What to Drink This Weekend: Greenport Harbor Summer Ale and Citrus IPA
I’ve been told by fairly reliable sources that it’s ever so slightly less disgusting outside today, but I can’t say for sure, since I’m currently holed up in my living room, deeply scarred from the extreme and unexpected heat of these past two days. With the weekend upon us, though, I’m going to have to head out eventually, and you are too, and we’ll need something on hand to drink when we get back, all sweaty and annoyed and also sweaty. I’ve got two recommendations for you, each of them worth at least a growler full: Citrus IPA and Summer Ale, both from Long Island’s Greenport Harbor Brewing Company.
The Summer Ale is a simple and perfectly executed seasonal that will impress discerning beer nerds while at the same time managing not to offend those who don’t know their Cantillon form their Coors Light. There’s a pleasant and understated malt background with subtle caramel notes and just a hint of lemon shining through to make the whole thing extremely refreshing. Over the course of a few hours on Father’s Day last week, I drank all but 12oz of a growler of this by myself, and my only regret is letting my brother-in-law have that one glass. There’s honestly no telling how much of this I’ll drink this summer. Where to get it: Brouwerij Lane, 78 Greenpoint Avenue.
For something with just a bit more bite to it, look to Greenport’s Citrus IPA, an interesting take on the style that achieves considerable bitterness not through excessive hopping but the inclusion of whole oranges, lemons, grapefruits and tangelos at various stages of brewing. The result is a hazy, slightly sweet 6% ABV beer that boasts a huge citrus aroma. The taste isn’t quite as aggressive, with just a touch of orange flashing across your palate before the bitterness takes hold. Both of these beers are as full of flavor as they are drinkable, which is exactly the combination you should be looking for as temperatures rise. Where to get it: Brooklyn Beer & Soda (507 Flatbush Avenue), Pine Box Rock Shop (12 Grattan St.), The Ploughman (438 Seventh Avenue).
Photo by Robert Caputo
