Photography by Kevin A. Roberts, courtesy of 4 Hands Brewery
You might have recently noticed a trend of hop-forward beers in cans. That’s because cans do a much better job keeping hops happy. Containing no light or oxygen, they’re a hoppy beer’s best friend. Cans are also able to go places that glass bottles can’t, especially in the summertime: float trips, pools, the beach… Here are some of my favorites.
Ska Brewing Modus Mandarina India Pale Ale: Ska took its famous Modus Hoperandi IPA and gave it a citrusy twist. Modus Mandarina is dry-hopped with German Mandarina Bavaria hops, which provide a tangerine aroma.
4 Hands City Wide: Sometimes the prettiest packages contain the best gifts. Inside this slick can is an utterly delectable American pale ale. Packed with Centennial, Citra, and Simcoe hops, this beer reminds you that pale ales don’t have to be boring. And if drinking delicious beer isn’t enough, consider that 50 cents of every four-pack is donated to charities.
Ballast Point Grapefruit Sculpin: Though Ballast Point wasn’t the first to make a grapefruit IPA, it’s known for the beer. An interplay of grapefruit with hops, including Columbus and Centennial, makes this beer eminently drinkable.
Firestone Walker Luponic Distortion: What are the hops in this delicious IPA from Paso Robles? Well, it’s a secret, and head brewer Matt Brynildson ain’t sharing. But this series of rotating hop varieties provides a hearty punch of flavor and aroma while keeping the body clean to emphasize those (secret) hops.
Boulevard Tropical Pale Ale: American breweries don’t have to worry about German beer purity laws; experimentation and collaboration are the name of the game for U.S. craft breweries. Boulevard’s Tropical Pale Ale (not yet available at press time) was born of a collaboration with Tampa’s Cigar City Brewing.
