The spring equinox is upon us!
March 20th signals the end of winter and the jubilant arrival of a fresh new season. Leaves and grass begin to grow again, snow gives way to pollen and allergy season and the winter beers on tap at your favorite bar are rotated out for ones that better reflect the warmer months at hand.
Winter beers are known for being roasted, toasty, spicy and rich. Brews with higher alcohol content to keep you warm at night. Spring beer beers are light, delicate, crisp and fresh, helping to cool you down and cruise through the heat of the day. It’s an excellent time to restock the fridge with exciting new beers and experiment to see which styles you like.
Here are 8 great beers that are sure to breathe new life into your beer repertoire for the spring in a wide variety of styles ranging from Sours, Saisons, Kolschs, IPAs, Mexican lagers, Ales and a Brown Ale unlike anything you’ve ever had. Let’s start there!
Peanut Butter Jelly Time | Catawba Brewing | Morganton, NC
It’s a PB&J in a glass! It truly is. American Brown Ale aged on raspberries and real peanuts that gives it a layered bread, peanut and jelly flavor. With a light-medium feel, it’s very smooth and very drinkable with a smell that will take you back to lunch time in elementary school. It’s an awesome ale to kick off the spring. May seem like a gimmick but it’s really quite an impressive experiment. But it’s only available through the end of April so act fast!
Otra Vez | Sierra Nevada | Chico, CA
With a revamped look and slightly reformulated recipe, the all-new Otra Vez is guaranteed to wake up your taste buds. The light and refreshing flavors of lime and blue agave nectar are the perfect complement to the advent of spring. Tart in nature, Gose-style beers are thirst quenching, go-to brews to keep you feeling refreshed and calling for another round.
SeaQuench Ale | Dogfish Head | Milton, DE
I couldn’t help but put another sour beer on the list because this one is killer! A perfect marriage of three beer styles. A session sour mash-up of a crisp Kolsch, a salty Gose and a tart Berliner Weiss. It’s brewed with lime peel, black limes and sea salt and weighs in at only 140 calories. If you need a crisp, clean drink that pairs with your active lifestyle or just want a refreshing, thirst-quenching beer to mow that newly grown yard with, you’ve found your match.
Corona Premier | Cervecería Modelo | Mexico
Keeping with the theme of healthy, active lifestyles, the brand-new Corona Premier will help keep your body nice and toned through the spring months until you can “Find Your Beach” in the summer. With only 2.6 carbs and 90 calories, this Mexican light lager won’t make you give up your beer drinking in the name of fitness or compromise on taste. It’s easy to drink, light and refreshing and has everything you love about Corona.
Aloha Sculpin | Ballast Point | San Diego, CA
A hazy IPA that brings island vibes to the mainland. Here’s a spring seasonal for those of us who wish we could swap allergies and Bradford Pear trees for a salty ocean breeze and palm trees. A new spin on traditional west coast IPAs with bright and refreshing notes of mango, pineapple and guava. It’s a smooth, juicy, tropical brew that will snap you out of your winter daze.
Sumpin’ Easy Ale | Lagunitas | Petaluma, CA
Great all around warm-weather beer. This ale has a super smooth and velvety mouthfeel with a fruity peachy finish that’s easy to drink and will keep you coming back for another sip. Don’t forget a koozie.
Classic Saison | Blackberry Farm | Walland, TN
Saisons are a classic beer style for the spring. It could be because it shares many of the same characteristics used to describe the season itself. It’s fresh and crisp and light with an earthy and floral hop aroma. Refreshing and bubbly with a fairly low alcohol content of 6%. This beer can be enjoyed by itself on a warm day or with an array of foods.
Lift | MadTree | Cincinnati, OH
Last but not least, we have the Lift Kolsch from MadTree. Kolsch style beers are another great option for the spring months as you journey into warmer days. They’re slightly dry yet refreshing and crisp. This particular Kolsch features subtle notes of orange and drinks cleans. A trustworthy beer to pick your spirits up after a hard day of work.