Shock Top Belgian White
"Unfiltered Belgian-style wheat ale brewed with orange, lemon and lime peels and corleander... naturally cloudy with a light golden color."
When poured, this bright yellow-gold ale looks like Heineken. Medium-bodied with a smooth citrus taste... Its original title was perhaps a more accurate one, Spring Heat Spiced Wheat.
Summary: This is a great lager-like ale that will mix well with burgers and chicken on the backyard grill.
5.2% ABV
Hop Hound Amber Wheat
"Unfiltered American amber wheat ale brewed with a blend of imported and domestic hops for a balanced... citrus hop aroma and caramel, malty, taste."
This Spring seasonal ale is medium-bodied but it looks and tastes like an eight-tenths scale version of Gordon Biersch's Marzen lager.
Summary: This is a very, very good ale but it is just not quite good enough to match Gordon Biersch's brewed-in-San-Jose Marzen lager. I'll buy it again if I can find it at a savings of $1.00 to $2.00 over the Gordon Biersch Marzen; if not, I'll find the way to San Jose.
5.3% ABV
The win goes to Shock Top Belgian White this round, but don't try to match up these big brewer premium ales against the best from craft brewers like Gordon Biersch, Pyramid, Sudwerk, Rubicon Brewing Company, Redhook Ale Brewery, New Belgian Brewing or Oregon's Deschutes Brewery.
See also: http://troybear.blogspot.com/2009/05/big-brewer-goes-small.html
