Weyerbacher Bootes, Brewer's Select Series

Easton, PA's Weyerbacher Brewing Company, brewers of awesome beers such as Merry Monks, Blithering Idiot and Old Heathen, like to experiment with different beers in their Brewer's Select series. After having completed a beer for each letter of the NATO phonetic alphabet, they have now turned to constellations. I thought it would be fun to use this space to learn about the experimental beers that Weyerbacher is brewing, and also to learn a little bit of astronomy along the way!

The fifth beer in Weyerbacher's Northern Hemisphere Constellation Brewer's Select Series is Bootes. Check out some quick facts about the beer followed by some facts about the constellation!

Weyerbacher Brewing Company, Bootes, Craft Beer, Pennsylvania

Bootes from Weyerbacher Brewing Company

Bootes the beer facts: (from Weyerbacher)

ruby brown american strong ale, 9% abv
brewed with pale, wheat, biscuit, crystal and roasted malts
mash-hopped with Simcoe for increased bitterness
aroma-hopped with Bravo and Centennial
100 IBU range (one of the highest done at Weyerbacher)
Not an IPA, but more of a barleywine with extra hop character

Bootes constellation facts: (from Top Astronomer)

often referred to as "the Herdsman"
first documented by Greek astronomer Ptolemy in the 2nd century
Greeks used to call the contellation Arctophylax, which is "bear watcher" or "bear keeper."
Usually visualized as a herdsman holding a staff and two dogs on a leash, chasing Ursa Major around the pole.
contains 4 stars with known planets
can be seen at latitudes 90 and -50 and is best visible at 9pm in the month of June
home to Arcturus, the third brightest star in the sky. It is a red giant, 36.7 light years away, and about 110 times more luminous than our Sun.
belongs to the Ursa Major family of constellations.

My pour of Bootes from Weyerbacher Brewing Company

Overall, Bootes was great. Definitely similar to a barleywine, so if you like those, you'll be into this. Find Bootes in bottles at the brewery, or on tap at a small amount of bars until it runs out!

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