Abbey, by New Belgium / Aisle 1.5, the 6-pack cooler / $1.50

by Mitch LeClair

Every good young man’s life should include a semi-solitary night of garden planting, delicious beer, and a freshly rolled American Spirit natural tobacco cigarette. For this lucky writer, tonight was my night.

As I write this review, I sit in my above-hot living room here in weatherly anomalous South Dakota. For the previous week, we Dakotans have experienced quite varied weather, ranging from funnel cloud-inducing thunderstorms, to 50 degree nights, to yesterday’s high of 94. Sometimes a person needs a sort of leveler, a balance in his or her life. New Belgium’s Abbey became such a balance for my life this evening.

It’s a dark beer, but not overpowering or stimulating overloads of saliva in one’s mouth. I’m a guy who likes porters and various other, almost oily dark beers, but on a hot summer night I just don’t want such a thing. Because of this, I was a little skeptical of what Abbey’s bottle proclaims is a “Belgium Ale,” label complete with tulip glass full of a dark, thick looking substance.

However, after one drink, I knew I was safe. This isn’t your typical dark beer, in that it leaves a strong aftertaste, yet it doesn’t leave a drinker grabbing for a chaser. Or a peanut butter sandwich. All I want is more.

Unfortunately, I’m poor, and I could only afford one $1.50 bottle from our local municipal liquor store. (Yeah, our town controls the license heavily. This community of approximately 12,000 in Brookings has only one option in spirit purchases, though the prices of beer and wine aren’t too bad, so I can’t gripe too much.)

New Belgium Brewery recently introduced an a small sampling of its brews to our town. They graced us with Fat Tire - my #1 beer, ever - Mothership Wit, and 1554 just last month. They haven’t been able to distribute to South Dakota previous to this primary round of deliveries.

I like to think a visit by me, my former roommate, his dad, and our friend to the brewery in Fort Collins last summer, and all the hassling over availability issues that ensued, had something to do with their ability to bring us such wonderful brews in our relatively desolate area. Either way, I saw My Morning Jacket and The Black Keys at Red Rocks Amphitheatre that weekend, so I’m content.

But, back to the beer. Right now, I’m about 4/5 done with my glass of Abbey, wishing there was more, wishing this Edgar Winter Group album would get past this cheesy shit and get to on Frankenstein, fucking soon.

I didn’t realize that they made “Free Ride” before my new roommate brought over the vinyl with the rest of his stuff. I thought it was Foghat, then he reminded me they made “Slow Ride.” Oh the things you’ll know.

I can’t think of a decent metaphor to describe the taste of Abbey. I guess it’s kind of like that feeling you get after you’re finally buzzed at a shitty wedding dance. A wash of flavor, but not enough to make a person nervous around his or her parents. Or high-quality wine drunk, quickly.

Go get one, if New Belgium delivers to you. Or if you’re ever in the Midwest, pick up one of these fantastic beers, and be sure to follow the brewery’s advice: keep it cool, never cold.