Rushing out of work, hoping to grab a seat at the bar and saving some dollars on a fancy cocktail — that is one way to do a happy hour, a way that I used to look forward to every week. Now things have changed and my happiest happy hour looks a bit different.
First off, having triplet six month olds, it’s a little hard to get out of the house during happy hour – especially when my husband doesn’t get home from work until 5:30pm or 6:00pm each night. Second, being in a crowded bar with loud music, making it hard to have a decent conversation (which I crave after being alone with babies all day who only sometimes laugh at my jokes) isn’t what I am looking for.
My happiest happy hour has to be relaxing. There has to be no pressure and if the weather is nice, outside on the patio with a nice grilled burger and tasty, light drink. Icing on the cake would be catching up with my sister – usually chatting about our days, what we are currently blogging about and what sort of future trip can we plan.
Isn’t funny as we get older, how things change? The things we are looking for in life are the simple things and when we find them, they bring us so much joy? The burger grilled at home. The easy conversations about your day. The basking in the sun and just taking moments to breathe. Those are the things that create my happiest hour.
Recently, we were talking about our trips to Cleveland we’ve taken in the past year. (You can read about mine here and hers here) One of my favorite things we did was visit the Great Lakes Brewing Co. It was very interesting hearing all about their history, watching them brew my husbands favorite beer (Christmas Ale) first hand and watching the passion of every employee we encountered. A fabulous tour that you should try to hop on if you’re up that way!
Fun Fact: Did you know that that the beer in their restaurant (across the street) comes underground straight from the brewery? Can’t get fresher than that!
While I am more of a wine drinker, I have always indulge in my husbands persistent need for me to try all of his beers, claiming “this will be the one you like!” Not until recently, did I follow up with. “Well, wait a minute, I think I might actually enjoy this one!”
Great Lakes IPA is their new beer for 2019 and I am a fan! It was created to celebrate their family of employee-owners. It is the perfect easy drinking, patio beer! Now, I am a newer beer drinking, meaning I don’t know all the technical terms, but, I do know this – it is lightly filtered, dry-hopped and citrus forward. All things I’ve learned I need in a beer. I think I am a fan of this because not only was it light and (very) easy to drink, it is made with lemon peel and I love all things lemon. We paired it with burgers, but, I think it would be even more delicious with a nicely grilled (on charcoal) steak!
Fun Facts about Great Lakes IPA
- Label: Great Lakes IPA’s label spotlights their family of employees, who became GLBC co-owners in 2018 thanks to an Employee Stock Ownership Plan introduced by founders Pat and Dan Conway. The talented people on their label represent a wide range of roles at GLBC.
- Flavor: A dry-hopped, easy-drinking American IPA by the people, for the people.
- Pairs with: Steak, tater tots, and camaraderie.
- ABV: 6.5%
- IBU: 50
- Hops: Simcoe, Mosaic, Lemondrop, Azacca
- Specials: Lemon Peel
- Availability: All year round
- Packaging: 6-pack, 12-pack, Draft
Click here to find where you can get this beer (and more). You’re going to want to stock up!
Cheers to a relaxing summer filled with easy drinking on the patio with the people closest to you!
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