Beer Review - Summerfest

"Summerfest"

It’s not my favorite!

It may be your favorite uncle’s!

But as a completionist, it’s my job to sample all the seasonal brews at Baseline Tap House at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Despite the fact I’ve had a taster before and handed it off to a friend!

BaseLine’s seasonals generally rotate between Sierra Nevada brews. Some of these are real hits for me. Sadly, I knew that the summer seasonal, “Summerfest” is a 5% ABV, 28 IBU, golden pilsner. That little bit of IBUs gives this a clear and refreshing pilsner that is refreshing when cold. But for me, that little bit of flavor still makes it a slightly bitter beer that tastes of beer, and just not my general taste.

Honestly, you can likely get “Summerfest” in most markets, like most Sierra Nevada beers on tap at BaseLine. It doesn’t get me excited to pass on other options on the tap list, like “Celebration IPA” which I bought several pints of last winter and bought six packs for at-home enjoyment. I even got out of sorts with that brew, as my brother-in-law, who does not appreciate a good IPA, drank my last can. Because, at the end of the day, my brother-in-law would have loved “Summerfest” and not made those faces that screamed to me flavor!

Who Drinks This? Honestly, my brother-in-law, who likes a nice crisp pilsner, would probably enjoy this pint and see the little bit of IBUs as a nice variation from his favorite macro beers. Otherwise, those who only want a light flavor and a refreshing beer on a theme park day will likely enjoy this brew.

Beer Review - Wrexham Lager

 

"Wrexham Lager"

I’m Between Pints and Between Disney, and sometimes I wonder how I can bring my theme park experiences home. One of those activities I engage in is consuming media on Disney’s streaming platforms. Being a Deadpool fan and a sports fan, but not soccer (football to some of you), I still find myself watching Welcome to Wrexham. Sure, it’s no Ted Lasso, but much like mustached Kansan, they do a solid job showing only the soccer plays that matter instead of the 87 minutes of running back and forth.

From the beginning of Wrexham, “Wrexham Lager” has been front and center as a beer option that those who support the Red Dragons. And I wondered if I would ever be able to sample one, as it seemed like it would also be a Welsh regional-only brew. Then, in 2024, Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney purchased a majority stake in this brewery. And we all know what this means…world domination! I would soon be able to sample a Wrexham pint.

Wrexham Lager was founded in 1882 by two German immigrants in Wrexham. And as we know, Lager is a bit of a German specialty. In the early 1900s, “Wrexham Lager” was globally exported and was the only lager on the RMS Titanic. But in the 20th century, other brands grew, tastes changed, the city of Wrexham hit an economic decline, and in 2002, “Wrexham Lager” ceased to be brewed. But in 2011, a former employee bought the brand for a pound, and restarted brewing “Wrexham Lager” as a homate and hope for a better Wrexham. Which, of course, leads us to 2024, when Hollywood invested in the brewery and made it famous globally on Disney streaming. And suddenly, there’s an announcement that it will be imported to the U.S.

“Wrexham Lager” is categorized as a pale lager, with the can noting it is subtly hopped. It also states that it’s been brewed since 1882, but we also know that it did take a sabbatical. It has a crushable 4% ABV with just 11 IBUs. I found it to be clean, with some hop flavor that was pleasant on top of the beer flavor of beer. I liked it for a lager, which is not my preferred style. But if I needed to select a lager, it would be something I would consider if I had everything else on the list. I could easily see this tall can being a lightly hopped refreshment for a hot day or a sporting event.

And this should be good, since it’s from a respected American craft brewery! The can also states that this liquid was brewed at DESTIHL in Normal, Illinois. DESTIHL is a brewery I best know for some really solid hoppy IPAs and some crowd-pleasing barrel-aged imperial stouts. DESTHIL’s motto is “Support Flavor. Boycott Bland.” And I would say even in this contract brewing situation, they are living up to their promise. But if you are drinking “Wrexham Lager” in the United States, just remember it’s an import brand made in the U.S., not shipped from across the ocean directly from Wrexham and the pitch…much like many other big-name import brands.

Who Drinks This? Honestly, I think if you like lagers, this is definitely worth your time. It’s not priced outrageously, and the hop is showcased well without becoming an IPA. It can also be a fun add-on to binge-watching Welcome to Wrexham on a Disney-owned streamer and having a fun day of learning more about the Wrexham community. I just wonder in a time of Deadpool global domination, I wonder how long before this lager shows up in a Disney park?

Between Pints Unofficial Orlando Brewery Rankings

 

When I realized I was going to be spending a lot more time in Orlando, I knew I wanted to know what breweries to visit.  My search was honestly meh.  There were several outdated websites, those that included the airport (sorry not for me) and generally not a listing for those who wanted craft beer.

I am thrilled that I can help solve this problem for theme park fans with the new Between Pints Unofficial Orlando Area Brewery rankings.   

This tool will constantly be updated as I add brewery reviews, and sadly if any close.  So make sure to check it out every few weeks!

 

 

Venue Review - The Burning Blade Tavern

The Burning Blade Tavern

I like some Wizarding World of Harry Potter beers. The Hog’s Head is my favorite hangout and sip location. But with the announcements of Universal Epic Universe, it wasn’t The Wizarding World of Harry Potter - Ministry of Magic that I most wanted to visit. It was, shockingly enough Dark Universe. I hate scary things! As I previewed Epic Universe, on my own dime, I will agree that Darkmoor is wonderful, immersive, and a place that I wish to visit again. Among the attractions in this spooky land is The Burning Blade tavern, with theming and specialty beer. While my family had attractions as their must-dos on our preview day, it was this pub with its distinctive burning windmill that I most wanted to hit.

The Burning Blade Tavern was my second stop in the Dark Universe. “Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment” was stop number one…and well worth it. I was excited after hitting that attraction, and now my heart pounded as I saw the unburning blades of the windmill (spoiler, I never saw them burn). It skipped a beat as I opened the door and found…a giant crowd! The inside was dark and crowded. The side and back wall featured a long bar, with a lot of disorganization to order with some monster heads behind the bartenders. There was a smattering of tall tables. It was a bit overwhelming. But boom, mobile order! I put in our order, walked up to the bar, trying to find where one could pick up the order, which said it was ready, and was told to go outside. Outside on a patio, I found a few more standing tables, one window that did not indicate a mobile order pickup, and a long line. It’s that line I was told I could pick up from once I was informed my order was ready! So, I had gone mobile to stand in another line, which may have been longer than the inside lines. Only because my party had multiple people were we able to hold a table while I waited to pick up our food and drinks.

A monster hunter did enter the patio while I waited, and he was very entertaining. Not Igor entertaining, but definitely still fun. And it was needed as the process I used to save time didn’t save any time.

"Reaper's Reserve"

For me, what I have been dreaming of is “Reaper’s Reserve,” a brown ale with cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove. It’s a no IBU, 5% ABV offering. Now I know it’s never winter except in Hogsmeade in Universal, but it screamed Winter Warmer to me. Crooked Can brews the ale of the monster hunters, like many Universal specialty beers. I found the brown liquid to be almost purple in the right lighting, which gave it a spooky feeling. The taste was a light flavored light brown ale malty flavor with some baking spices, especially cinnamon. It was nice and enjoyable. Now my non-beer drinking companions in the group made “ugh” faces as they sipped. But as a dark beer fan, I found it enjoyable and something I would consider again. But I can see how a brown ale doesn’t scream refreshing in the heat.


The table also grabbed a “Darkthrone Mead,” another exclusive drink. It’s a blackcurrant boysenberry vanilla mead with a pink peppercorn infusion. It is a 12% ABV with no IBUs. It’s also a Florida creation, coming from Brewlihan, a meadery in Oakland Park, FL. It was a sweet and refreshing drink that “screamed” of berry jammy flavors.

For food we grabbed three items to share. The “Hunter’s Garlic Stake” is a garlic butter pretzel with a garlic dipping sauce. Honestly, it was a solid, but not my favorite, pretzel-like treat. We grabbed the “Staked Grilled Chicken,” a char-grilled chicken skewer with garlic naan, tzatziki, shaved cabbage, and a salsa roja. This was our least favorite item. It was so wet, with water sitting on the spinach and naan. Finally, we shared “Burning Cheddar Bites,” which are crispy fried jalapeno cheddar bites with a sriracha ranch. These had mixed reviews at the table, with the spice level either being too much or just right. We also found that we had to attack them with one bite. We know it’s a preview, and we as a group kinda hope the quality improves a smidge. At the moment, we would grab the Stake as being the most pretzel-like.


Who Drinks Here? Monster Hunters…Monster Hunters drink here. I love Dark Universe, and I hate scary things! I like the vibes that the Burning Blade may provide in the future as the newness wears off, some operations change, and maybe some tweaks to the food. It was a preview day, so things will change. I think most drinkers will find “Darkthorne Mead” to be a refreshing, safe choice, served in a small glass to fight the big ABV. And for those of us collecting all the specialty beers, “Reaper’s Reserve” must be enjoyed!


But sadly, it’s not the Hog’s Head of Epic Universe! Yet!

Beer Review - Volcano Blossom

 

I just wanted a beach beer. And instead, I got a mystery and a reminder of the problems of crowd-sourced data!

We headed off the the bay…Volcano Bay. And with a planned long day of fighting the fearless river and a water coaster, I knew that I would be picking up Volcano Bay’s specialty beer!

"Volcano Blossom"

“Volcano Blossom” is a no IBU, 5.5% ABV Pilsner. It’s a brew from Orange Blossom Brewing Company exclusively for Universal's third park, Volcano Bay. I found it fine. It’s a beer with no bite, and some slight fruity sweetness. It’s a lightly sweet beer that tastes like beer.

But here’s in the controversy. I had this beer around five years ago. And this pint reminded me of those first sips…beer flavor with no hop bite and nothing exciting to my palate. It’s a nice, not overly heavy beer that fits a theme park where you want some refreshment that won’t hold you down on a water slide. But, when I went to enter my sips into Untappd, I found two “Volcano Blossom” entries, and both exclusive to Volcano Bay. Somewhere, somehow, a second entry was set up by a beer fan for an exclusive Cigar City “Volcano Blossom” with an IPA style. Basically, it’s reported as a fruited “Jai Alai,” which, like the Pilsner version, is actively being rated on in the app. But let me reassure you, this IPA version does not exist. I assume you can likely find “Jai Alai” in the park. But “Volcano Blossom” is, as Orange Blossom Brewing reports on their website, is a Pilsner, brewed by them, and exclusive to the park. There is only one “Volcano Blossom.” I do wonder if, once upon a time, there may have been an IPA version from Cigar City. But if so, it’s not now, and it’s not when I visited Volcano Bay the first time over five years ago. What likely happened is a drinker enjoyed one or two, thought it reminded them of “Jai Alai” and dropped in an entry for the beer they imagined. But we got to stop rating the fictional Cigar City brew. 

 
Who Drinks This? You like Pilsners, including macrobrands, and are having fun at the beach, this is for you. If you are a Pale Ale or IPA fan, you may find the lack of bite a little underwhelming. But you’ve joined the islanders, and you need to enjoy their beer at least once. It will keep you in the mood and allow you to fight the waves!

Beer Review - The Triple

"The Triple"

It is the beer that cannot be named. Because if you order it with the Harry Potter trademarked name fans prefer, you won’t get one! Also, it’s not technically a brew but we’ve reentered the world of potions and beer blends.

I wandered into the Hog’s Head, one of my favorite attractions in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Now, I needed a line beer for Hagrid’s! But I wanted something different and since I have drank all of the specialty wizard beers and wanted something new, I grabbed a “Triple.” Now, this blend can be ordered as “The Triple” or “Three-Layer” or “Triple-Layer” beer. They will all get this potion mixed up for you. I felt more magical than my buddy who ordered a “Yuengling Lager” for our slow stroll to the motorbikes

The pint is a blend of two beers and a cider. The bottom layer is “Strongbow Cider”, the middle is a “Hog’s Head Brew,” and it’s topped off with “Guinness Stout.” Now you can mix this all up, but me, I drank this three-brew potion sip by sip, letting the layers mingle together while still keeping their black, amber, and yellow stripes distinctly clear and clean. But the middle and bottom both have some sweet tones to balance the malty start. 

"Yuengling Traditional Lager" and A "The Triple"

Overall, the flavor starts malty as you dip into the stout. But before the malty liquid layer is gone, you begin to hit some sweetness. The cider sweetness seeps into the ale in the middle even more as they mingle together longer. Then you get a nice sweet punch at the end, where the ale mellows out the sweetness of the cider just a pinch. It’s a journey in a plastic pint.

It’s a journey in a plastic pint. You get different taste experiences with the first sips and the last sips not matching. And the middle becomes a muddled up potion of different yet pleasant flavors.

Who Drinks This? Honestly, if I am at the Hog’s Head, I think I would choose a “Hog’s Head” or a “Daisy Root.” This is for someone who wants to experience something new or already has a taste for it. But I think if you want a pure Wizard beer…well, 2 of these brands have international audiences. It’s fun and sweet, but to me, it’s more for a mood than fitting a wizarding theme!

Beer Review - Gathering of the Clouds

"Gathering of the Clouds"

I wanted to people-watch.

I wanted something dark and having lived in a barrel.

Instead, I got something Hazy and I found a nice starter beer for those who want to explore IPA styles.

We had friends who had never been to Disney Springs and wanted some good food before they went back to the chilly Midwest. Coming from the Midwest, we figured they’d like some BBQ, and Polite Pig is an easy winner especially since we could just walk in. I was hoping that maybe “Blantons Bourbon Barrel Aged Imperial Stout” was still on tap. That was a dream lost in the clouds and instead, I found the newest seasonal “Gathering of the Clouds”, a beer very unlike a barrel-aged stout.

“Gathering of the Clouds” is from Polite Pig’s sister brewpub Ravenous Pig Brewing Company and is a 10 IBU, 6.5% ABV Hazy IPA, of the big Imperial Double New England Variety. I see the words double and imperial and worry many will run away from this brew as a storm in a glass. It is not. Honestly, it’s what I would call a light hazy beer, despite being an imperial. Most imperials would creep up to a 10% ABV, this is nearly half of that. It’s not overly hoppy, though you can sense some hop going to citrus, not pine. But it’s also not overly juicy. Is Light Hazy a new phrase, because I feel pretty good about it! The dark golden color that obscures all light is truly hazy and what I would expect and hope to see in this style.  

Who Drinks This? You want to try out a hazy IPA but are a little scared, give “Gathering of the Clouds” a quick whirl. If you like IPAs and hazys, I think this is worth a pint to experience what the whole range of Hazy IPA can offer.