What was I drinking?

O Hanami Ale
It has a taste of cherry
A seasonal brew

My try at a Haiku, in praise of this weekend's brew. It hails from the Granite state, aka NewHampshire, and made by the brew masters of the Smuttynose brewery. I like them a lot. They are on top of their game, be it ales, lagers and even porters. I was sorry to hear that their beloved Olive, the "mascot" of the Old Brown Dog Ale, passed away last month. She was just shy of her 16th birthday.

Hanami Ale is named for the ancient Japanese custom of cherry-blossom viewing. People from all over Japan congregate in parklands to enjoy the blossoms, called sakura. Folks were generally in good spirits and jovial -- Hanami is on the order of a national picnic.

The label features Mt. Fuji in the background, framed by cherry blossoms. Traditional Japanese icons, the mikado cat, sushi, and a cutesy doll make for a colorful foreground.

Hanami ale is available only from February to April. It is a pretty good medium-bodied ale. Hopefully it will warm up some in the coming weeks, to where the Weeping Cherry in my backyard blooms, and I can cook outside on the grill. We did fire up the smoker last week and gave some eels the treatment, but thats another story. I could see sitting out back on my patio, knocking some of these back and just taking in the blossoming cherry tree in the twilight.