As the trees flower with verdure and the overcast is burnt away under the summer sun, it’s time to crack open an ice-cold orange beer and make a toast (or a few) to long, lazy days. Citrus and beer is a zesty, refreshing match made in heaven. And while on a hot sunny day, you may have drained a sweating Brass Monkey — the 40 oz concoction of malt liquor and OJ — you probably have not sipped on these inventive, fresh, citrus craft brews.
Ommegang Witte
Perfect for the summer, this refreshing Belgian “Witte” (Flemish for white) ale is brewed with wheat, orange peels, and coriander for a golden, hazy look, and a zesty lemon taste. The balanced blend of sweet malt and tangy citrus notes offers a complex, unique brew, perfect for a ninety-degree day.
CitruSinesis
Lagunitas doesn’t take their love for citrus lightly, packing 7.90% ABV and a hefty punch of Sanguinello Blood orange juice in this pale-ale. Juicy orange pulp (yes, there is pulp in the bottle), citrus hops, and malt notes of caramel and wheat make up the bold body of this beer, with hints of pine and grapefruit rind on the finish. Bold and refreshing, starting a six-pack of CitruSinesis too early in the day could be dangerous.
Anniversary Ale
Bittersweet, boozy, and bright orange, this wheat wine celebrates the anniversary of Short’s Brewery with a hefty 10% ABV. Nothing like your summer shandy! This beer opens rich and sweet with flavors of orange cream, caramel, orange peel, and malt bubbling on the tongue. Balancing this saccharine start, the ale finishes with a more bitter kick, complimented by hints of peppercorn. Layered with flavors like a Metropolitan ice cream, this sweet, boozy dessert goes down too easy.
Citradelic
A proper celebration of citrus, this IPA is brewed with Citra hops and tangerine peel. Deep amber in the glass like the heart of a tangerine, this beer explodes with orange zest, hoppy IPA tang, and creamy caramel. Citradelic is like a boozy, orange creamsicle in a can.
