Our favorite early Summer 2021 beer releases

As we slip into the official start of summer next week it’s time for a whole new crop of beers. Palates often change with the season and the New School group of regular contributors are no different, we have been enjoying more fruit and fresher flavors during the middle period when Oregon weather systems fluctuate between downpours and summer temps with indecisiveness. Outside of the annual onslaught of summer seasonals there are some real transitional gems that fall outside of the box but that you should keep on your radar when hitting the bottleshop over the coming days or weeks.

Pelican Brewing + Gigantic Brewing Bird Day Vol. 2

Bird Day Volume 2 is the second iteration of their 25th anniversary collaboration series with past Pelican Brewing alumni who have went on to their own adventures. Pairing up with Gigantic Brewing co-founder Ben Love, Pelican Brewing has created a terrific and unusual beer of the type that you are unlikely to come across again - a Tangerine Golden Ale aged in Mezcal Barrels.

Juicy without being too sweet, pithy without being bitter, tart citrus but not sour. Many of the beers that rely on the use of actual citrus fruits tend towards the sweet and tropical or puckery sour without ever capturing the rindy ripe bite of an orange or that sharp acid spritz you get as you slice into a fresh fruit. There is a hint of vanilla from the oak in the ale, but not the kind of creamy dessert flavors so common in beers these days. The mezcal barrels are even more subtle adding an almost imperceptible smokiness that stays just out of sip, but the warmth of the spirits do come through to give the sense of a fresh pressed cocktail without the burn. Possibly the best part about this beer is that you can tell it’s brewed with tangerines not oranges which are subtly different, but if you are familiar with both you can really perceive it in this beer. Bird Day Vol II is ABV: 7%| IBU: 25 | PLATO: 15º and available now in 500ml bottles or through Pelican’s new subscription service. - By EZRA JOHNSON-GREENOUGH

Fair Isle Brewing

Fay Fuller

Seattle’s farmhouse ale darlings at one-year old Fair Isle Brewing have released their first ever beer in cans. Fay Fuller is named after the first woman to ever summit Mt. Rainier and it’s an all too rare can conditioned saison.

Packaged in March, Fay Fuller gently self carbonated over two months until settling into an effervescent and hoppy funk that pours bright and pillowy from the can. Hopped with German Tennanger and Hallertau Blanc hops with house wild yeasts and bacteria, packaged unfiltered with notes of grapefruit pith, mango and herbs over a dry finish. Track down Fay Fuller while you can in Washington, Fair Isle Brewing will ship direct to homes anywhere in the state from their webstore. 5.2% ABV 16 oz cans & draft. - By EZRA JOHNSON-GREENOUGH

Pfriem Family Brewers

Las Piñas

Pfriem Family Brewers has made a name for itself with a wide variety of beer styles, earning a reputation of hardly ever doing anything wrong. The brewery's barrel-aged series takes its inspiration from, among other things, Belgian-inspired tart ales, from Flanders Red and Flanders Blonde to a range of fruit-added ales that make no secret of their Belgian influences, with names like Kriek, Bosbessen, Druif Rouge, Frambozen, and others, all borrowed from Flemish-Dutch names for their respective fruits. For Pfriem's pineapple fruit ale, though, the influences may be Belgian, but the name is straight from Spanish-speaking Central America.

While there is plenty of Costa Rican pineapple in Las Piñas, don't expect anything like pineapple sweetness. This isn't a piña colada slushie, but a mixed-fermentation sour ale with a lot of Costa Rican pineapple added. There's pineapple in the aroma, but flavor is more subtle, as attenuation has gobbled up most of the sugars and given this a tart, gently pineapple-fruit character. It's a departure from the usual for Pfriem, a brewery that normally tries to source its fruits from within a hundred miles of the brewery, not hard to do with the abundant orchards near Hood River. Instead, they arranged for delivery of 500 Costa Rica-grown pineapples, and set to work extracting the fruit from their pineapple rinds, then selecting a range of spontaneously fermented barrel-aged ales for blending onto the fruit. The resulting beer is then refermented with champagne yeast in the bottle for conditioning.

The brewery recommends fairly rich food to accompany, as quoted from Pfriem's web site: "Duck, goose, and venison. Pan fried chicken wing/ breast in a Las Piñas cream sauce. Mexican Mole sauce based foods. Milk chocolate, dark chocolate, chocolate-based desserts, cheesecake, panna cotta. Wide range of cheeses - mascarpone, teleme, stracchino, and sharp fresh goat cheese." Tart tropical-fruit beer with magret de canard? Yes please! - By DON SCHEIDT

Von Ebert Brewing

A Boat With No Name

One of the clearest beers on the market right now is A Boat With No Name by Von Ebert Brewing. It has a bright hop aroma with pine and lemon that flows right into the flavor. Strata, Galaxy and Sorachi Ace hops create a collaboration not seen as often as we should. 

The flavor immediately merges into every crevice of your mouth. The traditional, “beer flavor,” stays with you for awhile, making you yearn to get another clean sip in your mouth. Even though the ABV is advertised at 6.6%, it initially drinks like a Session IPA. The bitterness level in the finish completes the experience and full circles to its IPA roots. A Boat With No Name satisfies so many beer drinkers because it balances beer flavored beer with contemporary layers of flavor. Even though it has a multi dimensional flavor, you can enjoy it without having to think too hard. For no reason at all, I seem to be into teal labels right now.

A Boat With No Name is available in 16 oz cans and draft. Cans can be found at bottle shops and grocery stores in the Pacific Northwest. Get it discounted on Can Mondays at all Von Ebert locations. - By NICOLE KASTEN.

Baerlic Beer

Hop Man Double IPA (Teal Edition)

The Hop Man series had showcased the limitless possibilities of hops.  The third in the series, Teal Edition delivers on Baerlic Beer’s description. 

For his third installment, Hop Man comes swinging your direction with fists and kicks full of fruity candy, mango and soft pine with the intention of smashing them directly into your palate…all without physically accosting you (it’s a metaphor, man!). Hop Man is so stealthy that you won’t see it coming, but you’ll sure smell it coming, El Dorado, Simcoe and Mosaic hops are the weapons in Hop Man’s arsenal this time around.

The mango aroma makes you want to run to the closest outdoor party, until the pine resin hits. Then it makes you feel like you can party all night and never return indoors. There is nothing hidden in this beer. A ripe peachiness starts in the aroma and continues through until the finish. It coats your mouth like a Double IPA that keeps on giving, but without the alcohol burn that is often found in 8% ABV beers. Not many beers can get their sweetness and bitterness to actually have a 50/50 partnership, but Hop Man Teal Edition does it.  Be careful with this confidence boosting, party like an outdoor rock star beer. I am excited to see what Hop Woman creates in the future.

Hop Man “Teal Edition” is available at both Baerlic locations in draft and cans. 16 oz cans at finer bottle shops and select grocery stores. - By NICOLE KASTEN

Silver Moon Brewing

Fruit of the Moon series

Silver Moon Brewing in Bend has a new fruited ale series called Fruit of the Moon. Currently there are 2 versions on tap at the Bend pub. These beers are light and crushable, made for the summertime. I tasted the tangerine and pineapple version. The aroma reminds me of fancy candied oranges. The flavor is fruit forward and bright with a hint of malty undertones. The higher carbonation level adds to the bright and fruity flavor. The beer is light in color and has excellent clarity. When you see this beer you know you expect it to be crisp and light. You are not disappointed. These beers are limited release. I highly recommend grabbing them while you can. I personally have not had a beer like this at Silver Moon before and am excited to try other beers in this series. It’s a great addition to their summer line up. - By HEIDI HOWARD