Sometimes, I go rambling through package stores in search of beers I haven’t had in a long time — or, better yet, beers I’ve never tried.
Here, in alphabetical order, are six to consider, ranging from a hops-forward dark ale to a take on a classic English IPA and a surprising low-alcohol Irish dry stout.
Allagash Brewing Co. Haunted House hoppy dark ale
This hoppy, malty, 6.6% alcohol dark ale from Maine brewery Allagash is a natural for drinking on the front porch. Brewed with roasted barley, Blackprinz malt, and Crystal, Chinook and Saaz hops, it has a bitterness on the palate a bit like black coffee with a touch of sugar. With that in mind, try sipping it with Halloween candy.
Bold Monk Brewing Co. Umibōzu premium lager
Umibōzu is a light rice lager, named for a sea creature from Japanese folklore. Brewed with Mandarina Bavaria and Pacifica hops, Weyermann Barke pilsner malt and jasmine rice, it’s bright, crisp and refreshing. At 5% alcohol, it’s fruity, with floral and citrus notes and a dry finish, and is a very food-friendly beer.
Credit: Bob Townsend
Credit: Bob Townsend
Creature Comforts Brewing Co. and Good Word Brewing & Public House’s Miles From Home
This collaboration on an IPA in the Burton-upon-Trent style is a result of the breweries’ mutual love of English ales. At 5.1% alcohol, it’s made with English malt, and Old World Sonnet and New World Cascade hops. Beautifully copper-colored and sublimely balanced for autumn sipping, it’s in limited distribution, both in cans and on draft, for too short a time.
New Realm Brewing Co. Psychedelic Rabbit Transcendent IPA
Well balanced at 6.5% alcohol — but definitely made for hops lovers — this golden, lightly hazy IPA features Cashmere, Azacca, Citra and Mosaic hops, along with thiol-active Star Party yeast. The result is an IPA with bright, blooming aromas; flavors of citrus, passionfruit and pineapple; and a subtle sweetness that remains into the finish.
Credit: Bob Townsend
Credit: Bob Townsend
Off Color Brewing Stoutling light stout
From an eccentric, artistic brewery in Chicago, this Irish-style dry stout is just 3.17% alcohol and low in calories, too. Don’t expect a big creamy Guinness widget explosion. Instead, you can enjoy a more subtle — but equally sessionable — experience, with a light mouthfeel, clean bitterness and notes of cocoa and cola. You even could call it a breakfast beer.
Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. Torpedo “extra” IPA
Long ago, at the Sierra Nevada brewery in California, I saw the Hop Torpedo dry-hopping machine in action. I was convinced that it helped create the “extra” IPA’s balanced bitterness, aromas and flavors. At 7.2% alcohol, the mix of malty sweetness with citrus and pine notes comes together in perfect proportions.
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