Starr Hill Basketcase
I’m a big lager fan. Their overall biscuity nature and ability to refresh after a long day in the sun or simply sitting behind a desk all day is just about second to none. Add in American craft beer’s favorite past time of over-hopping traditional beer styles and well that refreshment factor gets amplified. And that’s what you’ve got with the third beer — and latest Fall seasonal release — of Starr Hill’s Fall Tour variety pack, Basketcase.
This 5.4% ABV Helles-style brew starts off with a solid malt backbone with hints of grain, cereal and a touch of caramel before a healthy dose of Cascade hops bring in soft citrus and pine. The moderate hop bite that Basketcase presents isn’t over-the-top by any means, but gives the beer more of an IPL (India Pale Lager) character than your traditional Helles.
Basktecase is a nice addition to the company’s Autumn offerings. It’s crisp and refreshing with enough of a malt backbone to make it an ideal beer with which to relax wile you sit on the front porch and watch the kid launch herself into the large pile of leaves you just spent the last two hours raking. Maybe you should have another before reaching for that rake again.
This is a review of a promotional sample.