It's laced with hints of fruity apple and perfumey,
grassy, aromatic hops. They're decidedly piney, resiny and even a tad
citric, and deposit a gentle bitterness on the tongue in the finish. There's
a bit of alcohol warmth, too, as one might expect with a beer weighing at 8%
alcohol by volume.
I like the fact that this one accents the malt as much as the hops. It's big
and chewy and luscious with gooey malt flavors. It's also reasonably priced
at about 6 bucks for a 22 ounce bomber bottle. Mine was bottled in January
of 2009, so it has about six months ageing on it. Barleywines do generally
age well, after all. Try sipping it with a soft Gouda cheese.
Will this be the beer that makes Milwaukee famous again? Maybe not. But it
is a very tasty brew, and one I would certainly buy again.
And remember, try a new beer today, and drink outside the box.
*Pricing data accurate at time of review or latest update. For reference only, based on actual price paid by reviewer.
(B)=Bottled
(D)=Draft