Beers of the week May 9th, 2022

Our Bottlecraft North Park manager, Gene, selects his favorite beers of the week. You can stay up to date on our beer shop favorites through our news feed and also through our Instagram

1. The Hop Concept | QR1 Series Green | West Coast IPA, 7%

Radically changing up their iconography, The Hop Concept debuts a new line of beers with this release. One of the manifold brands in the Lost Abbey / Port family, THC produces West Coast India Pale Ales and nothing but. With an iridescent forest-green QR code as signifier, this difficult-to-find-via-text-search beer is hopped strictly with cryo iterations (also known as lupulin powder): Citra and Centennial provide vibrant uncut key-lime & grapefruit aromatics, like a paloma with the peels left to macerate.

2. Pfriem Brewing | Helles | Helles Lager, 4.8% 

It is head-spinning to behold pFriem in 16-ounce cans! Known for their flawless lagers, this drop in Southern California (alongside Bright Pale, also in that size-format) heralds a new era of access to the best from Hood River. Grainy cereal malt and gentle noble hopping make for a summertime crusher. This pale lager is to be found around these parts for only a limited time, so stock up now!

3.  Brasserie d’Orval  | Orval | Brett Pale, 6.9%

Orval Day 2022 approaches! Falling next Saturday the 21st, this latest of beer holidays celebrates the most singular of Trappist beers. Is there any beer like Orval? Fermented with Saccharomyces (i.e. brewer’s yeast) but bottle-conditioned with Brettanomyces (a famed wild strain imparting rustic barnyard aromas), the final beer is hugely carbonated and bracingly dry. The associated iconic bowl-shaped chalice is a treasured piece of glassware in our collection and will be gladly broken out for the occasion. À votre santé!