Lake Louie Radio Free IBA

Lake Louie Radio Free IBA: I biffed the photo. Here’s a tap handle instead.

Tragedy has struck: I am out of beer. As a grad student with 3ish jobs, things get a little chaotic at times. Some weeks, tasks such as grocery shopping and sleeping must be deferred in favor of scholarly or professional pursuits. Or in favor of drinking beer. This has been one such week.

Not only am I limited to a diet of raw carrots, oatmeal and peanut butter sandwiches, I am also now relegated to commercial drinking establishments for my daily tasting responsibilities. It’s a major hardship.

Today, I joined several of the usual suspects at the usual pub for an evening quaff. Much to my disappointment (or, perhaps, to my credit), I had previous experience with all of the tap offerings and was confined to bottles. Fortunately, the bottle assortment was robust, and from it emerged today’s selection, Lake Louie Radio Free India Black Ale.

Lake Louie Brewing, of Arena, WI, has long been a favorite of mine. Tommy’s Porter, Coon Rock Cream Ale and Warped Speed Scotch Ale are standard go-to’s, and seasonal offerings rarely disappoint. No exception to this precedence, Radio Free IBA was quite tasty. This heavy black ale was a bit thicker and sweeter than I expected, but was nicely balanced by bitter notes. Slightly more carbonation and stronger hop presence would enhance the Radio Free experience, in my opinion, but it’s more than adequate as is. The facts: