Quarantine Diaries XXXVII
Monday 4th May 2020
Our Monday began with an unexpected burst of excitement when I opened Twitter to discover that the fantastic Austin Beerworks team were hosting a special Yeti Colster giveaway! For the benefit of non-Texans, Yeti are Austin’s very own purveyors of fine outdoor equipment and something of a local institution. The Colster is a rather fancy gizmo into which one slots and secures a 12oz can of one’s favourite cold beverage with the promise of it retaining said temperature for significantly longer than it takes to drink it. Clever, eh? While we don’t actually need to be incentivised to purchase more of Austin Beerworks’ superb brews, the opportunity to grab a free Colster with our pick-up was just too tempting. In a few swift minutes we were in the car and driving at a responsible speed up the I-135 towards North Austin as I quickly placed an online order. Unsurprisingly we arrived to find a good-size line of safely distanced beerfolks anxiously awaiting their pickups – Austinites love our beer and we also love our Yetis. For a few minutes there was some confusion as to whether the Colsters had run out, and a lil ripple of disappointment spread through the line. The elation that followed on discovering that they had in fact only reached order capacity was perhaps disproportionate but even in pre-Covid times, a free Yeti qualifies as a big ol win! Austin Beerworks are such fine folks that they even treated us to line-beers, which were super-welcome in the bright Texas midday sun, and an excellent excuse for an early start, in my humble opinion. We felt buoyed and victorious as we collected our beers and shiny new Colster, and we travelled home with a contented spring in our step!
Austin Beerworks La Verdad Mexican Lager
I am a firm believer that Mexican lager gets a ridiculously unfair rep, as though it could possibly be responsible for its association with annoying, pissed-up Spring Breakers. A good Mexican Lager is a gloriously refreshing beverage, sweet and lightly citrusy, with a rounded, balanced warmth from its Vienna Lager roots. Austin Beerworks have nailed this to the letter with this year’s batch of La Verdad, fresh out of the tank and, happily, straight into my mouth. Sunbathing in Monday’s 95degree heat I was so pleased to have picked up a 6-pack on our morning jaunt and merrily inserted can after can into our fab new Colster. This is a beer you just don’t get tired of, and at a super-daytime-friendly 4.5% ABV you don’t need to feel like you have to. Definitely the seasonal beer for the season – hopefully we’ll be enjoying this session-delight in the water before the summer is out!
Craft Beer Amethyst 