Drank: Lila (Hair of the Dog)

By Martin Cizmar

Old dogs are notoriously reluctant to perform new tricks. So someone give Hair of the Dog brewmaster Alan Sprints a good belly scratching for his new Lila Maibock. Sprints' brewery will celebrate its 20th anniversary in November, but, before last week, he'd never sold a lager. Named for the German verb "to store," lagers differ from ales because they are made with yeast that sits at the bottom of the fermentation tanks for several weeks at cool temperatures. The resulting beer is generally cleaner and less complex than an ale. Though all 10 of the world's top-selling beers are lagers, craft versions are an oddity given the extra equipment required and the challenges of making something that stands apart from the macros. Named for Sprints' mother, Lila was made without separate lagering tanks, meaning the brewery's equipment was tied up as it conditioned, causing a temporary shortage of top-selling Blue Dot IPA. Lila is a very noble beast, mild and caramel-colored, with its most distinct flavor coming from earthy Saaz hops. On tap at the brewery for $4.50 a glass, it makes for a nice spring sip—especially with Blue Dot momentarily tapped out. Recommended.

WWeek 2015

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