It really can’t be a surprise that this beer is my latest Drink This! addition. The winter months have been draining and soul sucking at times, but Lion Bridge has been able to lift us by the chin and say, “drink our beer, everything will be ok”. Not sure they would actually say that but Quinton does kind of look like the next coming of Jesus and actually, if he would run for President, I would vote for him or maybe Ana would be a better fit..??? any hoo…it’s no secret the demand that this beer has received, and that’s not why it’s my Drink This! choice. Publicity plays a big role into a sale, and this beer has been pubbed by many (yours truly included), but when your background has delivered and delivered on numerous occasions you can understand why at a 3:00 release on Tuesday afternoon, on your 5th Anniversary party you have line snaking almost outside your door, you have now hit that upper echelon of expectation.

Expectation has always been there for Lion Bridge for every beer they’ve made. They expect quality, always have, and their gold medals show that. Now, however, they’ve hit the ever demanding beer lover, beer trader, beer connoisseur level of the craft market. When you’re a brewery that makes a wonderful pils (ziva voda returns soon), a terrific IPA (yard sale), a gold medal English Mild, and a hazy IPA that I can’t wait to see again (Majestic Beast), and now pair that with their Barrel-Aged January greatness that included the January mainstay Gazprom! and it’s variants along with my beer of the year nominee Home Baked, you’ve set yourself up to be an in demand brewery. Which leads us to….

**King Cake** – 5th Anniversary beer, brilliantly released on Fat Tuesday and a beer that dominates your tastebuds. It’s so easy to critique the things you don’t care for in a beer sometimes, but it sure is nice to appreciate the beauty of an amazing beer and taste what the brewers intended for you to taste. Decadence is the word used by Lion Bridge and that is spot on. That’s the perfect word to describe this beer, a caramel, chocolate, toffee, masterpiece really. So, for those who got it, sit back, sip on it, maybe share a taste with a buddy or loved one and just appreciate it.

McClain family…what a joy these last 5 years have been. Your class and focus on local has been such a welcome addition to the community and I’m very thankful I’ve had the opportunity to converse with you both. I would be remiss not to involve Alec Travis in this post…hard working, talented, class act who has been at Lion Bridge since the beginning…..such a great crew, with great leaders. Happy 5 Lion Bridge, King Cake was the perfect beer for this anniversary so it’s time to Drink This! beer!