If you’re a fan of juicy, hazy IPAs, you likely also enjoy fruity and citrus-forward flavors. But just because you’re on board with subtly hoppy, juice-centric beers, doesn’t necessarily mean you’re going to enjoy a fully fruit-forward beer. You know, beers that literally get their flavor from one or more specific fruits vs. “juiciness,” which relies more on the combination of hops and yeast.
Below, you’ll find ten of our favorite fruit-forward beers. These beers might not always be juicy, per se. Sometimes they are, other times they can be quite dry or tart. Still, the fruit aspect is undeniable — we’re talking rasberry, lime, blueberry, sour cherry, and even guava.
Check all ten of our picks for Spring 2021 below!
Karbach Viva Chela
ABV: 5.5%
Average Price: $8.99 for a six-pack
The Beer:
This crisp, fresh Mexican-style lager gets a kick from the addition of lime and salt. The result is a tangy, subtly salty refresher that’s well-suited for spring drinking.
Tasting Notes:
On the nose, you’ll find a subtle salt presence as well as zesty citrus. The first sip is sour, with hints of citrus zest, freshly squeezed lime juice, and a subtle salinity at the finish.
Bottom Line:
You can make yourself a classic chelada-style beer by adding lime juice and salt or you can just drink this beer. One sip and you’ll be hooked on the ease of this option.
Founders Rübæus
ABV: 5.7%
Average Price: $10 for a 4-pack
The Beer:
One of the most popular fruited beers on the market, this 5.7% ale is loaded with fresh raspberries. The result is a pink-hued, slightly sour, homage to the zesty berry.
Tasting Notes:
The nose is brimming with the aromas of fresh raspberries, crisp apples, and subtle yeast. The palate is filled with sour raspberries, yeast, apples, and a slight, tangy, sour finish.
Bottom Line:
If you’re the type of person who likes to go out and pick fresh berries in the summer, this is the beer for you. It’s literally the flavor of fresh berries in beer form.
Shipyard Smashed Blueberry
ABV: 9%
Average Price: $20 for a 4-pack of 16-ounce cans
The Beer:
When you see a beer called “Smashed Blueberry,” you might assume it’s just a simple blueberry ale. But, this 9% hybrid of Scotch ale and porter is well-balanced, delicious, and filled with complimentary blueberry flavors.
Tasting Notes:
Take a few whiffs and you’ll find aromas of freshly brewed coffee, chocolate, and subtle fruit flavors. Take a sip and you’ll find a nice mix of espresso, bitter dark chocolate, and fresh blueberries. The finish is complex, smooth, and ends with a nice combination of blueberries and resinous hops.
Bottom Line:
Most fruited beers are made for fans of lighter lagers and ales. This is the fruit beer for dark beer drinkers who also enjoy the subtle flavor of blueberries.
Ballast Point Grapefruit Sculpin
ABV: 7%
Average Price: $12 for a six-pack
The Beer:
Ballast Point Sculpin IPA is one of the most beloved beers in the world. Its grapefruit-filled version is equally good if you’re a fan of the sharp, tangy citrus fruit. The original Sculpin is already loaded with fresh citrus flavor. The addition of grapefruit only ramps up this highly drinkable brew.
Tasting Notes:
Give this beer a nice nosing and you’ll find hints of fresh citrus zest, pine, and fresh tropical fruits. The palate is swirling with flavors of tangy grapefruit, bitter hops, lemon, and a salty, sweet finish.
Bottom Line:
If you’re already a fan of Ballast Point Sculpin, you owe it to yourself to give this grapefruit version a try. You’re going to love the extra layer of citrus.
Victory Kirsch Gose
ABV: 4.7%
Average Price: $13 for a six-pack
The Beer:
When it comes to fruited beers, it’s no surprise that many of them are also sour beers. But few work in harmony with their featured fruits as perfectly as Victory Kirsch Gose — a beer brewed with sour cherries, sea salt, and various spices.
Tasting Notes:
On the nose, you’ll be greeted with aromas of dried cherries, yeast, and subtle salinity. Take a sip and you’ll find hints of coriander and sour cherries, wrapped up in a tangy, subtly salty package. The result is crushable and crave-able.
Bottom Line:
Some beer drinkers are afraid to jump headlong into the world of gose-style beers. This is a great first step into the salty, sweet world of gose.
Sixpoint Berry Jammer
ABV: 4%
Average Price: $15 for a six-pack
The Beer:
Sixpoint made this session beer to be a sweet, tangy, fruity, crushable brew. It’s made with ripe cranberries, raspberries, and strawberries to give it the perfect sour to sweet ratio.
Tasting Notes:
Nosing this beer is like breathing in the aromas of fresh, ripe berries waiting to be picked. Sipping it is like a symphony of fresh, tart cranberries, sweet, tangy raspberries, and lush, juicy strawberries. The last gulp is sweet but ends in a tart, subtly sour finish.
Bottom Line:
This is the perfect session beer for fans of fruited beers. The mix of berries gives it a unique, easy-to-drink flavor.
10 Barrel Guava Crush
ABV: 5.3%
Average Price: $12 for a six-pack
The Beer:
Like Sixpoint’s Jammer series, 10 Barrel has a whole slew of Crush flavors. The best, however, is its guava brew. This tart Berliner Weiss-style beer is flavored with sweet-n-tart pink guava. The result is a juicy, sweet, highly drinkable brew well-suited for sipping on a hot day.
Tasting Notes:
On the nose, you’ll find scents of papaya, guava, and fresh grapefruit. The sip yields tangy, tart pineapple, guava, and various citrus and tropical fruit flavors. It all ends in a pleasing sour, subtly hoppy finish.
Bottom Line:
This series is called “Crush” for a reason. Guava Crush is designed to be enjoyed rapidly while you play yard games or lounge on a porch on a sunny day.
Magic Hat #9
ABV: 5.1%
Average Price: $10 for a six-pack
The Beer:
In true Magic Hat fashion, this “not quite pale ale” doesn’t actually say what fruit gives it the sweet, juicy flavor. But it can be assumed based on the color of the can and taking one sip that it’s apricot. It’s crisp, fresh, subtly sweet, with a nice, bitter kick of hops.
Tasting Notes:
Take a few moments to breathe in the aromas of sweet peaches, dried apricots, and caramel. The palate is loaded with crisp pear, more juicy apricot, toasted caramel, and a nice citrus-filled hoppy finish.
Bottom Line:
This crisp, sweet pale ale is a great gateway into the world of fruited beers. Plus it’s available pretty much everywhere.
21st Amendment Hell or High Watermelon
ABV: 4.9%
Average Price: $10 for a six-pack
The Beer:
This is the beer that put San Francisco’s 21st Amendment on the craft beer map. This summery, American-style wheat beer is ramped up with the addition of fresh watermelon. The result is a hazy, yeasty, subtly melon-flavored brew that drinks well any time of year.
Tasting Notes:
On the nose, you’ll find aromas of spicy wheat and sweet melon. Take a sip and you’ll be greeted with flavors of cantaloupe, watermelon, honeydew, and sweet yeast. It all rounds out with a subtle-bitter, hoppy finish.
Bottom Line:
If you were to make a beer that tastes like summer in a can, this would be it. It brings up memories of eating ripe watermelon on a hazy summer day.
Dogfish Head Super Eight
ABV: 5.3%
Average Price: $12 for a six-pack
The Beer:
This fruited beer isn’t for the faint of heart. It’s jam-packed with fruit and that can be a bit overwhelming for some drinkers. This sessionable beer is brewed with mango, prickly pear, boysenberry, raspberry, blackberry, elderberry, and juice, toasted quinoa, and red Hawaiian sea salt.
Tasting Notes:
The nose is swirling with fresh, ripe fruits, sweet grains, and subtle salt. On the palate, you’ll find hints of oats, ripe berries, tropical fruits, and tangy pear. The finish offers a nice, gentle, slight salinity.
Bottom Line:
So you can’t make up your mind about which fruited beer to try? Why not try them all at once with this unique, fruit-loaded, and tart brew?
