Warmer temperatures, longer days, greenery, and foliage in spring are a cause for celebration. Welcoming the season is about smelling the flowers, literally. Summer will sneak up on us before we know it, so make sure you take the time to appreciate nature’s revival before the heat wave hits. The beginning of spring can be a good time to find a way or a place to enjoy the outdoors. Folks tidy up and prepare their outdoor living spaces. College basketball concludes while Major League Baseball warms up. And breweries switch some of their taps to beers brewed with flowers, fruit, and lighter notes in mind. Check out these styles perfect for y’all to stay refreshed this April! You’re welcome.
In the nineteenth century (before the invention of vacuum cleaners), March and April were often the best time for cleaning because it was getting warm enough to open windows and doors (but not warm enough for insects to be a problem), and the high winds could carry the dust out of the house. This also was a great opportunity for home cooks to cool a pie, cake, or any baked goods utilizing the crisp air as a coolant. This first beer will surely inspire you to take on this season’s cleaning list. A modern take on the classic Bumble Berry by Fat Head Brewing, Crumble Berry features blueberry purée, Madagascar vanilla beans, local amber honey, and toasted cinnamon sticks to create a nostalgic taste that will remind you of fresh homemade blueberry muffins resting on an open windowsill during an electric spring day. Its foundation has biscuity yet semi-bitter blueberry characteristics. Still, the cinnamon and vanilla come in quickly and create a nice cobbler effect. It’s slightly sweeter than it starts, all while exhibiting that Fat Head balance of never quite overdoing it with these more eccentric brews.
Maybe it’s everything starting to warm up, but something about these smoothie ales and their ability to stack flavors like fruits, candies, and other treats makes it feel like summer came early. And no one goes harder or heavier with smoothie ale than 450 North Brewing Company. With their love affair with marshmallow, you could say that they are the masters of mallow. Marshmetal hits the glass thick, while the nose is hit with dark fruit, sweetened in cream, now battering the senses with boujee smoothie shops. Sweet once on the tongue, its rich fruitiness is contained with poundcake, red velvet cake batter, and jet puff fluff. This smoothie-style sour ale blends blackberry, raspberry, strawberry, pomegranate, and what they’re known for… marshmallow!
A lot of decadence in those last few so let’s draw it back a bit with something for everyone. Ciders are great while things start to warm up so you might as well get ahead of those summer cider heads and check out this new Country Boy refreshment. The inspiration for this brew came from an old friendship and a love for fresh fruit. This tart raspberry lemon sour by Country Boy Brewing is bursting with citrus and raspberry flavor. The cider is a pale grapefruit shade. You will smell a honeyed zest as this one leaps out at you. Your taste buds are welcomed with wildflowers as a rich, clean sweetness sets the stage for a delightfully sour body. As the flavors reveal themselves, the cider quickly rushes with candied notes of lemon heads, passionfruit, and Swedish fish. Sweet, sour and oh, so refreshing.
Spring is finally upon us and is an excellent opportunity to experiment with lots of new drink options. It seems daunting with all the weather changes and allergy season coming back, but I hope something in this article piqued your interest. In spring, we all want drinks that wake our tastebuds, zap us out of hibernation, and flip us from our funk. We’re talking styles like zesty ciders, jammy, tart fruited ales, and crisp, cold smoothie ales all day every day. For the most part, during this season, we want lighter, brighter styles… ones that remind us longer, sunnier days are in our future.
-by Maeve Black
