Ohio Brewery News

Always in Season 

There’s an age-old argument among craft beer fans about what is the right time of year to drink a certain style of beer. Is it OK to drink an imperial stout when it’s 90 degrees outside? Can you drink a lawnmower lager when the grass is covered with a foot of snow? Can you drink an Oktoberfest in July?

The answer to all of the above, of course, is “yes,” but breweries have to make their production decisions based on an amalgamation of subjective tastes. So that’s why you see heavy, boozy beers in the winter and light, crispy brews in the summer. As those collective opinions get codified into brewing schedules, it becomes implied that certain beers can only be offered at certain times.

If there’s anything that craft beer has been good at over the years, it’s putting traditional ways of doing things to the test. Take a look at the beers most recently released by Crooked Handle Brewing in Springboro. The brewery tapped two winter favorites last weekend – Krooked Kringle spiced winter warmer ale and Krooked Krampus imperial porter – alongside their brand new Raspberry Sour Ale. While it may not seem like this time of year is right for heavier brews, this is a great opportunity to test your palate. Put these beers together in a flight, take a sip of imperial porter, then follow it up with a sip of the raspberry sour. The contrast helps to reveal depths of flavor that you may not have noticed in each beer individually.

Take a chance and buck the trend of seasonality on your next visit to an Ohio brewery taproom. You never know what you might discover.

For more on Crooked Handle’s eclectic summer tap list, give them a follow at facebook.com/crookedhandle