odell-st-lupulinOn Sunday my friends threw yet another “Dirty Thirty” birthday party, so named for the feeling that hits when you turn the big 3-0.  While I’ve yet to reach my own Dirty Thirty benchmark, I’ve seen what the milestone has done to its previous victims, and I know that a healthy amount of beer is needed to get through it.

Sunday’s party featured a barbecue and a cooler full of PBR, which we were all complacent enough to drink until someone showed up with a six-pack of Odell’s St. Lupulin Extra Pale Ale. The PBR was quickly forgotten.

I’m very fond of Odell’s wickedly bitter IPA, and the extra pale ale is likewise bold, but finishes rounder and cleaner on the tongue. Pale ales go well with grilled meat, and we were more than happy pairing Lupulin with our hot dogs and burgers. (Its extra dose of hops means it can stand up to spicy brats.)

Lupulin is available June through September, so fire up the grill, grab a six-er, and help your friends ease the anxieties of a Dirty Thirty.