BY AARON FOWLER

When one thinks of Anheuser-Busch, craft beer isn’t the first thing that comes to mind.
However, the company has acquired several tasty little guys over the last few years.
Here are a few of my favorites.

GOOSE ISLAND SUMMERTIME (4.7%)
A Kölsch beer brewed in the traditional German fashion, Summertime is a nice summer
season beer to counter the macrobrews that fill your local shelves. Hints of fruity notes,
such as lemon peel and banana, can be tasted with each swig and make this one, for the
most part, a drinkable beer. Whether I’d grab a bottle of Flying Dog’s Tire Bite Golden Ale
over this Goose Island offering is the real question. While not by any means a complete
miss, this summer brew leaves you wanting more.
LEFFE BRUIN (6.5%)
This Belgian strong ale is marketed as having the delicate taste of vanilla and clove and
the aroma of toffee and caramel. While I don’t necessary get the taste of clove and aroma
of toffee, I must admit a fair share of caramel and vanilla come through in this flawed but
quite drinkable brew. I also enjoyed the roasted malt this beer has to offer. If you’re not
a fan of Belgian brews, you are not likely to fully appreciate this beer. Take a chance by
picking up a few of these.
MARGARITAVILLE PARADISE PUNCH
AND MARGARITAVILLE ISLAND LIME (BOTH 8%)
According to the makers, this summer-only malt beverage allows you to escape to the
island state of mind. Though I’m not really a margarita man, I do see the attraction of a
drink like this. For those who enjoy the likes of Mike’s Hard Lemonade or Twisted Tea’s
Hard Iced Tea, these Margaritaville drinks are a decent step in the right direction. Watch
out, though: The sweet stuff has an 8% ABV packed in a 24-ounce size. One can has been
known to knock you on your butt. For those days when the weekend seems so far away,
snatch up one of these bad boys to ease the pain.