A quintet of local, seasonal, easy-drinking beers.
Juicy hot dogs and salty fries are best washed down with a cool, flavorful beer. And across Reno-Tahoe, there are dozens of local options from which to choose. Whether you’re into a fruit-forward sour or a laidback lager, here are five brews you won’t want to miss this summer.
Mystic Voyage Blueberry + Lemon Sour Ale: Great Basin Brewing Co.
At 5.5 percent ABV, the fruity and tart Mystic Voyage Blueberry + Lemon Sour Ale from Great Basin Brewing Co. (with locations in Sparks, Reno, and Carson City) is the perfect companion for your next outdoor adventure.
“We began with a Berliner Weisse-style ale that has roots going all the way back to the 16th century in northern Germany,” explains Evan Eldridge, brewmaster at Great Basin. “From there, we experimented to find the perfect blend of fruits that would really shine through, eventually landing on 100 percent real blueberries and lemons. We also add a touch of milk sugar to give it a complex fruitiness that dances on the palate, with a tart finish.”
And if you’re looking for an elevated pairing, Eldridge suggests enjoying the ale with a charcuterie board composed of tangy cheeses such as chèvre and Roquefort or even a light seafood dish.
Tahoe American Lager: FiftyFifty Brewing Co.
The Tahoe American Lager by FiftyFifty (in Truckee and soon in Reno) is brewed in the classic American style with malted barley, corn, and American hops. The 5 percent ABV beer is fermented at cool temperatures, then cold lagered for a month for maximum crispness. The result? A bright, highly effervescent lager with a bready malt character, with notes of corn and a dash of floral hops.
“This classic American lager is your locally brewed standby for every occasion this summer — it’s crisp, drinkable, and delicious. Perfect for hot days in the water, at the rodeo, or in the backyard,” says FiftyFifty head of brewing operations Dana Fleming. “Crack another!”
Prickly Mango Nevada Weisse: IMBĪB Custom Brews
Prickly pear and mango mingle in this version of IMBĪB’s popular Nevada Weisse series, combining the “flavors of the desert and tropics” — the perfect antidote to a very long winter, according to Matt Johnson, co-founder of IMBĪB. The sour beer clocks in at 4.5 percent ABV.
“Prickly Mango Nevada Weisse starts as a mildly sour wheat beer modeled after the traditional Berliner Weisse style from Germany. Traditionally, this beer would have been flavored with a fruit syrup just before serving, but we take a slightly different approach and let the beer age on real fruit so that the living cultures in the beer can consume the simple sugars from the fruit,” Johnson explains. “This results in a sour beer full of fruit flavor but lacking overpowering sweetness.”
Lapel DIPA Anniversary Ale: Shoe Tree Brewing Co.
This June, Shoe Tree Brewing Co. (in Carson City and Minden) is celebrating six years of pumping out award-winning beers with its annual limited-edition Lapel DIPA Anniversary Ale. The double India pale ale (9.6 percent ABV) is brewed with no caramel malts, to let the hops shine — a generous mix of Citra, Mosaic, Cascade, Chinook, and El Dorado.
“Lapel DIPA pours a golden color with a thick, frothy, white head. You’ll immediately notice the citrusy and tropical fruit aromas, with hints of mango, pineapple, and grapefruit. The scent is also complemented by a slight piney undertone,” says co-owner and brewmaster Jeff Young. “The beer has a medium body and a smooth mouthfeel, making it easy to drink despite its high alcohol content. The crisp body is from a specific mash temperature that provides the best conversion for highly fermentable sugars, leaving very little sweetness behind.”
Tropical Pale Ale: Tahoe National Brewing Co.
The slightly sweet Tropical Pale Ale is double dry hopped with Galaxy and Nelson hops, which impart flavors of pineapple, peach, citrus, and grapefruit. Tahoe National Brewing Co. (in Tahoe City) brewer Allee Sheehan created the beer for those who aren’t drawn to overly hoppy beers while staying true to the pale ale style.
“We use honey malt and white wheat in the mash to bring in some sweetness and bready smoothness to keep the brew balanced. With several hop additions in this beer, we can ensure the drinker gets a range of flavors, with a slight bitterness on the front end and finishing with a blend of tropical fruits,” Sheehan notes. “The Kveik yeast also imparts some citrusy flavors to complement the higher IBU profile of the pale ale.”
Looking for a bite? The mix of hoppiness and sweetness pairs well with the brewery’s newly debuted Latin American menu, including the churrasco chimichurri plate.
RESOURCES
FiftyFifty Brewing Co. Fiftyfiftybrewing.com
Great Basin Brewing Co. Greatbasinbrewingco.com
IMBĪB Custom Brews Imbibreno.com
Shoe Tree Brewing Co. Shoetreebrewing.com
Tahoe National Brewing Co. Tahoenational.beer
