Marc Bona, cleveland.com
13 beers to try before summer ends
CLEVELAND, Ohio - Summer is almost over. But you still want that light yet flavorful beer this time of year. This month, we tasted 13 beers, all topping out at 6.5 percent alcohol or less. Since we cover so many of the breweries in Northeast Ohio on a regular basis, our reviews concentrate on beers from out-of-region breweries. We try to offer flavor profiles rather than offer a thumb's up/down approach. As usual, we show the beer's color along with its can or bottle label. All are available for retail sale in Northeast Ohio. Cheers!
Marc Bona, cleveland.com
Billows
Burial Beer Co., Asheville, N.C., hoppy Kolsch, 4.9 percent alcohol
A bit of lime comes through in this definite summertime sipper. Billed as a "hoppy Kolsch-style ale," it's flavorful while light-bodied. Hops do come out - not like a big India Pale Ale, but enough to let you know they are present and accounted for.
Marc Bona, cleveland.com
Consilium
Renegade Brewing Co., Denver; Pale Ale, 5 percent alcohol
Orange - with which this ale is brewed - is subtle, so don't expect hoppy pith flavors. It's also brewed with lactose and oats. It is deliciously creamy, and very smooth. Via the Tap4Tap program, we learn "each gallon of Renegade beer purchased provides one day of safe drinking water to a person in need."
Consilium is a Latin, legal term referring to setting a date for arguments. No argument here; it's a tasty one.
Marc Bona, cleveland.com
Deschutes Fresh Haze
Deschutes Brewery, Bend, Oregon; India Pale Ale, 6.5 percent alcohol
A very smooth ale with creamy mouthfeel from the 30-year-old Oregon brewery. Tropical notes come out, orange is there but subtle, and the hops aren't screaming in this one (it registers at 45 International Bittering Units).
Marc Bona, cleveland.com
Devotion Blonde Ale
The Lost Abbey, San Marcos, California; Blonde Ale, 6 percent alcohol
Good carbonation with an ever-so-slight lemon tinge, clean-tasting and a very long finish. This is light enough to compliment food or just fine as a stand-alone. It's "Belgian-inspired" so that yeast flavor comes out a bit but it's not like you are drinking an alcoholic-tasting dubbel by any means.
Marc Bona, cleveland.com
Goose Summer Hours
Goose Island Beer Co., Chicago; Lager, 4.5 percent alcohol
Clean tasting, smooth and refreshing enough, but fairly basic. Hops barely come out on the finish, which doesn't linger.
Marc Bona, cleveland.com
Hop-On
Abita Brewing Co., New Orleans, La.; New England-style India Pale Ale, 6 percent alcohol
It's billed as having tropical and citrus notes, but I actually detect some pine in this hazy IPA, along with a faint hint of lime in the background. It's brewed with Cascade, Citra and Ekuanot hops. Drinkable, though it didn't blow me away.
Marc Bona, cleveland.com
Nothing Too Fancy
Rock Brothers Brewing Co., Boulder, Colorado; Pale Ale, 5.1 percent alcohol
This is one of those beers where the hops do not smack down the malts. It's balanced and tasty with a strong dryness on the finish. The brewery is a consortium of bands and beer. This one is inspired by Umphrey's McGee and brewed in collaboration with Cigar City Brewing.
Marc Bona, cleveland.com
Rogue Honey Kolsch
Rogue Ales, Newport, Oregon; Kolsch, 5.2 percent alcohol
Ingredients for this ale - including the honey - come from the brewery's farms. Hops come out, but the style definitely keeps them subdued. There's an ever-so-slight sweetness from the honey, but it's barely detectable; the hop bitterness is more predominant. It's fairly light-bodied and has a finish that doesn't linger.
Marc Bona, cleveland.com
Brewer's Pride Dewberry Tart
Spoetzl Brewery, Shiner, Texas; ale with wild dewberries, 5.9 percent alcohol
Tart raspberries with fresh berry flavor stay on the palate. Blueberry comes out first, followed by a mild adventure in tartness. Shiner isn't the most boutique of breweries, but the Texas beer maker is making an effort with some creative offerings.
Marc Bona, cleveland.com
Solid Gold
Founders Brewing Co., Grand Rapids, Michigan; Lager, 4.4 percent alcohol
Clean-tasting and nothing crazy, but a sippable brew with good body - nice post-cut-the-lawn beer. Sessionable with no off flavors and a slight citrus aroma.
Marc Bona, cleveland.com
Gold Standard
Taxman Brewing Co., Bargersville, Indiana; Belgian-style Blonde Ale, 6.2 percent alcohol
Tasting notes describe an ale that boasts "dynamic Belgian esters" that go along with "subtle malt flavors and delicate grassy hops." Banana (esters are a fruitness that arises in certain beer styles like this one) definitely comes out right away, and the finish is a smidgen tart. Belgians might not be the first thing you reach for after yard work, but this is a nice change of pace on occasion and - for the style - low in alcohol.
Marc Bona, cleveland.com
Veltins
Brauerei C & A Veltins, Meschede-Grevenstein, Germany (about 130 miles north of Frankfurt); Pilsener, 4.8 percent alcohol
This is the beer you drink after a day of yard work as you sit on your porch. It's the one where your neighbor will glance up and think you are drinking something fancy. But in truth it's a simple German pils. No inoffensive flavors. Hops are definitely there for the style. A quaffable sipper. You might even share one with him.
Marc Bona, cleveland.com
Vera
Around the Bend Beer Co., Chicago, Cream Ale, 5.2 percent alcohol
This one intrigued because it's a style not made very often, and pistachios are a rare find in brewing as well. There's a slight nuttiness, and the carbonation is what you would expect from a Cream Ale (it tends to have a finer foam). But it wasn't the smoothest CA I've ever had.
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