House of Shandy:Curious Traveler Shandy

Brewery: House of Shandy
Beer: Curious Traveler Shandy
Style: Shandy
ABV: 4.4%
How it was consumed:  From tap

I've never been particularly crazy about Shandys, or any beer that has fruit in it.  That's odd coming from a guy who will drink most Wheat beers like it's going out of style.  Still, beers like a Leinenkugel Summer Shandy have tasted on par with Boons Farm to me, in the sense that it just seemed like beer with an overkill of sweeteners in them.

Birthday night, September 26th, 2012, I'm sitting in Stanley's Barroom (because, where else would I be, right?) and I glance upon their giant chalkboard of beers.  I notice a beer that has a curious looking 19th style looking gentlemen on the logo, with a mustache I'm super jealous of, and spectacles to boot.  I inquire with the nice waitress about this beer, and upon learning it was a Shandy, decided to try it anyways.  After all, playing pulltabs provided no luck on my birthday, maybe a beer would.

I was shocked at how much I enjoyed the beer upon first taste.  Perhaps it was either a combination of my tastes changing over the years, or the fact that this beer was very fresh with a crisp little bite that made me instantly fall in love with it.  It was light, not too over bearing with any sort of dose of flavoring, and went down really smooth.  It's infusion of lemonade was perfect too, not too fruity, but flavorful enough that I would've recommended my wife try it, had I not been a greedy glutton over this fantastic beer.

This is definitely the kind of beer I'd like to try again, especially at home.  This beer would be very enjoyable on a hot summer day, if one is trying to avoid a dehydrating "lawnmower" beer like a Miller Lite or Budweiser, but still want something light and delectable.  It is available in the Minneapolis area, as well as many others. Locations can be found on their website provided above.

Curious Traveler Shandy is worth your time to try, even if you aren't a Shandy fan.   Anyone who enjoys anything along the lines of a Shock Top or Blue Moon can make the easy transition to Shandys, especially the Curious Traveler.  If you're thing is a Sam Adams Cherry Wheat, you might not be as crazy about this, especially being its fresh and all. :)

Rating: 4 out of 5