Beer of the Week

The beer: Dreambuild

The brewery: Love City Brewing Company, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Description (from Untappd): "This West Coast-Style Pilsner is brewed with German Pilsner malt and hopped with Riwaka, Chinook, and Citra hops. Dreambuild is a clean, crisp, lightly hoppy lager beer with assertive notes of sweet pink grapefruit, pineapple, and citrus."

Would I buy it again? This was a decent beer. Not great, a little hoppier than I would have preferred, but not excessively so. It was very good to drink after a long day outside, but it's not something I would go for in most circumstances. It's just the old adage again: If you're competing in the Yuengling market, you have to do something special, and this beer just didn't.

Beer of the Week

The beer: Eraserhood

Brewed by: Love City Brewing Company, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Description (from Untappd): "Our signature hazy IPA is a love letter to our neighborhood, the Eraserhood. Off-beat and vibrant, this IPA is triple dry-hopped. Huge flavors of mango and pineapple with a smooth, round body. Moderate malt backbone and juicy finish."

Would I buy it again? Like the amber lager last week, Eraserhood represents a pretty typical offering in the genre of hazy IPAs. It's quite fruity in a pleasant way, which helps take the edge off the hops. I don't know about that malt backbone, but this is on the juicy side of IPAs rather than the bitter side. What really sells this beer, though, is the ABV: 7.2%, making it by far the strongest beer on Love City's menu. Not that I didn't appreciate it, because it is good for an IPA, but I do need a reason to buy IPAs (especially multiple times). Strength is a great way to ensure I do.

Beer of the Week

The beer: Small Paradise

Brewed by: Love City Brewing Company, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Description (from Untappd): "Small Paradise is a Czech-style Amber lager we brewed this beer with our good friends from 2SP Brewing Company from DelCo. Small Paradise is a slow fermented traditional lager fermented with Czech yeast, malt and hops. Complex yet crushable, this amber lager boasts notes of sourdough, caramel, and dark fruits complemented by a refreshing dryness and floral Saaz hops."

Would I buy it again? This beer was about as amber lager as amber lagers get. It was nice and malty, drinkable but with plenty of substance. Not too hoppy, either. I don't think it'll win any awards, but as a beer to actually drink, it's tough to beat. I'd buy it again.