Big Sky Brewing, the makers of “Moose Drool”, have delivered a positively yummy little summer beer here. It seems that I have an unhealthy affinity for beers with “Honey” in the title, and this is no exception. It was light and airy like a yummy wheat mixed with a pale.

All you have to do is get past the horrible wrapper. It took me a few beers to realize that that was in fact not a bear…but a wolf. At least I know that if my current career doesn’t work out, I could have a future in wrapper design.

**edit - I’m sorry to say that I’ve had to lower my ranking on this beer to a three.   See above for the reasons for this beer’s fall from grace.

The company I work for had a BBQ on site last week. As usual with company bbq functions, they coughed up some beer for us. Yippeee!!! When digging through the bucket o’ goodness, I found some Sam Adams Cherry Wheat. Figuring that it would taste OK, I popped one open and took a swig.

THIS STUFF IS UNBELIEVABLY YUMMY!! It’s not overly fruity but it definitely tastes of cherry. It’s a mild wheat bear that’s incredibly well balanced and not too sweet. These guys know their way around a beer!

After the 2nd 90+ degree day in a row, I decided to bite the bullet and install the AC unit. Once I lugged the thing in to the house and spent a few blistering minutes out on the back porch putting it in the window, I am now enjoying a couple of degrees less heat and a bottle of New Belgium’s Skinny Dip Ale.

I need to come clean about something first, when I went to the store I intended to pick up a case of my old favorite, Miller Highlife. However, when I got there I wasn’t in the mood for the Highlife. There was also someone else there and I was ashamed. But as I drink my Skinny Dip, I am glad my shame led me to by it. Light, but with that Fat Tire full-bodied taste, and a burnt-chocolate finish. Very yummy and light too! So I won’t gain any weight, right?

If you’re looking for a light beer that REALLY tastes great, Skinny Dip is it. Prost!

Turns out I am a complete suckah-fish for good packaging. Case in point: Full Sail’s Limited Brew. Full Sail’s packaging is top-notch. Each brew is visually distinctive but shares a common brand. The magic happens when you look closer. Witty banter is sprinkled about the packaging in the voice of a stoner outdoorsy type with long hair, tie-dye, and the faint sent of petchuli. He says the word “dude” A LOT. But he loves brewin’ good beer so its cool. He’s “livin’ the dream.”

Light-bodied with a somewhat burnt-chocolate finish seems like an oxymoron, but I swear its there. The “Dude” says it is an import-style lager but I’m not buying it. I guess if you’re talking about some lambic, or tripel, this might qualify as a distant cousin but its definitely not your typical “euro-bud” trash (Becks, Heineken, etc).

So, long story short: I dig it… um, dude. I think I’m going to set out to see if good packaging equals good beer. Sounds like a good combo of my two favorite things: good beer and good design. In the end, we’ll see which one deserves the top spot.

Any beer from Bridgeport Brewery will always get my attention. This local brewery’s IPA will always have a special place in my fridge. However, when I look at the beer cooler at my local Freddies I have to wonder if it isn’t just a big beauty contest.

The packaging on beer labels and boxes gets more and more elaborate each year. From the local artistry featured on Rogue Ales to the slick Budweiser Select bottles, a lot of thought goes in to the look and feel of your average brew. And there is definitely a “micro-brew look.” If you look closely, you can tell the posers from the real thing.

Bridgeport’s Haymaker Extra Pale Ale is no exception when it comes to the design of the packaging. As a designer, I appreciate the level of branding and illustration. This beer is definitely the product of a highly skilled marketing team. However, it IS the real thing.

The verdict: Bridgeport brings their characteristic hoppiness to a wheat beer. Finishes light and crisp, just right for summer time.