I know, I know. I’m late this week. I swapped the blog to Thursday, because I had a long shoot on Wednesday and wanted to spend the rest of the holiday with my family. I snapped off the picture 
for the blog, but then the day got away from me and I forgot to write it. So, here we are. Better late than never, right?
This week, I grabbed a 6-pack of Shiner’s Wilde Hare. I’ve made no secret of my love for Shiner. I was introduced to it while my parents lived in Texas and it’s lack of availability in NJ probably played a big part in why I gave up beer for such a long time. It was disappointing to know that there were good beers out there, but I couldn’t get them at home. So I was super excited when I started seeing Shiner Bock moving it’s way East, followed shortly by their other styles.
Last year, I picked up one of their “Family Packs” which is a mixed 12 pack of Shiner beers. I found that I enjoyed everything in there, so a week later, I picked up Ruby Redbird. I couldn’t stand it. For me, Ruby Redbird is by far the worst “beer” I’ve ever consumed. I couldn’t even give the stuff away. Since then, I’ve been hesitant to try anything from Shiner that I’m not already familiar with.
But when I saw Wild Hare Pale Ale on the shelf, I got curious. So I put it on the list of beers for the blog. Then, last week, I got a text from a friend of mine that’s been living in Texas for the past year telling me I have to try it and that it’s one of his current favorites. That’s all it took. Wild Hare moved to the top of the list and I grabbed the 6-pack on Tuesday.
I’m glad I did. I mean, it’s hard to screw up a Pale Ale, so I knew it wouldn’t be bad. And it has restored my faith in Shiner, too.
Here’s what the folks at the Spoetzl Brewery have to say about Wild Hare: “This classic American Pale Ale features two row barley malt with a blend of Munich and Caramel malt for rich malt flavor and golden color. High alpha Bravo and delicate US Golding hops are used in the kettle and fermenter for crisp bitterness and assertive fresh hop fruit and floral aroma. This is new territory for a Shiner Ale with more than one pound of hops per barrel, created in our most traditional cellars using legacy fermenters that have been pristinely preserved.”
An aggressive pour into a pint glass provide about a finger and a half, light head over a crystal clear amber body. It leaves a ring at the top of the glass, but very little lacing is left behind. It has a faint, sweet aroma with hints of citrus and hops.
The taste is typical of a pale ale. Nothing overbearing, nothing offensive, but at the same time, nothing really grabs you, either. And while that sounds less than complimentary, it’s what makes this beer so drinkable. From start to finish, Wild Hare is very smooth and easy to drink. It’s very complimentary to your basic meals, too. Sandwiches, burgers, chips, etc. And if you’re manning the grill in 90º+ weather, a refreshing beer is exactly what you want.
You’ll find hints of hops, malts and citrus that are very well blended to create a very palate-pleasing beer. And while it may not be the beer you grab out of the case when you’re looking for flavor, it is definitely a beer you’ll want to grab when you’ve got your buddies over on a hot day, or for session drinking. I paid $8.99 for the six pack, so it’s not something I would mind sharing, either! It comes in a 5.5%, making it one of the beers you can enjoy a few of, without fear. And since the taste is so crisp, you don’t get that heavy feeling that comes with stronger, more flavorful beers.
This is another beer I know will become a staple for me – and definitely a beer I will utilize when introducing friends to something different.
All in all, I definitely consider this another quality Shiner product.
This one gets a 5.5 out of 10 from me.