by Brian Beauchemin

April in Charlotte means the lawn mowing season has arrived, but it also means heavy doses of pollen. This month, our local breweries provide easy-drinking, made-for-outdoor lagers to sip on when the grass is cut. While they also serve up heartier alternatives for those looking to stay inside, avoid that “green dust” and maybe watch our Checkers playoff games. A list of new and/or limited releases follows. Unless otherwise stated, all products are already available in taprooms and/or in the local market.

Town Brewing Co.

In partnership with Queens University, Town Brewing unveiled Royals Rise Golden Ale — a light, crisp tasting 5% ABV ale. Queens University staff were involved throughout the entire process, from designing the can to naming the beer. Royals Rise is available year-round exclusively at Town Brewing.

Town is releasing two more beers April 22. Stellar Evolution, a 5.7% ABV hazy pale ale, provides huge tropical, peach, and berry notes finishing with a soft, light sweetness. Mariachi Static, is bright and refreshing Mexican-style lager with lime at a very drinkable 4.8% ABV.

Protagonist Beer

Protagonist is issuing a wide array of beers this month. Catherine Strawberry Basil Session Sour is a 5% ABV beer brewed with regional Epiphany Malt, and fermented with a healthy dose of strawberry purée with just the right amount of fresh basil. Refreshing, tart, crisp, and herbaceous basil goodness all packed in one beer.

Their 5% ABV Oskar Helles Lager also brewed with Epiphany Malt returns this month. Oskar is a delicately nuanced beer featuring bright malt-forward aromas of crackers and fresh-baked bread, supported by subtle floral noble hops.

To be released at the end of the month, the 8.1% ABV Lost Weeds Vol. 1 is a double hazy IPA brewed in collaboration with Amor Artis Brewing out of Fort Mill.

Hank, their light American lager introduced last month will now be available year-round in cans with local distribution to various Charlotte outlets beginning April 20.

Resident Culture Brewing Co.

Resident released its first hard seltzer line, Yard Ripper, on April 15. The 12-ounce cans feature three flavors: lime, grapefruit, and peach. The 5% ABV seltzer utilizes dehydrated fruit crystals to bring out the natural flavors of the citrus and stone fruit.

Causal Continuum is a 7% ABV hazy IPA. It’s heavily hopped with Nelson Sauvin, Citra, and Mosaic providing deliciously soft, dank notes of melon and stone fruit. On the other end of the spectrum is Mahogany Reserve. This malt-forward Dusseldorf-style altbier with 5% ABV has a slight roastiness making it crisp and refreshing. Lost Weekend American lite lager is a 4.8% ABV PBR clone. This gluten-reduced beer will drink slightly malty and a touch sweet, but is clean, crisp, and crushable.

Resident will also release three collaborative beers this month. Elevated Bologna, brewed with Fonta Flora, is a 5% ABV witbier brewed with local malts, fresh citrus zest, coriander, ginger, and jasmine tea from Asheville Tea Co. Irrational State pastry stout is a collaboration with 3 Sons Brewing and Moksa Brewing. Clocking in at 8% ABV, this stout makes some candy bars jealous with toasted coconut, roasted almonds, pecans, peanuts, Congo vanilla, and Amburana wood spirals providing hints of cinnamon. Extra Friendly Pilsner, brewed with Wren House Brewing, is a German-style pilsner featuring a newly developed lager hop, Lorien. The 5% ABV pilsner is dry-hopped for a punch of extra flavor. Expect a crispy, bitter, and crushable beer with a beautiful floral hop character.

Triple C Brewing Co.

Inspired by a traditional yogurt flavor from your childhood, Triple C Brewing used yogurt culture to sour a 6.5% ABV beer base and then loaded it down with juicy strawberries and ripe bananas. Yogurt – Fruited Sour was fermented with a hefeweizen yeast for even more banana flavors. April 14 release date.

To be released April 21, El Vienna is a hazy SMASH (single malt and single hop) IPA. Vienna malt provides bready flavors with 5.9% ABV while the El Dorado hops lend a tropical aroma wave of pineapple, pear, watermelon, and stone fruit. Their summer seasonal, Neon Limes, is a 5% ABV crisp, clean American lager with lime. Cans and draft to be released April 28.

Birdsong Brewing Company

Staying with the lime theme, Birdsong Brewing introduces Rewind Lime on April 27. Crisp and refreshing with bright aromatics from lime essential oil and fresh lime zest, the 4% ABV beer is a twist on Birdsong’s classic Rewind Lager.

Pilot Brewing Company

Twirl to the World, Pilot Brewing’s monthly charity beer, is a light, refreshing 5.4% ABV wheat beer showcasing fruit character from pineapples and oranges. $2 from each four pack will be donated to Twirl To The World, whose mission is social advocacy and hardship assistance for vulnerable members of Charlotte’s LGBT community.

April 14 marks the return of Auto Pilot Pilsner – a well-attenuated 5.2% ABV pale, crisp and refreshing lager, with a neutral malt flavor and noticeable hop bitterness. A fresh batch of Piña Colada Gose, a 4.5% German-style tarted wheat ale, brewed with toasted coconut, pear purée, and conditioned on local whipped honey from Cloister will be released April 21.

Legion Brewing

Legion releases two wheat beers and two IPAs this month. Lunar Daze is a Belgian wheat ale with a 5.2% ABV. Supernova, a 4.7% ABV fruited Berliner weisse, is brewed exclusively with grains from Riverbend Malt House in Asheville, and features tropical notes of passionfruit, orange, and guava. Hop Chiller cold IPA won a gold medal at the Great American Beer Festival. This 7.6% ABV beer is a hybrid style combining the best attributes of West Coast IPAs and modern hops using unique brewing techniques. Pineapple Juicy Jay is a variation of their ever-popular staple brewed with pineapple purée. Bright fruit aroma and a vibrant tropical flavor balances the malt and a 6.5% ABV.

Wooden Robot Brewery

Mexican-style lagers are becoming more popular with craft breweries and Wooden Robot’s foray into this category is Robotico. The 4.5% light lager is crisp, clean and refreshing, brewed with 100% local malt and Tuxpeño corn from Epiphany Craft Malt. Raspberry Lemon Pool Pounder is part of their rotating series of fruit beers. The refreshing raspberry, lemon sour has a very drinkable 5.6% ABV.

 

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