a useful name indeed

It's a weird summer already, and holidays will be weird for the foreseeable future.  Gotta be careful of gatherings and that sort of thing.  It seems like things are pretty subdued today, in spite of the insistence from a loud bit of society that the show must go on, virus or not.  To be appropriate I have an American beer on hand, Flying Dog's Snake Dog IPA.  Newer styles have appeared of course, but the IPA is the foundation of American craft beer, a truly American industry.

It's a rich, dark gold, fluffy and resistant head, tingly and mildly citrusy aroma.  There is a touch of something else in there too, something light and summery.  Cucumber maybe?  Could be a hint of pepper.  The flavor is surprisingly mild, just barely bitter.  Kind of a half-hearted hoppy tang.  It has a good, solid feel, and is not unpleasant by any means.  This is one of the better beers to have at a barbecue, with enough flavor to be worthwhile on its own, but not so strong you get distracted from the food.  It's a bright and clear drink, full of hope.  At just over 7% it's not one you want to gulp down from the cooler in the park, but in your own backyard it's a pretty good pick.

Supplier: Birra Y Paz
Price: €3.50