Well, almost. Summertime is (and has been) here. Hiking, biking, baseball and beer all come to mind. And what better way to enjoy a crispy cold one in the summer than from a can! As the craft beer scene grows, more and more breweries are canning their beers. When you want to get your drink on in the out-of-doors, cans are the easiest way to pack in and pack out. So here are a few to quench your thirst in that vicious SC heat.
Oskar Blues Dale’s Pale Ale
The OG can of discerning outdoorsmen (and -women) everywhere, Dale’s sits right on the perfect hop-malt border. For an IPA. Don’t let the “pale” fool you, this beer packs the body of an IPA with a hop punch. And it almost looks like a Pepsi. Before South Carolina changed its beer laws to allow higher alcohol percentages, certain people I know would bootleg cases of this stuff from across the state line. It’s still a favorite five years later.
Westbrook Brewing White Thai
Bucking the trend of the traditional Belgian Witbier, Mount Pleasant’s Westbrook delivers a refreshing summer white packed with ginger, lemongrass and Sorachi Ace hops rather than coriander and orange peel, etc. Light and crisp, this one will accompany you on a beach trip quite nicely.
Sierra Nevada Pale AleÂ
A more traditional American Pale with a bit more Cascade hop, Sierra Nevada Pale has been ubiquitous in bottles for quite a few years, but is new to cans. Sierra Nevada has paved the way for craft brewing for the last 30+ years and continues by making craft beer accessible for can lovers as well. The new class of brewers will benefit from such a widely-respected craft brewer making the jump to cans. And with Sierra opening a new brewery in North Carolina, their fresh hops will be even fresher for the east coast!
Caldera IPA
This IPA disappeared from the state a few years back and has come back with its little hop brothers Caldera Amber and Pale. All three are hoppy in their own way, but the IPA takes the cake for backpack friendly West Coast IPAs. Hops abound, but the malt backbone is no joke either. Goes well alone or with tasty grub.
Oskar Blues Ten Fidy
You can’t have a Summer of Stouts (TM) without stouts. And this one from the guys who made canned craft beer a thing is not for the faint of heart. Clocking in at 10.5% ABV and loaded with roasty caramel goodness, Ten Fidy will have you feeling good in no time. Though it seems antithetical to the rest of this summery list, you can’t quite beat a sludgy swig of this righteous Russian Imperial Stout on a steamy southern summer night. It’s a porch beer for after the sun sets. After that, you can say good night. Or G’Night if you please.
No Deviant Dale’s? That stuff has been tearing me up this summer. Wowza!
Love Deviant Dale’s.