Bucky's 5th Quarter Barrel: Lakefront Brewery Fixed Gear

So, the basketball season is over. You may have heard about that around these parts. As Wisconsin is the only school in the Big Ten without a Division I baseball team (although we probably have a better record than Northwestern), we've all turned our focus on to football season. But that doesn't start until Aug. 30 (#LSUhatesummer starts now) so we need something to keep us occupied until then.

Luckily for us, beer is a year-round sport, and we here at B5QB have you covered all offseason.

The weather hasn't actually complied with the changing of the seasons yet, but it is spring, and spring is the top, outdoor, beer drinking season. The ideal location for outdoor beer drinking in Wisconsin is a tie between the Memorial Union Terrace and the parking lots at Miller Park.

One beer I suggest checking out the next time you're at either spot is Lakefront Brewery's Fixed Gear. It's one of many gems you'll find on the draught list at Der Stiftskeller and one that you can find at any liquor store in Milwaukee before your 3 1/2 hours of tailgating before a Brewers game. You can also get it inside Miller Park, but it probably costs $100. Stupid stadium prices.

Lakefront Brewery Fixed Gear

Style: American style amber/red ale
ABV: 6.8%
Availability: Year-round

Lakefront has been a staple of the Milwaukee beer scene since it was founded in 1987 by brothers Russ and Jim Klisch on the banks of the Milwaukee River. They are best known for their rollicking brewery tour (given by employees on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays) that starts with beer sampling, continues with beer sampling throughout the tour, and ends with more beer sampling. You get a complimentary pint glass and a coupon for a free beer from a local bar, along with all the samples, for the ridiculous price of $7. Friends of mine that live in MKE often start their weekend nights off with the tour before going out to the bars. My friends are smarter than I am.

The brewery is also the first in the country that received 100 percent organic certification for one of their brews, Lakefront Organic E.S.B. So, that's pretty cool. However, the beer we'll be focusing on today is the aforementioned Fixed Gear.

The hoppy red ale pours a reddish, orangish, crimson (which will be a color in the next Crayola box) with a nice foamy head. The hops shine through in this beer, and are balanced out by a sweet, caramely, matltiness which is more indicative of the "American amber" style. Clocking in at a robust 6.8 percent ABV, this beer is a sipper; unless of course you are about to watch the Brewers play. Then I recommend you drink all six that come in a pack. A fun fact I learned about the beer whilst researching: it's vegan!

Fixed Gear is available all over Wisconsin, in 34 other states, Canada and Israel. So next time you're in Tel Aviv, make sure to order up a Lakefront before saying l'chaim.

Rating: Wisconsin's offensive line. It's a sturdy, efficient beer that isn't flashy but gets the job done well.