Thank Mother Nature, spring has sprung! After too many long, cold, dark months, the days are getting longer. Windows are opening. Grass is growing. Temperatures are climbing.
Beer is flowing. But not just any beer… SPRING beer.
Finally, it’s the season for wheat malts, saisons, and citrus. Oh, the citrus.
There’s nothing better than a great spring seasonal.
Oberon Ale (Bell’s)
Though technically a summer beer, Oberon makes its debut at the end of March, and there’s just no way — no how — you’ll convince us to wait two more months to pick up a six-pack, or to order a frothy draught of this wheat ale fermented with Bell’s signature house ale yeast. Mixed in, you’ll find a spicy hop character with mildly fruity aromas, and the addition of wheat malt for a smoooooooth mouth feel, making it a classic summer beer.
Swing Session Saison (Victory Brewing Company)
Hopped with German and American hops; spiced with peppercorns, orange peel and fresh lemon zest; and finished with saison yeasts, this Belgian-style ale from Victory Brewing Company kicks off the season with citrus swagger, spicy refreshment, and a jazzier than jazzy jolt of joy. Swing Session Saison is just begging for a pint glass, and a patio.
White Ale (AleWerks Brewing Company)
Light and hazy: Just how we like to spend a breezy spring day. AleWerks Brewing Company’s take on a Belgian white ale offers a pungent aroma of coriander and orange peel, followed by flavors of wheat, orange, coriander, and fruit.
Rabid Duck (The Duck Rabbit Craft Brewery)
The Duck-Rabbit’s Imperial Stout is extremely big and robust. This special beer is thick, jet black and oily in texture. Complex flavors of roast malts dominate: bitter chocolate and espresso coffee especially. There is also a very big hop presence both for bittering and for aroma. Sip, and savor. It’s spring!
Ice Breaker (Lost Rhino Brewery)
Oh, how long we’ve waited to do just that. And now, we can. An American-style Imperial IPA, Lost Rhino’s Ice Breaker spring seasonal release is packed with an intense rush of citrus, hop bitterness, and a slowly emerging malty sweetness.
Rubaeus (Founders Brewing Company)
Okay yeah, technically, this is another “summer” beer, and won’t make its debut until April, but it’s too wonderful to leave off our list. Optimizing the flavor of fresh raspberries added at multiple stages during fermentation, this stunning berry red masterpiece is the perfect balance of sweet and tart.
Little Hump Pale Ale (Highland Brewing Company)
This American Pale Ale is meticulously handcrafted for full floral hop aroma and flavor. Brewed with grains from America’s heartland — Simcoe® for bittering, Amarillo® and Cascade (both dry hopped) for aromatics — this beer finishes crisp and clean. Have a few, and your freshly mowed lawn will still have arrow-straight lines.