“April showers bring May flowers” is what they say and it’s been rainy in Cincinnati. Regardless, it’s always perfect drinking weather. And I’ve had some great beer this past month so making my Best Craft Beer list for April wasn’t too hard.
Local beer continues to dominate my list. If you are from somewhere other than Cincinnati, I’d love some recommendations on what beer I need to try. If it’s good enough; it might make my list in a future month.
Here’s the Best Craft Beer I had last month:
Night Marcher
Style: American Wild Ale
ABV: 8% IBU: N/A
Description
This Island Pale Ale is brewed with Citra hops, as well as fresh tropical fruit (jack fruit, papaya, pineapple, coconut, mandarin orange, guava, lemon peel, & lime peel,) and spices (Jamaican allspice, fennel, ginger root, safron & toasted coriandder) and the beer is 100% brettanomyces fermented.
Why it made the list?
The description above doesn’t do this beer justice, this pale ale is loaded with fresh tropical fruit of all varieties. Which gave it huge fruit flavor when it was fresh.
I enjoyed it a few times after it was released back in the summer of 2016. And while I normally don’t age/cellar beer often, this is one bottle that I decided to hide away. Brett continues to develop over time, so I knew the flavor would change dramatically and I had to see what would happen.
The results is really amazing. The aroma was extremely funky with ample amounts of “barnyard” scent. While that sounds odd; wild ales often have this and it’s really enjoyable.
The flavor still had nice tropical fruit notes but they were very subtle and under layers of the Brett character.
It was also interesting to see how the clarity changed. When fresh, it had an unfiltered, slightly opaque quality. After nearly two years, it was clear. I’ll have to try aging more Brett beers in the future.
The Adoration Of The Mystic Lamb
Style: Saison / Farmhouse Ale
ABV: 6.5% IBU: 47
Description
This tropical fruit juice bomb is brewed with a base of 2-Row, Golden Promise, Flaked Wheat, and Oats and dry-hopped liberally with Citra, Cashmere, Blanc and Southern Cross hops. This beer is fermented with 100% brettanomyces and bottle condition with fruit nectar to present a beautiful hop aroma with a developed true brett flavor.
Why it made the list?
When a friend asks if you want to record a podcast and drink beer from North Carolina, you say yes.
That’s exactly what happened when The Gnarly Gnome asked me to be a guest on the Cincy BrewCast. I’ve been a guest a few times but this time we got to enjoy beer brought back from a short trip he took to Charlotte and Asheville.
While we enjoyed some amazing beers that night, this one stood out. It was unique and memorable. The body was light and effervescent.
While the flavor was earthy and funky. The Brett flavors were there as well as some gentle fruit. It’s not a beer that everyone will love because of the Brett qualities. But for me; I’d gladly drink this on a regular basis.
Double Cherry Slurpy
Style: Berliner Weisse
ABV: 4.5% IBU: N/A
Description
Berliner Weisse conditioned on Sweet and Tart Cherries.
Why it made the list?
It’s official; I love cherries in my beer.
Last month’s list had a few cherry beers as well and I have a strong feeling that more will make this list over time.
But with good reason; cherry beers are really good. While a lot of different fruits are used in craft beer, cherry is one that always stands out as a winner to me.
It is the unique balance of tart and sweet that makes it work so well. And that’s exactly why Double Cherry Slurpy made the list this month. This is the third in this series of Slurpy beers (fruited Berline Weisse) from 450 North.
All have been really good and this one is no exception. While the body was a little thinner than the others, the flavor was really strong. I think it was thinner simply because cherries do not add the same level of pulp as other fruits. Obviously, I didn’t mind.
Bourbon Barrel-Aged Axis Mundi w/ Coffee & Vanilla
Style: Russian Imperial Stout
ABV: 10.5% IBU: 72
Description
Ancient Siberians believed there was a ‘World Tree’ which connected the different worlds through its roots and branches. Within this bottle is undeniable proof of a link discovered between the wolds of brewing and distilling. Repurposed American Oak Bourbon Barrels are filled with Russian Imperial Stout which digs down to its ancestral roots and is tucked away until the proper time to be unearthed, releasing flavors as rich and as dark as the soil in which the World Tree thrives.
Why it made the list?
The styles of craft beer that I enjoy continues to expand but one style that still ranks very high with me is the Russian Imperial Stout. It’s thick, rich, and sweet.
It gets even better when aged in bourbon barrel. And the Bourbon Barrel-Aged Axis Mundi w/ Coffee & Vanilla got better with age.
This specific bottle was aged for 3 years and the result was near perfection. The barrel flavors became stronger while the coffee faded. The bourbon and vanilla seemed to merge into a general sweetness that balance the strong oak barrel flavor.
I don’t age my beer often but I am really glad that I let this one sit. It’s quite different from what the brewer bottled and in many ways it is just as good; if not better.
Learn More About Craft Beer: Craft Beer Cocktails
Final Thoughts
Two Brett beers on my list this month? That’s not normal for me. As much as I like the style, it isn’t something I drink that often. It sounds like I need to seek out more craft beer fermented with Brett.
What unique styles do you find yourself liking more and more? Let me know and maybe I’ll pick up something that you like; who knows, maybe it will be on my list next month.
As always, you can sound off in the comments below or send me a message.