“This is a balanced brew that delivers a nuanced interplay of bready malt and herbal hops. Dortmunder Gold is clean, refreshing and crushable, even at nearly 6% ABV.”—Greg

“Malt-driven notes of caramel and toast provide a rich backbone to this hoppy ale. Expect waves of piney, citric and resinous hop flavors along with a bold and bitter finish.”—Greg

“This classic beer was one of the first hoppy beers many people ever had, and remains the definition of the West Coast pale ale style.  Refreshingly bitter, with balanced malt. Great with spicy food. It is the one beer that is always in my refrigerator.”—Tom

“Two Hearted explodes out of the glass with fruity aromas of orange peel, grapefruit and tangerine, underpinned by a bit of pine. The body is lean and balanced while showing a restrained bitterness that makes this IPA eminently drinkable.”—Greg

“Sierra Nevada’s entry into the crowded field of hazy IPAs is remarkably consistent, widely available, and downright delicious. Creamy, slightly sweet and softly bitter, this brew is chock full of juicy fruit flavor, with pineapple, apricot, and citrus notes throughout.”—Greg

“Not just a low-calorie brew, Lagunitas DayTime IPA has remained impressive since its debut back in 2010. Full flavored and hop forward, this IPA brings bold citrus hop character along with a refreshing malt base.”—Greg

“The only dry-hopped Trappist ale, this refined Belgian brew is in a class by itself. A touch of Brettanomyces yeast gives the flavor profile a distinctive lift and contrast to the pale roasted malt and soft astringency of the hops. This beer ages well.”—Tom

“Aged in massive oak barrels called foeders, this Belgian pale ale takes on tart quality from the microbiota living in the wooden barrel staves. Unlike American style pale ales, this is not characterized by hoppy bitterness, but rather a dry, complex bite that recalls Champagne.”—Tom

“Brewed by Brasserie Dupont in the Belgian countryside near France, Saison Dupont is the benchmark farmhouse ale that inspired brewers the world over. Peppery hops in the nose and palate and rich, fruity esters define this brew, whose name means “season.” This style was brewed for consumption during the hot summer months when brewing was historically not possible.”—Tom

“This Belgian Trappist abbey invented the triple style, a golden ale with fruity esters originally brewed for sale to support the abbey’s operations. Westmalle is the first notable triple and certainly the best widely-available triple, with notes of stone fruit. This has a dry, hoppy finish—not sweet like many imitators.”—Tom

“SeaQuench fuses all sorts of zesty lime (black limes, lime peel, lime juice) with a generous dollop of coriander, plus sea salt, and layers it atop a clean, wheaty base to create the quintessential year-round crusher.”—Greg

“Though this remix clocks in at a big 9.5% ABV, the tantalizing tartness keeps everything tangy and bright, while aromas of banana, rum, apple, lemon, and clove bring complexity to the beer.”—Greg

“Brewed by Van Steenberge outside of Ghent, Belgium, Monk’s Cafe Flemish Sour Ale is a definitive ‘oude bruin’ or Flanders red beer.  Evoking a cherry Warhead with lactic sourness and a touch of malt sweetness, this is a great introduction of the vast array of beers broadly classed as ‘sour.’”—Tom

“Rochefort 10 is often named among the ‘Best Beers in the World,”‘ but the 8 has perhaps even more nuance. Brewed in a Belgian Trappist monastery, this is a high-alcohol, bready, and rich brew with caramelized toffee notes. “—Tom

“Rich, yet restrained, Black Butte delivers bold notes of chocolate, licorice, fig and burnt caramel, all in a silky smooth package.”—Greg

“Rich with oats added to the mash, this silky-smooth stout is dry, bracing and classically English. A stalwart that will never go out of style.”—Tom

“This now classic Brown Ale is creamy and round on the palate with a dry, bittersweet finish; nutty malt flavors, punctuated by notes of coffee and cocoa, give way to an earthy, herbal hop character.”—Greg

“The key to finding a low-calorie beer isn’t looking for mass produced ultra-lights, which rely on brewing adjuncts like rice to produce thin, quickly made, flavorless beer. Instead, look for correctly made full-grain bill beer that is low in alcohol, like Brasserie de la Senne’s Taras Boulba. This is a sessionable Belgian Pale Ale brewed in Brussels, 4.2% ABV, and 135 calories per 12-ounce bottle. It is super dry, aromatic, and absolutely delicious. If a mass produced, widely available beer is required, the Irish dry stout Guinness is about 125 calories per 12 ounces and also about 4.2% ABV.”—Tom