Eminent Domain

It's been a long weekend. Usually, the first weekend of Spring Break is restful and easy. Between work and activities, I've been putting in some long hours. Tonight, I'm going to relax with the season premiere of The Sopranos and a beer or two. The victim for this evening is New Glarus Yokel. What the hell is that? That's what I thought when I saw it in the store. Brewmaster Dan Carey is one busy guy. New Glarus has been churning out new varieties at a steady pace. There was a new stout too, but I decided that one new beer was enough. The Yokel is a lager (I seem to be on a lager streak lately). It has a nice, lightly cloudy hue to it. It's got more aroma than most lagers. Many lagers are like smell vacuums, but this one actually has a little character to it.

The Yokel has a fairly interesting flavor. It's got a three-barley blend (Wisconsin, German, and English) along with German hops. The hops are fairly weak. They are there, and you can taste a hint of them, but they are definitely not at the front of the favors. That sort of earthy, grainy flavor comes on in a burst while the beer is in your mouth, but it leaves fast. I think it leaves a little too fast, personally. I could see the Yokel being a favorite of people who primarily drink macrobrews. That doesn't mean that it's a bad beer. It's good for what it is: a drinkable, accessible lager with a little flavor.