Every month, we're tasting a huge amount of beer, whiskey and other beverages. In some cases, we're taste-testing the industry's best new products, and in others, we're coming across hidden gems in the wild. Our favorites from the last four weeks are gathered here, in the best things we drank this month.
Allagash From Maine With Love #26
My parents just spent a week in Maine and were kind enough to bring me back quite a haul (here’s looking at the Maine Beer Second Dinner I’m cellaring …). One of my absolute favorites from my Maine care package — and quite possibly my favorite beer I’ve drank all summer — is from Allagash’s ongoing From Maine With Love series. This one happens to be entry #26 and is the ultimate summer beer style: a grisette. Grisettes are a bright, low-ABV beer that’s a cousin to Saisons and #26 is a refreshing, bright, snappy embodiment of the style. It’s a 4.7% ABV beer that I could drink all summer long ... but sadly, the FMWL beers are only distributed within the Pine Tree State. — Ryan Brower, Senior Commerce Editor
Via Carota Negroni and White Negroni
It’s difficult to find a proper pre-mixed cocktail. In my experience, they’re generally a watered-down version of their namesakes and occupy a place on the shelf closer to White Claw than to the liquor that makes the OGs so great. West Village hot spot Via Carota, however, has made an absolutely fantastic bottled negroni that justifies the term “craft cocktail.” They taste just as good as negronis you’ll find at Harry’s Bar or your local Italian joint, but don’t require any mixology knowledge. If your bartending skills aren’t up to par or you simply don’t want to measure anything, Via Carota’s perfectly mixed craft cocktails are the way to go. — Will Porter, Associate Editor
NoDa Brewing Company Cheerwine Ale
If you're from North Carolina or have ever happened upon a bottle of Cheerwine at your local grocery store, consider yourself lucky because the cherry-flavored soda can be hard to come by in my experience. I grew up in Virginia and often went down to North Carolina during the summers, so the sweet, brightly-colored soda is very nostalgic for me now that I'm living on the other side of the country. That's why I was so excited to learn about Cheerwine's recent venture into beer in collaboration with NoDa Brewing Company, Cheerwine Ale.
Released earlier this year, the wheat ale is light and has that perfect hint of cherry. While the soft drink is pretty sweet, there's no overpowering cherry flavor in the beer — it strikes the perfect balance. If you're a longtime Cheerwine lover like myself, the taste and smell of the ale will take you back from the moment you crack open the can. And even if you've never tried Cheerwine before — which you should do immediately — the beer will be a refreshing drink to end the summer. — Grace Cooper, Commerce Writer
Social Hour Cocktails George Dickel Bourbon Smash
Like Will said above, canned cocktails can often be difficult to get right. But the world of pre-mixed cocktails is getting better by the day (hell, even The Glenlivet is now making some), driven by the market's seemingly-insatiable demand for more premium options. One of the latest comes from Social Hour, which has been cranking out some of the best canned cocktails in the biz for a while now. The brand's newest can recruits George Dickel 8-year-old bourbon for a summer-ready "Bourbon Smash."
The cocktail adds flavors of Meyer lemon and mint to the mix, and you can really taste them, particularly the mint. I found the tartness of the lemon to be up front on the palate, followed by a strong wallop of bourbon before being finished off with a blast of minty freshness. At 20% ABV, it's a whole lot stronger than what you'd expect to drink from a can, and I was about 2/3 of the way through mine when I noticed the can said "serves 3." Oops. Suffice it to say, one of these cans will have you feeling pretty good. Two will probably put you on the floor. — Johnny Brayson, Associate Editor
Oskar Blues Dale’s Light Lager
In case you hadn’t noticed, craft breweries are going in on light lagers. There are myriad reasons for that, but at the end of the day it remains the most consumed beer style in America (yes, more than IPAs), and for good reason — they’re easy to drink. Oskar Blues is the latest to dive into this trend by dropping an American light lager variant of its famed Dale’s Pale Ale (along with a fresh redesign of logos, cans, etc. for all the beers). It’s a crisp sipper that clocks in a 4.2% ABV and will suit any post-shift occasion. — Ryan Brower, Senior Commerce Editor
Mezcal Unión
Crafted in Oaxaca, Mexico, Mezcal Unión is a delightful mezcal that is surprisingly easy to drink, which isn’t something you can say about many mezcals. Sip it straight with some worm salt and an orange slice or mix it into a negroni; there’s no bad way to drink Unión. It possesses the earthy, terroir-forward taste of mezcal yet is not overpowering, making it a perfect way to get into the spirit.
Not only does its mezcal pass a taste test, but Unión is also building a system that actually benefits the Oaxacan land and the families that live there. Rather than owning the means of production itself, Mezcal Unión empowers farmers by providing investment, knowledge and guaranteed sale contracts without purchasing the land. The agave farmers are not employees of Mezcal Unión, they are entrepreneurs who now own their own business, allowing them to create a financially and agriculturally stable future. — Will Porter, Associate Editor
