Two Quick Beers of the Fall, With ViscountEric

Over the Summer, I took a turn for the worse, and things like beer were put up on the shelf for an indeterminate period of time.  

Medium-length story:  Doctors, specialists, and other medical professionals refuse to believe that I was a relatively healthy fat dude who succumbed to gallstone-related pancreatitis, not damning myself to a lifetime of Type II Diabetes.   I completely weaned myself off of insulin at two months, and am losing weight at a slow, controlled rate so I can remove myself from medications probably sometime next year.  

The one thing I have been able to return to with my improving health is the occasional beer, and not a second too late, as my wife overwhelmed me with six packs to celebrate our 14th wedding anniversary. 

My beer scale is a five-point system, and it's pretty peculiar.  The minimum acceptable beer that I'll purchase is a Yuengling Lager.  That rates a 2 out to 5.  Ones are relegated to passable mass-produced full brews.  Mass-produced light beers are in the negatives.  

My Top Five are almost guaranteed not to be on anyone else's list.

1. Stegmaier Bock circa 2010
2. Stegmaier Holiday circa 2010 (aged in the dark cold fridge for 3 years)
3. Rogue Morimoto Ale circa 2013
4. Troeg's Mad Elf circa 2014
5. Troeg's Mad Elf circa 2018

I'm a Bock/Stout/mainline IPA guy who learned early in my childhood (yes childhood) that I'd rather enjoy one good beer than drink a case of cheap stuff that tastes like crap.  

On that note, let's see how my wife did with at least two of the Fall beers.

Maple Mistress is an Imperial Ale with just a dash of Maple Syrup.  It has the initial heavy taste, but the maple completely cuts off the aftertaste.  I initially thought this would be sickeningly sweet, but I ended up being left wanting more.    (2.5/5.0)

Leinenkugel Harvest Patch Shandy is the Fall variety of Shandy, but despite the lone pumpkin and orange color on the label, it's simply a tasty Weiss cut with some honey.  It goes down smooth and is a nice, serviceable beer compared to my normal heavy fare.  (3.5/5.0)