DRAFT Magazine

Forget about that lingering sub 60-degree temperature outside. It’s time to discover your next favorite spring beer. Out on shelves now, Left Hand Brewing Co.’s Good Juju offers just enough ginger kick to bust out of those late winter blues.

Pouring a sparkling deep gold hue with a fleeting white head, Good Juju bursts with a ginger aroma. Yet unlike other beers that incorporate sushi’s favorite sidekick, there’s no sharpness here: Breathe in deep to discover additional citrus hop notes and bready malts which help round out the spicy tuber. Like the aroma, ginger adds a spicy character to the flavor, rather than an acidic bite. Washing front to back the smooth body delivers soft ginger spice — courtesy of Biker Dude Hawaiian organic ginger — with a bready malt flavor, creating the sensation of ginger bread. As it flows back, a touch of spicy hops rise to meet the ginger for a perky finish. Overall this beer’s remarkably smooth and clean, finishing with just the faintest hints of bread and ginger in the mouth. Bright, spicy and refreshing: If you’re lucky enough to live in the 22 states Left Hand distributes, keep an eye out for six-packs today.

Brewed in honor of a rather clever demolition crew able to keep Goose Island’s brewpub in business while tearing down a surrounding mall, Demolition may be weighted with a big bomber vessel and hefty name, but the beer’s simply a light delight.

This brew, which straddles the line between a Belgian blond and Belgian golden strong ale pours a slightly hazy, yet brilliantly bright light wheat color; a playfully bubbly white head pops and breathes above. Inhale its clean aroma: banana and orange notes mingle with floral hops and bready malts in the nose. On the tongue, this brew’s a near-perfect recreation of the aroma. Soft, bready malts lay up first, carrying banana and juicy, thick orange flavors on its back; just a touch of hop spice accents the blend. As the flavors progress back a breeze of floral hops rises up from the tongue before a moderate hop bitterness starts the clean up work. Bitterness matched with medium carbonation leaves the mouth refreshingly clean; just the faintest hints of orange linger about to revitalize the palate.

Available in limited quantities throughout the year, grab one now and drink today; Demolition’s best when fresh.

What better way to celebrate the life of a revolutionary, provocative comedian than with a bold imperial IPA that causes pause and consideration? New to the season is Shmaltz Brewing Co.’s He’Brew Bittersweet Lenny’s R.I.P.A. In homage to the late-great comedian Lenny Bruce, this brew’s in your face and wrestles the tongue into submission.

Pouring a brilliantly clear auburn hue with a frothy tan head, Bittersweet Lennny’s bursts with a sweet caramel aroma. Let this one warm up just a bit and citrus hops, a spicy rye character, and alcohol warmth encircles the sweetness.

More than just a clever play on acronyms, this R.I.P.A.-designated brew packs a hefty dose of rye ale malt, torrified rye, and crystal rye — and it’s noticeable throughout the swallow. On the front of the tongue, a wave of spicy rye hits first and quickly moves down into the sides, mixing with hop bitterness. Toffee sweetness with dark, datelike fruits swirl with hop citrus on the top of the tongue, before it washes back, leaving a sweet, slightly sticky coating behind. While some hop bitterness and alcohol (10% ABV) works to cleanse the back of the throat, this malt-forward brew lays it on thick. However those who like both Imperial IPAs and barleywines will find a friend in Bittersweet Lenny.

Perfect for the coming spring, Magic Hat’s newest seasonal, Vinyl, combines a showcase of malts with a clean, crisp lager body. Pouring a clear rust-orange with a fleeting soft white head, Vinyl Lager emits accents of caramel sweetness shrouded in an bouquet of roasted notes. Take a big swig of this beer: the first thing you’ll notice is the surprisingly light, clean mouthfeel. A wash of toast and caramel balance each other out, front to back, culminating in a pleasant lingering bitterness that pairs nicely with the remaining toasted notes left on the tongue. There’s nothing terribly complex or strenuous about this brew. It moves across the tongue purposefully and succinctly, and when the last bitter notes have all but vanished, it inspires another sip.

Hop heads of the world, rejoice: A new brew’s on the shelves to satiate your appetite for bitterness. Released in January — available through April — Deschutes Brewery’s Red Chair NWPA (Northwest Pale Ale) is a citrusy, sweet-and-bitter joy worth celebrating.

Up from Red Chair’s beautifully clear, deep-orange body floats floral notes, a touch grassy, but clean throughout. Spend some time letting this beer air, and a distant piney, resinous hop quality eventually emerges.

On the front of the tongue, this brew’s all floral, citrusy hops. It perks the taste buds before a swell of biscuit and sweet caramel flavors pool toward the middle; mouthwatering, yet balanced by bitterness. A final wave of grassy hops takes this beer into the finish. As one would expect with a well-hopped 60-IBU brew, the finish is bitter dry in the throat, however a lingering sweetness prevails on the tongue. Breath deep, and phantom orange notes rejoin the caramel sweetness for a tasty, yet not overpowering aftertaste in the mouth.