I remember a trip I took to Milwaukee just over a year ago. My then girlfriend and I went to go see a concert at the Riverside Theatre. We both love going to Milwaukee for the sights and the beer. We made the stop at the Hofbräuhaus, and after some delicious food and drink we made it to the Riverside. When we arrived, I went to order a beer, and something I had never seen before caught my eye. I couldn’t believe they were selling bombers of great craft ale at the venue! Since then, I have never seen that beer again–until now. Welcome to Chicago six-packs of Lakefront Fixed Gear!
At the concert, I was most impressed by the incredible aroma this beer had. At the time, it had one of the most intense aromas I had encountered. Having drank much more beer since then, I know it’s not the most aromatic, but it’s still up there.
Fixed Gear American Red Ale obviously pours a dark, hazy shade of red and tops itself with a big, fluffy white head. It smells of classic American hops, Cascade and Chinook and very little else.
The flavor of this beer is quite the same as the aroma. There are big, citrusy American hops, but I even get some of the biscuity base malt and some dark caramel and fruit. This beer also has a very moderate mouthfeel, so it wont become overwhelming, even with the intense hops and flavor. And at 6.5% abv, you can drink a lot of Fixed Gear.
I love when a brewery becomes a fixture of the area. Lakefront hosted an American Homebrewer’s Association rally at their brewery, and even offered up gallons of pre-fermented beer for people who came prepared with a sanitized container. I’ve personally reached out to the brewer at Lakefront, and he offered me recipes and advice on making their beer. This personal touch is great to see in business and I have no problem giving them my money (especially when you can see Millertown from Lakefront).
Fixed Gear is available in six-packs for about $10. If you want to try something similar but different, check out Stone Levitation, Stone Arrogant Bastard or Clown Shoes Eagle Claw Fist.