Beer historians and the people who drink with them tend to associate Left Hand Brewing with Milk Stout Nitro. The craft brewery made history and headlines when it debuted the country’s first bottled craft nitro beer at the 2011 Great American Beer Festival.
The Longmont, Colo., operation is no one-trick pony, though. Its beers are available in more than 40 states, and comprise pilsners, American IPAs, and others, including the newly unveiled Juicy Goodness, a dry-hopped, “hazy golden ale.”
We caught up with Matt Thrall, Left Hand’s director of brewing, who is amazingly nicknamed “Truck.” He shared what he really thinks about sours, and what beer he would bring to a desert island.
1. What’s your desert-island beer?
Stone and Wood’s Pacific Ale. It’s light and refreshing, but very Galaxy hop-forward… perfect for a desert island for eternity.
2. What’s the beer that made you fall in love with beer?
North Coast’s Red Seal Ale. I purchased it as a joke for a friend, and ended up laughing at myself.
3. FMK (Fuck, Marry or Kill) three beer types: IPA, pilsner, sour?
Fuck pilsners, marry IPAs, kill sours.
4. You’re on death row (sorry). What’s your last supper beer?
Unibroue’s La Fin du Monde. It seems appropriate.
5. You can only drink one beer for the rest of your life. What is it?
A rustic, hoppy saison from Frantome.
6. What’s the best and worst beer in your fridge right now?
Best is the new Left Hand IPA. I love Galaxy. Worst is a Blue Moon. Someone brought it over.
7. If you could no longer drink beer, what would be your beverage of choice?
Rum.
