Colorado Summer Seasonals Hit Denver Shelves
The Summer Solstice is upon us, and we can’t think of anything better than a revitalizing summertime beer. Cool and refreshing, light and breezy, these summer suds will quench your thirst when the temperatures rise. Not only has DrinkDenver found summer’s best suds, you can enjoy these brews almost anywhere because most of these beers come in aluminum cans. Camp on!
Beerito Mexican Lager (Oskar Blues)
This summer brew is a bit different, but what else do you expect from the zanies at Oskar Blues? Beerito is an amber Mexican lager made with premium German and Colorado malts and noble hops. The taste is nutty with hints of walnut, plum and honey, instead of the citrusy light lagers we often think of as Mexican. All this malty goodness is only 4% ABV, so grab a six-pack of cans on the way to your next mountain excursion.
Palm Tree Caribbean Lager (Odyssey Beerwerks)
Move over, Corona. Only 4.7% ABV, this Pilsner-esque brew is made with beaucoup hops and lagered for weeks to hit that perfect balance of malt, hop and a bit of rye. Drinking this full-bodied beer will float your worries away without being watered-down, just like a day spent tubbing on the river. Also available in cans, Palm Tree can float down the river alongside you.
Drumroll IPA (Odell Brewing)
New this summer, Odell’s Drumroll IPA is an unfiltered American Pale Ale. While juicy and tropical, you still get a bold hop taste. There’s a lot going on in this beer, including pineapple, citrus, and mango. They do it by carefully combining a special collection of hops. No fruit or juice was actually added. Enjoy in cans at 5.3% ABV.
Hoss Oktoberfest Lager (Great Divide)
While the calendar says June, Great Divide has an Oktoberfest beer for summer. Available from July through September, The Hoss is a German Marzen lager with hints of cherry and other dark fruits while a touch of rye gives the finish a bit of a bite. At at higher 6.2% ABV, this lager is surprizingly refreshing for summer. Enjoy in bottles or cans, the Hoss has a beautiful red-orange color that matches perfectly with Colorado's summer sunsets.
Los Locos Mexican Lager (Epic Brewing)
While the brewery’s original location is Salt Lake City, UT, this new summer seasonal was created at Epic’s Denver brewery in RiNo. The brewers were inspired to make a bold Mexican lager after dining at local Chef Troy Guard’s “badass” Mexican restaurant Los Chingones a few blocks away. Made with a touch of natural lime and a pinch of sea salt, Los Locos is a citrusy golden lager that goes down almost a little too easy on a hot summer day, but it’s only 4.8% ABV, so that’s OK. You won’t need to add a lime wedge to this can.
Mango Mosaic Pale Ale (Breckenridge Brewery)
At Breckenridge’s new larger brewery in Littleton the brewers have been experiencing a bit of a beer boom now that they have the room to experiment. Mango Mosaic could be considered the “fruit” of those labors, see what we did there? While the scent is tropical and fruity when you pop the top, this new beer is has a full hopped taste, giving it a unique yin and yang as you sip. Pair it with spicy Caribbean dishes (think Jamaican Jerk or Trinidad Curry) for a touch of sweetness. It also has a slightly higher 5.5% ABV that will satiate at any summer BBQ.
Orchard Wheat (Wynkoop)
This summer seasonal from Wynkoop is back and ready for your next camping trip. The Orchard is an unfiltered American-style wheat beer made with premium malts and natural peach essence and juice to give it a touch of sweetness. You might be familiar with this brew if you frequent Elitch Gardens in the summer because it was originally a custom brew for the amusement park. We can now enjoy this creamy, bread-y goodness anywhere because this 4.8% ABV beer is available in cans.
Princess Yum Yum Raspberry Kolsch (Denver Beer Company)
One of Denver’s best named beers, Princess Yum Yum is pretty in pink and fermented with real raspberries. The beer is sweet at first sip, but much like Cinderella fleeing the ball at midnight, it has a dry, tart finish that gives it a bit of mystery as she slips away. Enjoy this 4.8% ABV Kolsch all summer long in DBC’s newly designed cans.
Photo via Flickr user craigemorsels
Tags: Beer