Summer is here — and nothing highlights the sticky season like fruit. Be it apricot from Ithaca or blood orange from Bay Shore, New York state is producing all sorts of the stuff . . . in beer.
But this batch of bevvies isn’t the sugar bomb you’re thinking: New York’s fruit beer is all about subtlety and balance, and just right for your balcony barbecue, stoopside soiree or commute to Quogue.
Apricot Wheat
Brewer: Ithaca Beer Co.
Find it at: City Swiggers, 320 E. 86th St., Upper East Side; 212-570-2000; $15.54 for a six-pack
Pairs well with: cheese or grilled pork
Ithaca Beer Co. worked for years — considering various styles and recipes — to perfect the body (not too heavy, as can happen with wheat) and flavor of the crowd-pleasing Apricot Wheat. “It’s not a ‘fruit drink,’ ” says head of brewing operations Michael Bank. “Apricot is summery without being overly intense. [The brew] brings out the season, but it’s still a beer.” The flavor is restrained, not sweet, and accompanied by a pleasing floral aroma.
Watermelon Wheat
Brewer: Coney Island Brewing Co.
Pairs well with: salty snacks, including chips, nuts and crackers
For Coney Island’s 2-month-old Watermelon Wheat, Alan Newman, head of Alchemy & Science — which produces the brewing company’s beers — uses juice from a watermelon rind, which is more savory than the sugary red “meat.” So the beer has an aroma reminiscent of cotton candy wafting across the boardwalk. It’ll appeal to wine and cocktail lovers seeking out fruity flavors that aren’t ruined by sugary syrups.
Blood Orange Pale Ale
Brewer: Great South Bay Brewery
Pairs well with: grilled chicken, grains (quinoa, rice) and green salads
If you’re still struggling to shirk your skepticism about fruity beer, this is the sip for you: The Bay Shore brewery’s Blood Orange Pale Ale, the best-selling beer they began bottling last fall, is zesty and bittersweet. “Blood orange is the undertone. We’re not turning the beer flavor into something it’s not,” says brewery manager Dave Wenger, adding it took six months’ worth of experimentation to refine the brew. “Craft beer drinkers love it, and people making the move from Bud Light — from macro to micro — love it.”
Blueberry Ale
Brewer: Blue Point Brewing Co.
Find it at: Flair Beverages, 3857 Ninth Ave., Washington Heights; 212-569-8713; $9.29 for a six-pack
Pairs well with: picnic and beach fare, from barbecued meats to lobster boils
The creation of Blue Point’s Blueberry Ale “was kind of a goof,” admits branding director Curt Potter of the Patchogue, LI-based company. But keeping the fruit understated — the aroma is far more intense than the flavor, which has just a hint of blueberry — results in a simple, lager-like beer with remarkably wide appeal. “It’s definitely not a girly beer, if that exists anymore,” adds Potter. Clean and balanced, it’s fun, light and not overly fruity.