Craft Beer Austin Staff Picks | Summer 2020
With summer approaching and temperatures rising, the team got together to bring you our Craft Beer Austin Staff Picks for Summer 2020. What are we drinking to stay cool and have fun over the next few months. What beers do we recommend to help our communities, to aid our industry friends and to help us all get through the seemingly never ending Dog Days of Summer.
Andrew
All Together IPA Collaborations | Various Breweries
It is hard to name a single beer from this “series” as a beer that I’m drinking. I’ve been trying to go down the list of local (and non local) versions of this beer over the last couple of months. The most recent one from two Austin breweries, Nomadic and Hi Sign, is still available from their taprooms. Be on the lookout for future releases from other regional breweries.
Pam
Hold Out Brewing | Session Boots | Pale Ale
Yes, I’m choosing another Pink Boots collaboration brew with Hold Out Brewing. We were planning to do a fun brew event, but COVID-19 had other plans. However, co-chapter leader Sheila Garcia had no intention of letting that lovely PBS YCH hop blend go to waste, so they brewed not one, but two collaboration beers! It’s a bright pale ale that has stone fruit notes while remaining crisp. You would never guess it’s only 3.8% ABV, its’ the perfect pool beer.
Melanie
Southern Heights Brewing | Evergreen Terrace | IPA
Not gonna lie…picking an IPA that’s my current go-to at Southern Heights is extremely difficult. It’s like asking me to pick my favorite kid…Except I don’t have any…Although they have winners GALORE, I have rediscovered the Evergreen Terrace IPA. Normally, I’m a huge hazy, citrus, fruity fan. (Don’t misunderstand, if you want hazy, you can find several topnotch options at SH) BUT, I was so pleasantly reminded of how much I loved this 6.7% hybrid-esque IPA. It’s juicy but also has those West Coast, piney notes. A nice change of pace, and our fridge is stocked for a few hot summer weeks. Mmmm….”Ale in a day’s work…”
David
Barking Armadillo | Quarantine Island IPA | DDH IPA
Pam and I made it to Barking Armadillo on Father’s Day and I was very impressed with their beers top to bottom. They have a hefe and wit that easily could have been the pick here, but I went with Quarantine Island, because it was my favorite (I trend towards IPAs) and its the one that they are canning first and will be the easiest to grab. I want to give Barking Armadillo some love as well. These are good people that started a business at the worst possible time. I believe that they will be successful in Georgetown and I wish them the best of luck and am happy to support them however we can. See our brewery showcase on Barking Armadillo here.
Dani
Oddwood Ales | Tomorrow’s Trees Today | NEIPA
We’ve been spending quite a few evenings on the patio of Oddwood Ales. My go to beer this summer is their Tomorrow’s Trees Today. This West Coast Hazy IPA comes in at 6.8%. This beer is a nice treat on a hot summer day. And luckily, there’s plenty of shade on Oddwood’s patio to enjoy a beer in the late afternoon.
