Citrus is a great partner-in-crime with beer, so it’s not too surprising that after a slew of orange-and lemon-enhanced beers, grapefruit would emerge as the latest and greatest. And it’s no wonder. With its sweet tartness, it’s a killer complement to IPAs, wheat beers, Radlers, and more. Some breweries go for a grapefruit with bite, while others complement the zestiness with stone fruits to end with a smooth finish.
Methods for brewing with grapefruit depend on the brewery, and each has its own take on this tart fruit. Some prefer to put the fruit flavor in the boil, allowing the sugars and sweetness to ferment out to leave a subtle citrus flavor. Others layer by adding grapefruit juice to the boil, followed by the rinds in the secondary, followed by hops, hops, and more hops.
They say variety is the spice of life, so let’s take a look at some of the grapefruit brews out there.
IPAs and Pale Ales
Grapefruit Sculpin
Ballast Point Brewing Company (San Diego, California)
Named after the poisonous fish, the Sculpin goes all out with grapefruit rinds, pith, and pulp added to the brew, and later a mega dose of citrusy hops is added. The result is a delicious sweet and fruity beer, but one that stings.
Blackboard Agave IPA
Victory Brewing Company (Downingtown, Pennsylvania)
This grapefruit brew relies primarily on its healthy dose of hops—Simcoe, Citra, Centennial, and Cascade—for its flavor. After a dose of grapefruit juice and agave syrup, the prognosis on this one is a piquant hop aroma and a bright citrusy bite.
Schafly Grapefruit IPA
The Saint Louis Brewery (St. Louis, Missouri)
This is a fruit beer and not a fruit-flavored beer. A generous amount of grapefruit puree is added to the wort, and the sugar is fermented out, imparting summery, tropical flavors. American Chinook, Cascade, and Citrus hops round out the citrusy tartness.
Turtle Power Grapefruit Pale Ale
Evil Genius Beer Company (West Grove, Pennsylvania)
Citra hops, along with some grapefruit added to the mix, pack a powerful grapefruity punch. If you’re looking for a more robust flavor, this is the one for you—Turtle Power weighs in at a hefty 50 IBUs.
Ales
Pink Fuzz
Beyond the Pale Brewing Company (Ottawa, Ontario)
This wheat ale uses the grapefruit zest and pulp to create a lovely mixture of sweet and bitter, and is followed by citrusy hops. The brewer warns that it’s not a super sweet drink—it starts bitter and finishes with a subtle sweetness.
Fortunate Islands Wheat Ale with Grapefruit Zest
Modern Times Beer (San Diego, California)
This brew starts with the Fortunate Islands Wheat Ale, but Modern Times takes it a step further and adds the zest to the beer. Notes of tropical fruits and honey complement the understated grapefruit flavor, and the citrusy Citra and Amarillo hops drive the flavor home.
Radlers
Grapefruit Shandy
Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Company (Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin)
Slightly different than its ale counterparts, this one falls under the Radler style beers. It starts with the traditional Weiss beer and is mixed with a generous portion of grapefruit soda. If you’re looking for a sweet summer session treat, this is the one to try.
Radler Grapefruit
Stiegelbrauerei (Salzburg, Austria)
Another Radler, this Austrian pilsner is sweet, malty, and tart, with a 50/50 soda/beer mixture. With a sessionable ABV of 2.5 percent, it’s the perfect way to cool down after a day of mowing the yard.
What are your grapefruit favorites?