Nothing speaks summer in the U.S. like baseball. And, at one of America’s quintessential ballparks, nothing speaks a day at Wrigley Field like kicking back with the local brew, Old Style Lager. For those of you who have not yet been to Wrigley Field, home of the Chicago Cubs, it is a stunning ballpark. Drenched in history and covered with ivy, it is cherished by loyal fans for its attentiveness to and pride in everything local and everything historic.
Enter Old Style Lager. First appearing in stores back in 1902 – even before Wrigley Field was constructed on Chicago’s North Side in 1914 – Old Style has seen very few changes since. The lager goes through a double fermentation process called kraeusening (pronounced kroi-zen-ing) and is explained on Old Style’s web site as so:
“Kraeusening is an additional step we take in the brewing process that brings extra carbonation and a complex richness to this premium beer. Doubly aromatic and singularly intricate in taste, Old Style now has more body and more flavor with a cleaner finish.”
I got to make my second ever trip (with, hopefully, many more to come!) to Wrigley a few weeks ago and of course imbibed in several Old Style Lagers. And, for my (unofficial) review of it: Will I be drinking this while sitting and watching a baseball game on a beautiful summer afternoon? You bet. Will I be picking up a six-pack to take home for the evening? Probably not. Without the backdrop of Wrigley, and the baseball game, and the soft pretzels, and the sunshine…well, it is a pretty forgettable beer. It’s light, slightly watery, and doesn’t really pack the punch with the hops that I traditionally enjoy in my beer.
With that said, I can still assure you that even with the new premium beer options introduced to Wrigley fans, I’ll still be ordering an Old Style when I catch my next Cubs game.
Cheers!
