The joy of the season is that you can really go a lot of different ways with your selection, and it will make sense. If it’s dreary out, you can always cozy up to a nice porter or stout, a remnant of the previous season, or if the climate is in your favor, you can find a nice patio somewhere, and grab something golden that captures the light in all it’s glory. As usual, we hit up microbreweries particular to the reason in a quest to find the best of the best.

3rd Turn – Mixed Berry Wheat

The recently-opened 3rd Turn Brewery in scenic downtown J-Town is light on its own selection, but what it lacks in quantity it more than makes up for in quality. Even its darkest beer, the Blueberry Hab Stout, made for a compelling spring brew, containing all the best qualities of a winter stout without the thick mouthfeel and body. Ultimately the Mixed Berry Wheat was a no-brainer though — the stand out by virtue of its chill and inviting demeanor. This is a light beer, in terms of body, IBU, and ABV, and one that isn’t quite so heavy on the fruit flavoring as the name may imply. If you can land a table on their back patio, this is the ideal accompaniment.

Against the Grain – Hop Throbbin’ Wood IPA

The selection at Against the Grain is always tremendous, made more so in this instance by the fact that I tried all but one beer on their menu. The clear choice is the Hop Throbbin’ Wood IPA, which is an especially refreshing with a nice pop. There is a slight sourness that was a bit of a surprise, offset nicely by a gingery flavor that made for a juicy finish. The body is light in color and the taste is sublimely light.

Akasha – Lapin Du Printemps

The Lapin Du Printemps was in short supply upon my arrival, and after the first drink it was apparent why — a very nuanced flavor palate, with a mild aftertaste that makes it an especially delightful drink. The rarity of the style is certainly worth note, as this is sort of like a French farmhouse ale but with the slightest hint of a Gose. A must have brew for the spring.

Apocalypse Brewery – Blonde Stranger

The slightest hint of sour creeps across the flavor palate of the Blonde Stranger, the prize-winning Blonde ale at Apocalypse, but it’s almost just a phantom of a taste. That’s what makes this such a sublime beer — there are so many nuances here that flit in and out of your perception. As such, this is an especially mild drink with a low IBU and ABV, making for an ideal session if you want to enjoy a few without going over the top.

Bluegrass Brewing Company – Frambozen

By far the fruitiest beer on this list, the BBC Frambozen has lambic-like qualities, without the overt sweetness inherent to the style. As such, the Frambozen has a lot in common with a Shandy-style beer, albeit without quite that same punch that goes along with it. Despite the flavoring, this is not an especially rich beer, neither in terms of flavor, IBU, or ABV, which makes it an easy drink to revisit. The Frambozen is one of the more adventurous beers that the BBC has crafted lately and an easy libation to celebrate the good times with.

Cumberland Brews – Skullbuster IPA

There is a bit of a deficit of options at Cumberland Brews lately, but that doesn’t mean that they’ve suffered poor quality. The Skullbuster IPA is by and far the brew with the highest IBU on this list and possibly the highest ABV. Clocking in at 9 percent, this is a heavy beverage and one perhaps best for sipping. There are slight floral notes here, as with the best of this style of drink, and one reminiscent of the Southern Tier 2X IPA. The body is clear and the mouthfeel is a bit grainy after the fact, making for a somewhat dry aftertaste. Still, this is a nice drink to sip on a nice spring afternoon, as written from experience.


Donum Dei Brewery – Enkel Gold Belgian

The recently-opened Donum Dei resides in a strip mall off of Grant Line Road behind the El Nopal in New Albany. The brewery has the air of a newly-opened venue. With a wide selection of beers, the Enkel Gold Belgian has a mild flavor and light body. A blonde style, there is an incredibly modest malt flavoring here that sits at the back in an entirely subtle way. The low alcohol content makes this a wonderful session, easy to drink in the cool spring breeze.

Floyd County Brewing Company – Rebel Yellow

The Rebel Yellow at the Floyd County Brewing Company is a relaxing wheat ale, light in body, but heavy in flavor. Here the aftertaste is a remarkably refreshing cream ale flavor that is crisp and mellow with an absolutely nuanced hop flavoring. While an abundance of hops can create an overwhelmingly bitter flavor, the Rebel Yellow has an almost lager style bite, and one that goes down easy. This is a great beer to sip on a chill spring evening.

Goodwood – Titalator Doppelbock

While not a typical pick for a spring seasonal, the Titalator Dopplebock showcases Goodwood at its finest. Traditionally, a dopplebock is darker in color, but without the heaviness of body that goes along with a porter or stout, which is very much the case here. There is definitely a malty flavor that is sweet, but not overly so, a nice counterpoint to the high ABV. You can certainly pick up on the high content here, but that’s part of the appeal. The end result is a beer that serves a nice transition between the cooler months and the warmer months, which in many cases makes it perhaps an excellent, if not entirely typical, example of a spring beer.

Great Flood – Hefeweizen

One of the best beers to knock off the winter frost is a solid hefeweizen, a German-style that features a light wheat taste and a thick golden coloration. The body is light, but transitory, a little thicker than a lager, but far less than most darker beers. The Great Flood’s Hefeweizen has all those features and then some, with the slightest, most sublime taste of fruit, maybe a hint of banana or a berry, neither of which ever overwhelm. The primary draw here is the ease by which this beverage goes down, with a smooth finish and a mild taste. With a low ABV of only 4.9%, this is an excellent session beer and one ideal for drinking outside with some pals.

Monnik – Voorjaar

There is something undeniably exotic about Monnik, which tends to favor uncommon beer types. The Voorjaar is yet another spiced saison, this time spiced with cardamom, for a gentle ginger flavor. Monnik has made yet another truly hypnotic beer, a delightful beverage that has an artisanal craft and gorgeous taste. This is something incredibly special to be savored and worth every drop.

New Albanian – Black and Bluegrass

Identified as a spiced Belgian ale, the Black and Bluegrass has more than a little in common with an ale style of beer, less bitter than an APA or IPA, but with ample floral notes to suggest either. The taste is fragrant and pleasant to drink, with a tinted golden body, an IPA crispness, and a moderate ABV. This is a little stronger than normal brews, albeit not quite so much that it would impede a few casual drinks. While there are lighter beers on the list at the brewery, there are none with quite that same verve as this, which offers a unique blend of flavors for a remarkably easy brew.