Oops. Sorry. I promise I didn't mean to take all of June off from the blog. But now I'm back to it. It's summer, it's been hot, and I've had to cut my grass more times than I'd like to admit (even if I had to put a pause lawncare during that terrible heatwave we had a few weeks ago). Time for a beer.

Speaking of cutting the grass and beer, I've been on the hunt for my next favorite lawnmower. Today's can comes courtesy of my coworker, who gave it to me after deciding it wasn't for her. It's Jolly Pumpkin's (boy, I haven't had them in a good while) Blanca. Let's see how she's drinking.

Dexter, Michigan's own Jolly Pumpkin opened in 2004. Founder Ron Jeffries' vision for the brewery was heavily inspired by Belgian-style brewing, which features open fermentation and oak aging (both equating to sour beers). The goal was, and has always been, to brew complex beers simply.

Blanca's a 4.8% ABV farmhouse witbier, oak-aged and sour. Brewed with adjuncts of coriander and orange peel, this wheat ale spent two months aging in oak before being packaged and sent to market.

The nose on my can is incredibly sour. I get raspberry, lemon, and a little bit of something not unlike orange soda. There's also definite farmhouse ale funk, almost like wet straw. It's a fantastic bouquet and one that's making me want to dive into the beer. Purrl, for her part, gave Blanca 6 whiffs.

On the flavor front, the ale's not as sour as I'd've expected from the nose. I'm picking up on the orange peel but none of the coriander. Layered under the sourness (which lingers long into the finish) is a metallic, stainless steel flavor. The beer tastes as bright as I want it to taste.

Blanca's mouthfeel is great. The ale (as you can tell from the picture at the top of this post) is can conditioned. The wheat here gives the beer a creamy smoothness that I wouldn't expect from the nose and flavor profile (I'd think bitey). It's really well crafted!

You know, this is scratching that lawnmower itch I've had. It'd be perfect after working out in the yard on a hot Saturday. It's like a glass of cold lemonade: not necessarily hydrating, but refreshing as hell. That glass of lemonade was my favorite thing as a teenager while taking a break from mowing the lawn. I still appreciate it now.

Jolly Pumpkin's done something mighty fine here. Blanca's a killer summer beer that happens to be available year-round. I'm giving my can a 9.5/10. I recommend you pick some up before you head out for your next bit of yard work!