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On the day after Christmas, the first big snowstorm of the season was expected to hit the Northeastern US. We spent our Sunday morning relaxing with the kids and waiting for friends to stop by for lunch on their way home to Connecticut. Though we originally planned to cook a quick meal for lunch, two days of running around and visiting family left us with zero motivation. Our friends arrived at around 11:30AM, and since they had to cut their visit short because of the snowstorm, we decided that we’d have burgers and fries from Five Guys. Within 30 minutes, we had our order placed, picked it up, and were digging into our burgers and fries. As far as beverages go, the kids had Capri Suns, the ladies had diet soda, and the dads split a big bottle of Dogfish Head’s My Antonia. Sadly, they were only able to stay for a couple hours, but at least we maximized our time and enjoyed some food, drink, and conversation together.

And now for the beer review…

Per Dogfish Head’s website, My Antonia was originally brewed in 2008 as part of a collaboration with Italian brewer Birra del Borgo. The first batch was brewed and distributed by the Italian brewer, and the 2010 batch was brewed by Dogfish Head for distribution in the US. This beer is classified as an Imperial Pilsner and has an ABV of 7.5%.

• Appearance: Golden yellow and slightly cloudy. Rapidly rising, thick, fluffy head. Very good head retention that leaves moderate lacing on the glass as it dissipates slowly.
• Aroma: Lemon zest. Hops.
• Taste: Very well carbonated. Smooth and creamy mouth feel. You can definitely taste the citrus up front. The finish is crisp and clean, with just the right amount of hop bitterness to keep things interesting.

For the past year or so, I have been all about ale. While I still enjoy a cold pilsner, I find that they sometimes lack the diversity of flavors that are usually present in a well crafted ale. Dogfish Head’s My Antonia has changed my opinion about what a pilsner can be. This is a very good beer! Very drinkable and deceptively smooth for a beer with such a high alcohol content. Though it went well with our burgers and fries (then again, what doesn’t go good with burger and fries???), I would love to try this beer with Asian cuisine. I will definitely buy this beer again! I give it an A-.