By Brian Beauchemin

Local weather has been all over the board this year. 90 degrees one day and 45 degrees the next. Charlotte brewers know the warmer dog days of summer are not far off. With that in mind, April begins the introduction of lighter brews and ciders, including a myriad of Mexican lagers (with and without lime added) leading the way. A cream ale, sessionable pale ale, and other light options intermix with the usual IPA suspects, providing solid options for our porch-sitting, beer-drinking readiness. Unless otherwise stated, the beers are already available in local taprooms or supporting establishments.

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Cabarrus Brewing

Lime Drive is a lime lager brewed with pilsner malt and flaked rice for a clean and easy-drinking base. The beer is fermented on key lime purée and then conditioned with lime zest for an extra “pop”. The light, refreshing, and effervescent 4.3% ABV lager will be released on April 18 in their taproom and April 21 in distribution.

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NoDa Brewing

On draft only at their taproom, My New Krush is a 6.2% ABV West Coast IPA. This unique IPA spotlights a new hop called Krush, offering a considerable piney and sweet fruit character. Modest amounts of Mosaic and Centennial hops support this new kid on the block hop. 

True Grit, a seasonal, Southeastern-style IPA, features grits that provide a clean, crisp finish complemented by the intensity of Simcoe, Mosaic, Citra, Centennial, and Chinook hops. The smooth but hop-intense 5.5% ABV IPA will be released on draft and in cans on April 25.

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Sycamore Brewing 

The brewery expands its core cider offerings with Transfusion, a 5.5% ABV cider made from grape juice, ginger, and lime. Inspired by the cocktail of the same name, the new cider was crafted to compete in the ready-to-drink cocktail space, using hard cider as the base alcohol component rather than distilled spirits.

Sycamore Serveza is a clean, light Mexican lager brewed with malts from Riverbend in Asheville. A unique twist on the style combines blood orange with more traditional citrusy lime flavors. The 4.7% ABV light beer is balanced with malt and fruit and made for drinking on warm, sunny days.

Returning this spring, Tropical Cider combines tropical flavors – tart passionfruit, punchy pineapple, and sweet, nutty coconut. Coconut bridges the sweet and tart aspects of the 5.5% ABV cider, tying things together with woody and earthy nuances and offering a middle ground to break up the fruit flavors. 

Macro Dose IPA is a 6.9% ABV brew that allows New Zealand hops to shine bright. The brewery hand-selected the freshest and finest New Zealand-grown hops, courtesy of Hop Revolution. The recipe features heavy use of Riwaka, an incredibly vibrant hop bursting with passion fruit and grapefruit, and Pacific Sunrise, known for its contributions of mango, clementines, and melon. Mosaic rounds out the hop flavors, providing a complex array of blueberries, mango, and tangerine, with a firm dankness.

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Town Brewing

Another Mexican-style lager just in time for the warmer weather, Mariachi Static is a 4.8% ABV lager brewed with lime, providing a bright, refreshing beer with a balancing sweetness.

Cruise to Nowhere is a 4.8% ABV sour ale that is heavily fruited with mango, guava, passionfruit, blood orange, and hibiscus. The mildly tart, refreshing brew will be released on April 12.

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Triple C Brewing

Boater’s Brew is a 5.0% ABV cream ale inspired by the brewery’s Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation auction winners. The ale was fermented cold with a touch of wheat and corn, making for a light and crisp sessionable beer. 

An American red ale with a twist, Hero provides sweet malt with toffee, caramel, and baker’s chocolate flavors. Blended with American hops for a citrus and floral hop presence, this beer will be released on April 11.  

Pineapple 3C is an extension of the brewery’s classic 3C West Coast IPA with the addition of pineapple. The 6.2 % ABV fruited IPA will be available on draft and in cans on April 18. 

The brewery’s new summer seasonal, Playa, is a Mexican lager fermented cold for a dry and refreshing crisp flavor. The lager emits aromas of cornbread with a mild hop spice. Releasing April 25, when requested, the lager can be served with a salted rim and lime.

Quiet Quitting is an American IPA inspired by a friend of the brewery who graciously donated funds for hurricane victims in Western North Carolina. The West Coast-style IPA was brewed with Simcoe, Galaxy, Citra, and Nelson Sauvin hops, producing a citrus bomb with a balanced bitterness and clean malt flavors. Releases on April 26.

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Wooden Robot Brewery 

The brewery releases two beers this month, both of which are on draft at their three taproom locations. Pops’ Leicht is a leichtbier, which is a lighter version of their German-style Pops’ Pilsner. The brew features a subtle malt sweetness balanced by a light, snappy bitterness. The 3.8% ABV beer finishes with a crisp, clean, refreshing note for those occasions when you want a low-alcohol option that leaves you feeling rejuvenated.

Spring Vibes is a sessionable spring pale ale made for sipping while enjoying nature’s fresh bloom. Inspired by the British pale ale that their late owner, Dan Wade, enjoyed while studying brewing in the UK, the 4.2% ABV beer is soft, balanced, and ready to be enjoyed all day.