Best Spring Beers In Orange County
Spring is in the air and it's time for a new season of beer. Spring also means a lot of different things to the beer connoisseur. Some love a pale ale, while other love a dark ale. Some prefer fruity aromas and others prefer roasted aromas like coffee, chocolate or caramel. Whatever your preference, at least one of these beers should be on your radar for spring.
Citra WIPA
7631 Woodwind Drive
Huntington Beach, CA 92647
(714) 842-9160
www.beachcitybrewery.com
Citra WIPA (6.2 percent ABV, 65 IBU) is a Brett IPA that was Citra dry hopped. It's a sour take on IPA for a unique blend. Tasting notes: Fruity, citrus and mild hoppy aroma; lemon and grapefruit flavors throughout; fresh, clean and very smooth on the palate with lingering citrus but no bitterness. It's like walking through a grapefruit orchard just before harvest. This would pair well with a spring salad, fish, shrimp, clams, mussels and crab boil.
Anaheim Dark Scotch Ale
Anaheim Brewery
336 S. Anaheim Blvd.
Anaheim, CA 92805
(714) 780-18888
www.anaheimbrew.com
Anaheim Dark Scotch Ale (6.1 percent ABV) is a traditional top-fermented beer with roasted barley that provides the rich, dark color. Unfermentable sugars provide a full body and deep, malty flavor. Tasting notes: Roasted barley, coffee and chocolate aromas; scotchy flavor with a malty nose, slight bite, subtle caramel sweetness and mild aftertaste. This is a great after dinner beer.
The Mesa
Cismontane Brewing Company
1409 E. Warner Ave. Suite C
Santa Ana, CA 92705
(949) 888-2739
www.cismontanebrewing.com
The Mesa (6 percent ABV) is a blend of 25 percent Santa Lucia highland Riesling from Mer Soleil Vineyard and 75 percent Pilsner. The beer is brewed with Nelson Sauvin hops and soured with Lactobacillus to enhance acidity. A blend of wine and beer yeast are used during the fermentation process. Tasting notes: definite white wine tones; smooth but mildly sour due to the wine infusion with slight bite on the front end. This would pair well with fish, salad and lighter fare instead of wine.
Una Mas
Left Coast Brewing Company
1245 Puerta Del Sol
San Clemente, CA 92673
(949) 276-6014
www.leftcoastbrewing.com
Una Mas (5.8 percent ABV, 25 IBU) is a dark copper lager that is styled after popular south of the border amber lagers. Dark roasted malts provide rich color without making thick or chewy mouthfeel. The toasty finish comes from the Munich malt. Tasty notes: Strong and bold with malty and caramel flavors; extremely smooth with no aftertaste. This is an “anytime” beer that would pair well with a wide variety of meat dishes or can easily be enjoyed all on its own.
She Shot First
Bottle Logic Brewing
1072 N. Armando St.
Anaheim, CA 92806
(714) 660-2537
www.bottlelogic.com
She Shot First (4.7 percent ABV) is a pale wheat ale and a twist on an American Pale Ale. It is brewed with Bravo, Magnum, Falconer's Flight and Centennial hops along with Two-row and Vienna wheat malts. The hop combination produces aromas of citrus, while still coming in at a reasonably low ABV. This would pair nicely with seafood, salads, sorbet and fried foods.
Related: Best Brewery Tours In Orange County
