'Liquid Sunshine' does not disappoint

On Sunday, I mentioned that I sampled a bottle of Virgin Islands Brand Island Summer Ale, which arrived at my house recently as part of my “Beer of the Month Club” shipment.

This was one of two beers in the shipment that’s produced by Virgin Island St. John Brewers. The other beer is called Virgin Islands Brand Liquid Sunshine Belgian-Style Ale. I sampled a bottle of it today and was not disappointed.

According to this month’s issue of “Beer Expeditions,” Liquid Sunshine “presents refreshing flavors with notes of coriander and orange. You’ll like the smooth wheat mouthfeel.”

As a Belgian-style pale ale, these types of beers don’t “fit neatly into any classic styles, but are in a top-fermented class of their own. They are brewed with herbs and spices, with light to medium body and a wide range of hop and malt levels. Excellent with salads, steamed mussels, light seafoods.”

Virgin Islands St. John Brewers, located in the U.S. Virgin Islands, sounds like an interesting brewery. Here’s what “Beer Expeditions” had to say about this company.

“The Tap Room is St. John Brewery’s island microbrewery, and if you are fortunate enough to visit the Islands, don’t pass up the chance to visit. Located in Cruz Bay on St. John, it is the only craft beer draft bar on St. John or St. Thomas, home to the largest selection of microbrewed beers in the Caribbean. (They also offer their own root and ginger beers, and Green Flash energy drink.)

“So how did it all get started? Two college buddies (one a NASA scientist, the other a physical therapist) quit their jobs, seeking the island life of St. John. Their first few weeks were spent bussing tables and calling an old boat with no electricity ‘home.’ They graduated to being bartenders, and rented a tiny apartment. Then boredom set in – not with island life, but with island beer. Using internet pointers and a $50 beer-making kit, they experimented with a mango pale ale and other brews, still keeping their bartending jobs.

“By 2004, their brews were being noticed, and they knew they were filling a void. The increased demand meant they needed to expand, needing a way to bottle and distribute the beer. (Early brews were housed in hand-sterilized glass water bottles; distribution was via a temperamental old Toyota.) Piece by piece it all fell into place, and today they make killer brews, while maintaining the joy of island life and all it has to offer.”

For more information about St. John Brewers, visit their Web site at www.stjohnbrewers.com.