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Spring Beer Guide |
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Unlike summer, autumn and winter, not many styles of beer are brewed specifically for spring. Even so, there are quite a few beers that beer lovers associate with the season, mainly because they just seem to taste better at this time of year. Light in color and wide-bodied, bock lagers were the first traditional spring beers, brewed during the winter months specifically for tapping in mid-March. Legend has it that monks who were fasting during Lent originally brewed the chunky beer for sustenance and nutrition. Spiced beer and fruit beer with lighter profiles and bright flavors are also popular during spring. Here are a few of our top picks for seasonal spring beers: Sam Adams Alpine Springs - Samuel Adams Brewery, Boston, MA From the brewer: This bright citrusy unfiltered lager is the perfect transition from winter’s heavier brews to the lighter beers of summer. Borne of our brewers’ many trips to Germany, Alpine Spring features a unique blend of lager attributes: the balanced maltiness and hoppiness of a Helles, the smoothness and slightly higher alcohol of a traditional spring bock, and the unfiltered appearance of a Kellerbier. The beer is brewed with Tettnang Noble hops to add a unique, bright orange-citrusy aroma and flavor. Style: Kellerbier | Color: Hazy Golden | Alcohol by Volume: 5.5% | Malts: Two-row Harrington, Metcalfe, Copeland Pale, Honey | Hops: Tettnang Tettnanger Noble Saranac White IPA - Saranac Brewery, Matt Brewing Company, Utica, NY From the brewer: We've taken a delicious American IPA bursting with Citra hops, and given it a whole new direction by adding the refreshing fruitiness of orange peel and coriander and the softening characters of wheat malt and oats. You'll notice the complex hop flavor you've come to expect in an IPA, balanced with the extraordinary bright flavor of a wheat beer. Cheers to twisting tradition! Style: Hybrid IPA/Belgian White| Color: Pale Straw-Hazy | Alcohol by Volume: 6.0% | Malts: Two-Row Wheat Oats | Hops: Citra Sierra Nevada Ruthless Rye IPA - Sierra Nevada Brewing Company, Chico, CA From the brewer: Rye has been a staple grain for millennia, sought after for its stubborn resilience in the field and revered for its unique flavor. Ruthless Rye IPA is brewed with rustic grains for refined flavors—combining the peppery spice of rye and the bright citrusy flavors of whole-cone hops to create a complex ale for the tumultuous transition to spring. Style: Rye IPA | Color: Deep Red | Alcohol by Volume: 6.6% | Malts: Pale, Rye, Caramel, Chocolate | Hops: Bravo, Chinook, Citra, Experimental Hops Saranac Red IPA - Matt Brewing Company, Utica, NY From the brewer: Our Red IPA is a twist on a traditional West Coast IPA featuring a deep red color from European dark caramel malts. We brew with generous amounts of American hops including Calypso, Palisade and Chinook to give this IPA a distinctive hop aroma. You’ll notice a strong hoppy flavor with caramel malt undertones and a unique color that gives this IPA a whole new personality. Style: IPA | Color:Clear copper pour | Alcohol by Volume: 6.0% Long Trail Pollenator Spring Ale - Long Trail Brewing Company, Bridgewater, VT From the brewer: Long Trail Pollenator Spring Ale features a medium amber body, balanced with a modest amount of Willamette hops. This spring ale is highly drinkable, flavorful and finishes clean and crisp. Pollenator Spring Ale is part of Long Trail’s ECO Brew program, winner of the Vermont Governor’s awarded for Environmental Excellence. Style: Pale Ale | Color: Vibrant Gold | Alcohol by Volume: 4.6% | Malts: Two-Row, Crystal | Hops: Nugget, Cascade Yuengling Bock - Yuengling Brewery Pottsville, PA From the brewer: In honor of our 180th Anniversary, America’s Oldest Brewery proudly offers this celebratory Yuengling Bock Beer. This seasonal release resurrects an old brewery tradition of producing a Bock in the late winter and early spring. Dark brown in color, this unique brew offers an exceptional flavor to be enjoyed by all. We invite you to taste 180 years of family brewing tradition in this limited release as we celebrate our milestone. Style: Dunkler Bock | Color: A semi-opac brown ale | Alcohol by Volume: 5.1% | Malts & Hops: Not provided |