Perhaps my personal favorite hatch of the year is the Baetis. Specifically, the Baetis in the fall in Yellowstone Park. Dad and I have spent many, many chilly, drizzly days swinging soft hackles or throwing tiny dries on the Firehole while the BWOs are out. This year will be no exception. Sure, the fish on the Firehole aren’t too big, but it’s a tradition and a good one at that.
The Baetis are around for a goodly portion of the year, but something about the fall hatches just seems better. Maybe it’s because fall is the best season of the year; the weather is great, the crowds are down, and there is the potential for some big fish. Everything is better in the fall. Fall is also great beer drinking weather. Nothing beats a cold one while taking a lunch break on the banks of the river, enjoying some hot soup on a drizzly day.
Madison River Brewing in Belgrade, MT has once again shown their fishing chops with their beer Baetis Belgian Orange. This beer has been out a while, but I have only had it once. For some reason, I can’t seem to find it in a grocery store to save my life. (Any tips on this front would be greatly appreciated).
It’s a lighter wheat bear, with a lower alcohol content than most of their brews and lacking much of the bitterness you might expect. Orange tones are the first thing you’ll taste, but they don’t overpower the beer, just complement it nicely. True, orange beers are mainly a summer time thing, but let’s face it. If a beer is named after your favorite hatch, you’ll drink it any time.
Baetis Belgian Orange is a pretty sweet beer, and would go great with lighter meals, hot days, and is a great choice for someone who doesn’t like dark, bitter beers. Once the weather turns the fall Baetis will start showing up in numbers, so why not get yourself in the mindset with a good beer?
