Spring into Beer
Celebrate the warmer weather with these choice brews
For the first time in a long time, the cold outside is almost bearable. Your car and your driveway and your sidewalks aren’t encased in a block of ice.
Simply put: Spring is on the way.
And what better way to kick off the (long-awaited) season of warmth and regrowth with some of the best local brews around? We’ve compiled a list of beers—some new releases; others old favorites—that we feel pair best with the spring.
So take a seat on the porch and crack a can with us. The weather’s finally good enough again.
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Buzzsaw, Buzzsaw Blond
These brand-new, eastside beermakers are proud to serve as the city’s only Belgian-focused brewery, and it’s clear to see why: They’re really, really good at it. One of their early flagships, Buzzsaw Blond, is handled with aplomb. Clean and bright, this beer tactfully blends coriander, wheat, and notes of Belgian yeast that are present but not overpowering.
And if you can find it, be sure to check out Peitrchor, a seasonal spring saison from Buzzsaw.
Parsons North, Irish Lager
Even if St. Patrick’s day is over, this new release from Parsons North is worth a sip. Or 10. An amber lager made from six different malt varieties and two different UK hops, this beer, according to head brewer Seth Draeger, is a nod to traditional brews in the style and his own Irish ancestry. It’s light enough to be easy-drinking while still boasting real depth and complexity from an eclectic malt bill.
Yellow Springs Brewing, Boat Show
Sometimes, you find a beer that perfectly mirrors the season you’re in. For Spring, that beer is Boat Show. This bright, west-coast IPA packs wonderful fruit-forward flavors balanced nicely by a crisp hop bitterness. And while its 7% ABV is nothing to scoff at, this beer still manages to remain deceptively light and highly drinkable.
Little Fish, Runcible Spoon
While this one is native to Athens, it’s slated to hit Columbus bottle shops (in bottle format) this spring. And trust us, you don’t want to miss it. Even though Little Fish might not put out the largest volume of beer in Ohio, when they brew a sour ale or a saison, people listen (and drink). Sharp and effervescent, Runcible Spoon is a mixed fermentation saison brewed with quinces, resulting in a warm-weather winner that’s just as interesting as it is drinkable.
Saucy Brew Works, Habituale
This Cleveland-based Brewery opened its first Columbus taproom late last year in the city’s Harrison West neighborhood, but they’ve been a fixture in central Ohio beer for longer than this. One of the reasons: their easy-drinking Kölsch. Habituale is light, crisp, and highly refreshing, a perfect compliment for those first days of Spring weather.
Pretentious Barrel House, Sybarite with cherries
While technically not a new release, this beer took home a silver medal in the 2020 Ohio Craft Brewers Cup, held in December of last year. So we wanted to show a little love where it’s due. Described as a “delicious, tart slice of cherry pie,” this one lives up to its billing. A sour red ale with notes of oak and citrus, the addition of cherry makes this expertly-crafted brew truly pop.
Wolf’s Ridge / (614) collaboration, 614
We did a thing. And we’re darn proud of it. (614) Magazine launched a collaboration effort with Wolf’s Ridge brewing in the form of a light (4.2% ABV) Midwestern lager, and it really is something to write home about. Crisp. Clean. Delicate. Drinkable. Thanks to a dry-hopping with Huell Melon hops, this one boasts all the bright flavor and nuance craft beer consumers are after, with the easygoing drinkability everyone really wants.
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