Estes Park Stinger Wild Honey-Wheat $8.50 a six-pack
Estes Park offers an interesting twist on the summer wheat category by infusing this brew with almost a half-pound of honey per case. Stinger pours a cloudy amber, resembling unfiltered apple juice, with a thin white head. The aroma notifies the drinker that this is a different wheat, with bready and spicy notes but none of the coriander that typifies the style. In the mouth, it’s a real treat of light citrus blending with the expected honey sweetness as well as cinnamon and nutmeg. The inventive blending of spice makes Stinger a perfect transition from the crisp lightness of summer brews to the more layered fare of autumn. Alcohol by volume is 6.2 percent, a bit high in the wheat category, presumably from the fermentation of honey. Estes Park Brewery, 470 Prospector Lane, Estes Park;
Marcus Chamberland;
