Friday Happy Hour: Seven Strong Lager, Perfect for Parental Time-Outs
Barbados is about as synonymous with relaxation as any destination anywhere, a point made beautifully by my brother’s regular Facebook, twitter and Instagram photo updates from his perfect fantasy beach house in Christ Church. What you won’t see in those idyllic scenes of tropical bliss, however, are the five toddlers also sharing the normally placid environs of Cotton House 2 with Patrick and crew.
That’s right, FIVE TODDLERS!
I can only imagine the marvelous mix of trials, triumphs and tribulations befalling the grown-ups in the beach house this week. I’m thinking the beer drinkers among the group will need a strong brew. Something beyond the usual, nice and light Banks. Something like Seven Strong Lager.
Among the newest beer creations to come out of the Banks Brewery, Seven Strong may have just debuted in 2010, but it’s already garnering awards and impressing beer-loving visitors to Barbados. It took the gold medal at the 2011 Caribbean Rum & Beer Festival in the “Strong Beer” category, and I certainly found a lot to like about the bottle you see here, which I enjoyed in Barbados back in October.
Seven Strong pours like a regular lager – gold, frothy and inviting. The flavor, though, is a breed apart, with a heavy alcohol element overwhelming everything else. The effect breeds a distinctive flavor bordering on sour, especially if it’s not ice-cold.
Still, it’s strong, and isn’t that the whole point?
True to its name, Seven Strong boasts a 7% alcohol by volume content – not strong enough for this list of “knock you on your ass beers,” but probably good enough to do the trick for any parent in need of a tropical time out…
Cheers!