It’s officially early spring and that means that there’s a whole new season of beers just waiting to be embraced. While you can’t go wrong with the late spring when it comes to beer choices, we prefer the early days because of the diversity of beers that are well-suited for the weather.
Some days it’s sunny and mild. Other days it’s rainy and uncomfortable. Either way, it’s a great time to be a beer fan!
We selected eight of the best new releases, annual favorites, and seasonal-appropriate brews to taste this month. Keep scrolling to see them all.
Fort George Vortex IPA
ABV: 7.2%
Average Price: $12 for a four-pack of 16-ounce cans
The Beer:
What better way to celebrate this beer’s 17th anniversary this month than to drink a few bottles or cans? Brewed premium 2-row barley, flaked wheat, Munich 10L malt, and Simcoe, Comet, Chinook, Centennial, and Apollo hops, this hoppy, crisp, beer is perfect for all weather.
Tasting Notes:
One whiff of this beer’s nose and you’ll be immersed in a world of tangerines, pink grapefruit, wet grass, fresh-cut flowers, honey, and dank pine needles. There’s more of the same on the palate with notes of mandarin oranges, grapefruit peels, wet grass, lemon peels, and floral, resinous pine. The finish is crisp, dry, and pleasantly bitter.
Bottom Line:
When it comes to classic, balanced, full-flavored IPAs, it’s difficult to beat the appeal of a Fort George Vortex on an April night.
21st Amendment Amendment Lager
ABV: 4.4%
Average Price: $10 for a six-pack
The Beer:
There’s no wrong time of year to drink a lager. That’s why we’re so excited about the launch of 21st Amendment’s aptly named Amendment Lager. This sessionable, 4.4% ABV beer was crafted to be a classic, crushable, no-frills lager with a great balance between malts and hops. It’s crisp, refreshing, and highly memorable.
Tasting Notes:
On the nose, you’ll find cereal grains, honey, citrus peels, and floral, herbal hops. Drinking it reveals notes of freshly baked bread, cereal grains, candied orange peels, honey, lemongrass, and floral, piney hops. The finish is dry, and crisp, and leaves you craving more.
Bottom Line:
If you’re a fan of classic, fresh, easy-drinking lagers, 21st Amendment’s new Amendment Lager is for you.
Ommegang Farm Fresh Ale
ABV: 4.8%
Average Price: $14 for a four-pack of 16-ounce cans
The Beer:
Visiting Cooperstown, New York’s Brewery Ommegang is like stepping into a European brewery in the heart of Central New York. While you can’t go wrong with any of its offerings, we suggest its new Ommegang Farm Fresh Ale. It’s brewed with 2-row malt, white wheat, yellow cornflakes, as well as Hallertau Magnum and Mandarina Bavaria hops. It’s open-air fermented but gets a second fermentation with wildflower honey.
Tasting Notes:
A nose of freshly baked bread, funky yeast, wildflowers, clover honey, and floral, earthy, herbal hops greets you before your first sip. On the palate, you’ll find notes of yeasty bread, sweet honey, citrus peels, and floral hops. The finish is yeasty, sweet, crisp, and refreshing.
Bottom Line:
This is a very unique, sweet, yeasty beer that should appeal to anyone who enjoys Belgian or Belgian-inspired beers.
Jack’s Abby Porch Fest
ABV: 5.5%
Average Price: $10 for a four-pack of 16-ounce cans
The Beer:
If you think that April is too soon for a porch beer or two, you must not have spent a winter trapped inside avoiding snow. One of the best choices for an April porch beer is the aptly named Jack’s Abby Porch Fest This golden-hued, citrus-filled, crushable brew is listed as a summer ale, but it hits shelves in March.
Tasting Notes:
Complex aromas of lemongrass, orange peels, grapefruit, pineapple, freshly baked bread, and floral hops make for a welcoming beginning to this crushable brew. Sipping it reveals a lot of citrus character with tangerine, lemon, lime zest, and grapefruit all making an appearance. There are also notes of cereal grains, honey, and floral, herbal hops. The finish is sweet, citrusy, and crisp.
Bottom Line:
This is a great beer for citrus fans. If that’s you, you’ll want to stock up on this brew from now until the waning summer days.
Roadhouse Plasma Hazy IPA
ABV: 6.9%
Average Price: Limited Availability
The Beer:
April is a great month to enjoy juicy, fruity, hazy IPAs. One of our favorite new hazies is Roadhouse Plasma Hazy IPA. This unique IPA was brewed with some newer, lesser-known hop varieties including Elani, Pink, and HBC 1019 hops. The result is a juicy, cloudy, beer loaded with tropical fruit aromas and flavors along with a ton of hop character.
Tasting Notes:
Complex tropical aromas of mango, caramelized pineapple, guava, passionfruit, watermelon, and dank pine make for a great nose. The palate follows suit with a nice hint of sweet malts, honeydew melon, pineapple, mango, guava, stone fruit, and resinous, dank, prickly pine. The finish is sweet and hoppy but has very little overall bitterness.
Bottom Line:
This is like the hazy IPA equivalent of a tropical fruit cup. Every tropical flavor you could want (as well as a nice kick of hops) is on full display.
Troegs Dream Weaver
ABV: 4.8%
Average Price: $11 for a six-pack
The Beer:
April is a great month for wheat beers. One of our favorites is Troegs Dream Weaver. This year-round, Bavarian-style hefeweizen is brewed with German wheat yeast as well as malted wheat, Pilsner, and Vienna malts. It gets its floral, earthy aroma and flavor from the use of German Northern Brewer hops.
Tasting Notes:
The nose is classic German-style wheat beer with a ton of yeast, freshly baked bread, ripe bananas, cloves, and floral hops. The palate is a mix of yeast, bready malts, bananas, cloves, and other gentle spices. The finish is sweet, spicy, and gently dry.
Bottom Line:
If you’re a fan of traditional German-style wheat beers, you’ll love Troegs’ take on the classic style.
New Belgium Chutney Sour
ABV: 7%
Average Price: Limited Availability
The Beer:
New Belgium collaborated with Bira 91 (India’s most popular craft beer brand) to make Chutney Sour. This Belgian-style Dubbel is brewed with specialty malts, Belgian yeast, and Saaz hops and gets its unique, tart flavor from the addition of tamarind. The result is a beer that is malty and rich but also sour and fruity.
Tasting Notes:
On the nose, you’ll find notes of caramel malts, sweet yeasty aromas, gentle spices, and lightly floral hops. The palate only adds to the spectacle with notes of caramel malts, funky yeast, wintry spices, dried fruits, tart, sour tamarind, and floral hops. It’s a great mix of sweet and sour.
Bottom Line:
If you’re a sour beer fan or a drinker who likes to try something unique, this is the beer for you this April.
Bale Breaker Crop Circles
ABV: 6.5%
Average Price: Limited Availability
The Beer:
Releasing on April 13, this New England-style IPA was brewed with 2-row malt, pilsner malt, white wheat, and flaked oats. It’s hopped with HBC-1019, Mosaic, and Citra hops. The result is a hazy, juicy, fruity, limited-release beer you’ll want to grab this month.
Tasting Notes:
Classic hazy IPA aromas of tangerine, grapefruit, lemon, pineapple, peach, and lightly floral hops make for a great start. The palate continues this trend with a ton of orange peels, lemon, guava, mango, peach, caramelized pineapple, and lightly piney hop notes. It’s sweet, juicy, and loaded with fruit flavors.
Bottom Line:
If you’re a hazy IPA fan and can get your hands on some of this UFO-influenced beer this April 13th, we suggest you do it.
