When it comes to beer, there are a ton of choices out there, with more being added everyday. This year we’re rounding up some of our fave new finds each month. Some of the brews we did full reviews on, while others are just special gems we found on tap while we were out and about that we think you should know about.
Check out our favorite beers from June here.
By no means a comprehensive list of everything new that came out in June (we can only drink so much!), here are some of our favorites that we’d recommend you grabbing a pint of while you’re out with friends, or picking up a few bottles of at your local bottle shop.
Discover something new this month that you absolutely love? Be sure to tell us about it in the comments!
If you’ve yet to venture into Saisons or Farmhouse Ales, this would serve as a nice introduction for someone who prefers Pale Ales, IPAs or hoppier styles. The big aroma of hops in the nose and those flavors throughout make this a solid option if you’re not a fan of the traditional funk, spice and earthiness that Saisons tend to carry. You definitely still get the Brett here, but it’s balanced nicely with the hops and other ingredients so that not one thing outshines the others. Saison fans will be quite pleased as well, especially with the range of flavors this 5% offering showcases.
Known for big beers that defy and challenge style profiles, Surly’s #Merica! is one of the brewery’s more direct beers: a pre-Prohibition lager brewed for hot days with hot dogs. It’s still a light-body lager with the intent to refresh, and that’s where it works best. Sipped over the course of an hour, #Merica! gets warm and loses its charm. Enjoyed chilled with salty BBQ-style foods, it’s a goldmine pairing that takes the edge off the hot sun and heavy cuisine. First and foremost, #Merica! is a summer beer. While a certain proclaimed king of beverages may be shilling a similarly named product this summer, it’s worth noting that #Merica! was first released on July 4, 2015 to celebrate punk band Dillinger Four’s 21st anniversary, making the jump to distribution in 2016.
The folks at Melvin were nice enough to send us a few cans of their IPA this month. This big 7.5% India pale ale is perfectly balanced with hops and citrus and is absolutely delicious. After we finished the two cans we had, we immediately started trying to figure out where we could snag some more. If you come across this one, definitely stock up.
Flat12 Bierwerks Cucumber Kolsch
It pours a clear, soft yellow and has an earthy, almost salty nose to it. Cucumber is one of those adjuncts that could be so subtle, that it gets completely lost in a beer. That’s not the case here; The cucumber is all over this thing, coming on strong front and center and carrying on long past the finish. Is everybody going to dig it? No. But then, that fancy cucumber spa water isn’t for everyone either.
Dogfish Head Bière de Provence
This French inspired saison is a cloudy gold color with an aroma that’s floral with both sweet and spiced notes. It features sweet fruits and black pepper, cardamom, and the as-advertised additional ingredients of bay leaves, marjoram, and a subtle touch of lavender. Think bananas and cloves for simplicity.
The pour is slightly hazy, with a deeper copper tone than Redhook’s other new beer, Summerhook. The nose is more interesting too, with bright notes of citrus. And that nose gives you a sense of what’s to come in the sip. Redhook’s American Pale has a creamy mouthfeel and a full body. Is Pale a game-changing beer? No. It’s a straight forward, some would say classic, take on the American Pale style. It’s balanced, incredibly sessionable and easy drinking, and just complex enough to keep you going back for more.
Tree House JJJULIUSSS
If you’ve yet to try one of the cloudy New England-style IPAs, we challenge you to seek one out. Tree House has can releases on a weekly basis, sometimes multiple releases in a seven-day period. Their beers are so popular you have to visit the brewery to pick up those highly sought-after cans or growlers, as the company doesn’t yet distribute the tall boys to other parts of Massachusetts. These citrus-heavy IPAs are a perfect hoppier, higher ABV choice for the summer months when you need something refreshing to help beat the heat.
21st Amendment’s Hell or High Watermelon
Hell or High Watermelon has been around for while, but there’s nothing quite like sipping on the beer while visiting the brewery in San Francisco. This light, refreshing brew comes with a watermelon slice garnish when you order it at the brewpub. It’s the perfect treat on a hot summer day, which we were all having a lot of this month.
New Belgium’s Side Trip Ciders
Ok, so they’re not technically beers, but we fell in love with New Belgium’s Side Trip ciders this month. New Belgium’s Side Trip Ciders, not to be confused with its Belgian Style Pale Ale by the same name, offer two (very similar) options for those who prefer apples over hops. Both of the ciders are fermented with fresh-pressed apples, offering a fresh fruit taste that’s not overly sweet. The brewery says that these two are the result of a five-year quest that took it to the Pacific Northwest, Vermont and Western North Carolina in search of the ideal American apple varieties, seeking guidance from master cider makers. Both options are delicious.