- Weldwerks Brewing | Mosaic Extra Extra Juicy Bits | Hazy DIPA, 8.5%
In a sea of hazies, Juicy Bits by Colorado’s Weldwerks Brewing stands out. Brewed to a judicious 6.7% and hopped with Citra, Mosaic and the watermelon cotton-candy aroma-forward El Dorado, it is a platonic ideal of the style. Every so often, Weldwerks will release a scaled-up version, increasing the ABV to 8.5% (firmly Double IPA territory) and layering a second round of dry-hopping with a single varietal, announced in its title. This current iteration leans into the Mosaic, offering bright pineapple and blueberry tones to the mélange.
- Heater Allen | Zwickelbier | Zwickel/Kellerbier, 5%
The Franconian town of Bamberg in the northern part of Bavaria is best-known for its Rauchbier (smoked beer), as exemplified by breweries such as Aecht Schlenkerla and Spezial. Yet it is also home to Mahrs Bräu, who have made decocted lagers and other Landbier (literally, “country beer”) their calling-cards. Inspired by their ungespundet (unfiltered, unbunged) lagers, Heater Allen has produced a paean to the rustic traditional cloudy beers of the region. Prost!
- Lost Abbey | Framboise de Amorosa | Oak-aged Sour Beer, 8.5%
If acidity and complexity in beer is what you desire, look no further. Framboise de Amorosa is a crimson ruby-hued oak-aged sour beer with heaps of zingy raspberries from The Lost Abbey. Once only a fleeting release in corked-and-caged 375ml bottles, this spring seasonal is now available in slim 12oz cans, with the price cut by half (!). After Red Poppy’s previous appearance in this packaging format, one can only wonder which other sour beers from Lost Abbey’s back catalog we may be seeing soon…
