By Brian Beauchemin

In the beer world, you can always tell when the seasons shift to warmer temperatures as the big, burly, high alcohol malt bombs of fall and winter are no more. An abundance of hops make their presence known in May but our local brewers also deliver sessionable lagers, ciders, and even the summer flavor of cucumbers. A couple classic Belgian beers including witbier, saison and Flanders red round out a month of fantastic releases. This time of year is perfect to lounge on brewery patios while raising a glass toasting our Charlotte-area brewers’ hard work. Unless otherwise stated, all products are already available in taprooms and/or in the local market. 

Birdsong Brewing     

Pink Robots, a 3.9% ABV kettle-sour ale, is brewed with a unique blend of raspberries and blackberries making it great for patio season. It’s bright, tangy, and deliciously fruity with upfront berry aromatics and a lingering tartness. To celebrate the release, Birdsong and Thoughtful Baking will hold a pie-eating contest May 9 from 6 to 8 p.m. Entry is $5 with the winner taking home a prize. The release starts at 3 p.m., and pies will also be available for purchase.

Devil’s Logic Brewing

Space Rodeo is a 7.2% ABV American IPA brewed with Amarillo, Cascade, and Citra hops providing piney aspects with notes of grapefruit and stone fruit. 

Bang-a-Uey is a 5.5% ABV New England pale ale dripping with aromas of orange creamsicle, pineapple, and lemon/lime. 

Three beers return May 30. At 7.3% ABV, Humanslaughter is a West Coast-style IPA whose hops provide piney, dank characteristics with notes of candied citrus and berries. 

Adding rice to Lake Loop Lager lightens the body and allows the hops to shine through while maintaining the lager character. The 4.6% ABV rice lager boasts sauvignon blanc grapes, zesty citrus, and passion fruit attributes. Lastly, Juicifer is a 7% ABV New England IPA that boasts a slightly thicker mouthfeel, with strong notes of pineapple, tangerine and orange creamsicle

NoDa Brewing   

May the Swarz is the brewery’s take on a German Schwarzbier. This style is based on rustic European malts and uses subtle amounts of dark grains to give the relatively clean lager a dark color with slight roast and coffee notes. The 5.4% ABV brew is available on draft at the North End taproom.

Two beers release May 10 and both will be on draft in the North End taproom. Hop Bloom is a 7% ABV American IPA utilizing Superbloom yeast with Amarillo, Centennial, and Citra hops. The yeast emphasizes the hop load, allowing the brewery to use fewer hops while keeping the same big hop punch. 

Double Hop Drop is the brewery’s best-selling IPA, Hop Drop ‘N Roll, on steroids with the same hop varieties and malt bill, just amped up for a higher ABV. The 8.8% ABV double American IPA doubles both the hop payload and malt bill. Simpson’s Light Maris Otter grain provides fantastic malt flavor and complexity without being too sweet or dark.

New to the brewery’s seasonal line up, Carolina Quencher is a tropical wheat ale brewed with passion fruit, orange, guava, mango, and pineapple. The 5.2% ABV fruity wheat ale releases May 17 and will be available on draft and in cans at both taprooms and Carolina retailers.

Flip it to the B-Side features their Radio Haze IPA with a mystery fruit addition that was chosen by Woody and Wilcox’s listeners. Stay tuned for the fruit announcement as there is only one keg of this 6% ABV hazy releasing at the North End taproom May 24. One dollar from every pint sold will be donated to Pints for Prostates. 

Haus Standard is a classic German-style Dortmunder lager that’s light in color but full of malty, rich character and an assertive German hop presence. The primary malt used in the beer is Barke Pilsner, a high grade, “select” Pilsner variety that provides the light color and clean flavor but with added complexity. The 5.5% ABV lager releases May 31 in their North End taproom.

Olde Mecklenburg Brewery

On draft in their brauhaus, English Mild emits a creamy, chocolate-infused aroma. The 4% ABV mild provides subtle malty flavors of toffee and toasted dark bread. Smoothly balanced, light on the palate, the brew finishes crisp and dry making it effortlessly drinkable.

Berliner Weisse returns May 17. A fantastic summer drinker, the 4.2% ABV beer is refreshingly tart and spritzy with subtle notes of sweet lemon, citrus zest, and lemon grass. Draft and packaged product available in the brauhaus. 

A Czech Pils will debut May 24. Details on the draft-only brew will be released soon. 

Pilot Brewing   

Kolsch Me If You Can is back and it’s time to get reacquainted with this clean and crisp 5% ABV pale colored ale. In tandem with subtle fruit and hop character, the malt profile shines throughout and leads into a refreshing finish. 

The 6% ABV Island Hopper IPA releases May 17. Part of their rotating IPA series, the brew uses Hornindal’s blend, a wonderfully unique blend of Norwegian Kveik yeast strains which complement the fruit-forward El Dorado hops. This batch showcases vibrant tropical fruit flavors and enchanting aromas reminiscent of pear, watermelon, candy, and stone fruit.

Protagonist Beer

Lee Cucumber Lager combines the best qualities of a traditional lager while providing a surprising twist of flavors. The infusion of cucumber adds a refreshing element that pairs well with any summer day providing subtle notes of melon and cracker. The crisp, 5.5% ABV lager releases May 10 on draft in their taproom only. 

Elderflower Golden Ale releases May 20 but you’ll need to stay tuned to social media for more information on this yet-to-be-named 6% ABV ale. 

Red Clay Ciderworks

Part of the cidery’s Crumble series, Razzleberry Crumble is a 6.5% ABV semi-sweet pastry cider loaded with blueberry, blackberry, raspberry, and vanilla, with notes of caramel, and finishing with a touch of cinnamon. The cider releases May 11 in their taproom with distribution beginning in the following weeks. 

Southern Strain

Brewed for Cinco de Mayo, Nacho’s Cerveza is a 5% ABV Mexican lager brewed with malted Tuxpeno corn and fermented with Mexican lager yeast. It’s light and easy-drinking with notes of sweet corn.

Witbier is a classic Belgian witbier brewed with orange peel and coriander. The 5.3% ABV beer was fermented in one of the brewery’s square open top fermenters and is light and floral, great for the warm spring weather. Releases May 10. 

A saison brewed with North Carolina pilsner malt, wheat, and oats, Out to Pasteur was also fermented in one of their square open top fermenters for extra complexity. The French saison yeast provides peppery, dry aspects while being extremely drinkable.  The 6.4% ABV brew releases May 17 in their taproom only.

Sycamore Brewing  

New to its seasonal spring lineup, Mango Cider is a semi-dry, 5.7% ABV unfiltered cider conditioned on mango purée and a dash of peach purée for complexity. The cider was fermented with a dry and “bubbly” yeast strain that lends the cider a light body and a crisp, effervescent finish. After the bold mango flavor, the taste is slightly earthy and piney in the middle, which gives way to a pleasing mixture of tartness and fruity sweetness on the back end.    

Pineapple Swing IPA releases later in May. The 9.1% ABV double IPA with pineapple flavor features a tantalizing fusion of ripe pineapple and notes of juicy citrus.  

Town Brewing

Vuela Paloma is a Paloma wheat ale brewed with grapefruit, lime, and tangerine. The 4.8% ABV thirst quencher has a full body and exudes citrus, agave and oak. Cruise to Nowhere is a 4.8% ABV fruited gose utilizing mango, guava, and blood orange. Releasing May 18, the refreshing brew is balanced between tartness and tropical fruity flavors.

Triple C Brewing

DNF “Did not finish” is a 5.7% ABV West Coast IPA inspired by taproom friends Charlie and Larry who enjoy drinking a citrus forward old school clear and hoppy IPA. Grapefruit abounds from Cascade, Amarillo, Chinook, and Centennial hops. 

Releasing May 10, River Tube is a crisp and clear session IPA brewed with American and New Zealand Hops for citrus and tropical aromas. The 5.1% ABV brew provides a mild bitterness and low alcohol. 

Honey Belle, a 4.4% ABV honey brown lager evokes aromas of sweet malt, lightly toasted bread, and a touch of local sweet honeysuckle honey. With a May 17 release date, don’t let the darker color deceive you, this brew is light, crisp, and easy-drinking for the warmer weather ahead. 

A traditional German-style Kölsch, the 5.1% ABV Umlaut presents aromas of bready malt and noble hops. It’s a very drinkable light, crisp, and dry beer with a May 24 release. Pours in traditional stange glasses will also be available.

Wooden Robot Brewery 

More Energy is an IPA brewed with a blend of Epiphany Pilsner, Foundation, and Triticale malts. A smooth, crisp body helps complement the big hop character from Columbus, El Dorado, Mosaic, and Vista dry hopping. The 7.2% ABV IPA sports aromas of orange, pineapple, and honeydew balanced by a touch of herbal and dank bitterness. 

Sour Sally, a Flanders sour red ale, is an original lineup beer making its triumphant return this month. This 6.5% ABV brew is a unique blend of beer sourced from Foeders and stainless tank aging. Each vessel lends its own character for complex oaky overtones tied together by a tantalizing balance of lactic sourness, delicate malty sweetness, and big dark fruit flavor.