Deschutes Wowza!
With a decided light and juicy bent, the nose offers copious amounts of tangerine, peach, guava, and passionfruit with a soft herbal note underneath. If you’re expecting sweet on the sip, think again—this is a low-calorie IPA after all, and that first sip is mildly jarring for those accustomed to its calorie-dense cousins. But three or four sips in, it hits its stride and the fruit aromas sweeten up the pale body for a satisfyingly drinkable dry, fruity, “crushable” beer.
ABV: 4.0% Cal: 100 (12 oz) Location: Bend, Oregon
Bell’s Light Hearted
Sweet orange-peel nose with creamy, vanilla-like touch. A gulp’s light initial sweetness is immediately enveloped in smooth, dusty bitterness indistinguishable from the clean, dry finish. It all happens fast—quenching, then you need another gulp to pay closer attention. This is a light beer that drinks like one, but with boosted aroma and thoughtful malty touches that help give a fleeting impression of heft.
ABV: 3.7% Cal: 110 (12 oz) Location: Comstock, Michigan
Dogfish Head Slightly Mighty
Peach-forward, fuzzy-navel hop nose. Brief impression of sweetness in the flavor—flash of tangerine—then a low, steady wave of smooth, earthy bitterness guiding you to a dry finish. Some bitterness lingers to remind you: This is supposed to be an IPA. Has that DFH liveliness, with an impression of weight despite what must be a feather-light grist.
ABV: 4.0% Cal: 95 (12 oz) Location: Milton, Delaware