Traditionally, Labor Day signifies the end of the summer and the beginning of fall (more or less). Or, at least, that’s what it’s supposed to be everywhere else but in Washington state. We’re sort of the exception to the rule this year, considering that our hot-as-hell summer continues for the next few days. Celebrated the first Monday of every September, Labor Day honors America’s workers and their many contributions to our nation’s strength, prosperity and well-being. That said, it’s also a great time for friends, family, cookouts and BEER. Peaks and Pints is offering a beer flight of a few seasonals that might have missed your radar this summer in our Craft Beer Crosscut 9.4.17: A Flight of Labor Day. Grab ’em while you have the chance.
Pike Seafair Summer Ale
4.2% ABV, 25 IBU
Did you drink Pike Brewing Company’s Seafair Summer Ale during Seafair? You were suppose to drink this light and lemony summer ale during the 67-year-old Seattle summer festival tradition. Pike Seafair Summer Ale has a clean and round mouthfeel that pops with citrusy hops — Lemondrop. Pike head brewer Art Dixon grabbed a bunch of the hops from the Yakima Valley for a fresh, citrusy and lemony flavor golden ale.
Reuben’s Summer IPA
6.8% ABV, 50 IBU
Adam Robbings’ beer recipes had much success at homebrew competitions, including winning the silver medal at the National Homebrewing Competition in 2012, and his talent, along with a Kickstarter campaign that raised close to $11,000, eventually earned him his own brewery — Reuben’s Brews officially opened in Seattle’s Ballard district in August 2012. Since then, the team has accrued an astounding amount of accolades, including 15 World Beer Cup medals over the past three years. Dip your nose into Robbings’ seasonal Summer IPA for the tropics. The taste follows suite with pineapple, grapefruit, grass, green onion and little dank weed. Bitter and fruity, it’s a lovely summer brew.
Urban Family Nillasicle
8.3% ABV
It will be 89 degrees in Tacoma today, but with a glass of refreshing Urban Family Brewing Nillasicle IPA, it would make it feel like … 88. But still, there’s something lovely about bright citrus and vanilla flavors when it gets hotter than Hades outside. Some beer nerds might frown upon a beer that mimics Nilla wafers, but that’s because their taste buds are stuffy. This hybrid DIPA sports multiple dry-hop additions of Citra and Simcoe for a tropical-citrus-piney aroma nose-punch. Let the beer nerds choke down a triple IPA today — it leaves more Nillsicle for the rest of us.
Evil Twin Imperial Simcoe Slacker
7.5% ABV, 70 IBU
“Despite his bitterness, lack of power and insuperable aversion to any over-the-counter labor — he kind of has a charming charisma, and perhaps he is even loveable. Somehow we find him unbelievable irresistible and stimulating because he is one of the few that masters the ability to effortlessly impress with wide-ranging conversation even though he was not even supposed to be here today.” That’s Evil Twin Brewing’s description of its Imperial Simcoe Slacker. We have no idea what that means, but we do know this is a tasty IPA with classic Simcoe earthiness complimented by some pine, grapefruit and a hint of sweeter tropical fruit. It has solid and satisfying bitterness with a dry bitter finish.
Stone Enjoy By 09.04.17 Unfiltered IPA
9.4% ABV, 90 IBU
Stone Brewing’s hop-driven quest to deliver the most devastatingly fresh IPA on the planet facilitated a paradigm shift in 2012 with the launch of Stone Enjoy By IPA. The timer has started and we’re near the end of the clock for Stone’s Enjoy By 9.4.17 Unfiltered IPA. This version of Stone Enjoy By IPA omits the part where the California brewery filters out the extra yeast, hop sediment and proteins that build up in beer as a natural result of the brewing process. By letting this double IPA go unfiltered, its peach and tropical fruit hop flavors — all 12 hops including Delta — are amplified while its golden-hued color takes on a hazy appearance.
