Forbidden Root WPA
Chicago, Illinois
American Pale Ale
ABV: 5.6%
The “hard” root beer craze is going strong across the United States right now, and on first look, this bottle appears to be more of that trendy-but-not-quite-drinkable overdone herbal style. Imagine our surprise to find a very mild nose that leads into a slightly sweet but still crisply defined and very pale malt body. Whatever herbs they use are used judiciously to add subtle floral effects, and the bitterness is kept in check so as not to overwhelm that subtlety. The result is a genuinely drinkable beer that we’d be happy to enjoy any time. — Jamie Bogner
August Schell Cypress Blanc
New Ulm, Minnesota
Berliner Weisse
ABV: 7.4%