Indeed Shenanigans Summer Ale

Indeed Shenanigans Summer Honey Wheat Ale, Indeed Brewing Company, Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Very hazy, light golden color, prodigious head, fluffy as a cloud, lace-leaving. Looking good.

Aroma: there's the honey, there's the wheat, and here come the hops. Indeed announced itself as a hop-forward brewery, and I'm damn glad there's no exception when it comes to something like a honey wheat ale, which, in some hands, can be a simpering, soporific affair. Plenty of pleasures in this nose.

Taste: first comes the wheaten texture, plenty of it, a good amount of grit, with the right amount of smooth. Along comes the sweetness of honey, just enough deliciousness, just enough delight. Blasts of citrus fruit, as well, pineapple meets lemon meets orange meets grapefruit and mango.
 I raise my glass a third time, and the bitterness of the hops is keeping it all in check, while letting the honey seep out it's sweetness, and leaving the wheat to keep it all smooth and mellow. Love this easy-drinking summer ale.

Let's see…the State Fair is over, Labor Day has come and gone, leaves are starting to fall, and there's less heat and more chill, but you know what? The calendar says it's still summer, and we have this beer around. Yeah, if only they debuted in June, but there's always next year, when they'll probably can it.

I like honey in a beer, and I love a wheat, but when there's this much hoppiness at play, we're all good in the neighborhood. Props to Indeed for not selling out on a concept that would be lousy in less capable hands.

Here's what the beer looks like in 2019, from a can.

This one doesn't have a proper label yet, and I assume that's because they're not canning it until next year, and the paper labels for the bottles only use a logo, rather than a full illustration. But there is a logo, as evidenced by the tap handle in the photo. And I will look forward to seeing more of this next summer, because it is a keeper. Tasty, easy-drinking, with just enough hops on the tongue for a reward. I need that stuff, you know, or it just isn't worth it.

Here's the brewery's description: Brewed with Sorachi Ace hops, Glacier County Honey, and locally malted red wheat Shenanigans Summer Ale has a zesty, citrus-filled aroma, refreshingly dry body, and notes of honey that weave in and out of this thirst quenching summer ale. So brave the humidity and enjoy the long days because summer is time for Shenanigans.