Beer of the Week: Cool Story, Bräu

And the winner for Best Beer Name goes to…Marlow Myrmo. Punny monikers are great (says me, that’s who!), but those incorporating international homophony downright rule! So, it is with great appreciation and a smile on my face that I present this made-up award to the head of fermentation at Hodad’s Brewing for this week’s featured beer, Cool Story, Brau! Perhaps the best part of the name is the fact it actually has a cool story associated with it, drawing on Myrmo’s travels to Germany, where he picked up a European Beer Star award for a hazy IPA Hodad’s brewed in collaboration with friends from since-closed Resident Brewing. During that voyage, he had the chance to taste numerous helles lagers, a light style of pale beer originating in Munich. He drew upon those examples when crafting his own. The result is a helles that tastes far more flavorful than most American versions and reminiscent of the ones I, myself, tasted when visiting Munich two years ago for Oktoberfest. My favorite facets of this beer are its ever-so-slight sweetness and its many-splendored cereal notes, all of which are canceled out by an earthy bitterness in the finish. It’s a balanced everyday drinker that’s great for hot summer temps and as an accompaniment to food, such as a Bavarian-style pretzel, grilled bratwurst or, oh, let’s say a Guido Burger at Hodad’s. Many American riffs on this German beer style are bland or flabby, but this beer has character…and one incredibly funny name!

I was fortunate to be able to travel to Germany last year. While I was there, I enjoyed trying many great helles lagers in Munich and throughout the region. Upon returning home, I knew I wanted to brew one of my own. This beer is the culmination of that trip, the beers I drank and my take on a classic Bavarian beer. I hope everyone enjoys it as much as I have, and has as much fun drinking it as I had researching and brewing it! But enough about me…Cool Story, Bräu. Prost!“

Marlow Myrmo, Director of Operations & Head Brewer, Hodad’s Brewing

Hodad’s is located at 5010 Newport Avenue in Ocean Beach and 945 Broadway in downtown San Diego