I lived in Portland, Maine for a couple of years. While I was there, I began to truly develop my love for beer – all sorts of beer. In fact, it was in Portland that I had my first taste of anything Magic Hat, a brewery out of Vermont. It started with Magic Hat #9, a “not quite pale ale,” with the essence of apricot. For those out there who hate anything to do with fruit in beer, I would like to point out that #9 is not over-flavored in any way. So, if you’re looking for a good brew with slight fruit infusion, instead of a fruit slap in the face, Magic Hat #9 is a great way to go.

I find IPAs great for most times of the year, although not quite as refreshing as some other brews might be during the hot summer days and nights. Enter wheat, a perfect choice for almost any muggy day. Magic Hat Hocus Pocus is an English wheat ale with a light, crisp, refreshing flavor. Even the boys over at thebrewclub.com agree. Try it this week with a slice of orange.

Many of you, I’m sure, drink Blue Moon with a slice of orange. In fact, you may be thinking, "Why switch from what I already know?" Well, if you weren’t privy to this already, Blue Moon is a bit of a wolf in sheep’s clothing – it looks and acts like a craft brew, but I assure you, it’s made by Coors. So, if you’d rather support the little guys out there, instead of one of the beer monsters, give Magic Hat a try.

Now, if you’re one who just loves fruit-infused beer more than anything, may I suggest Sea Bog Blue Paw? It’s a nutty, thirst-quenching wheat ale infused with the flavor of fresh, wild blueberries from Maine. You can even smell the blueberry upon opening the bottle. Sipping it is like experiencing summer itself. Luckily for me, the Sea Dog brewery was practically in my backyard while in Portland. With so many great craft brews around, it’s no wonder I developed such a taste for beer!

TAGS [ MAGIC HAT | SEA DOG | BLUE MOON | CRAFT BREWS | MICROBREWS | CRAFT BEER | SUMMER BEER | WHEAT ALES ]