Goose Island Endless IPA

Since there isn't any law, like the German Beer Purity Laws, to govern how brewers describe their offerings, you can call a beer anything you want to. With the proliferation of so-called sessionable IPA's, my point is illustrated. 35 IBU's is hardly in the India Pale Ale category in my estimation (there regular IPA clocks in at 55 IBU's) but more like a pale ale. Despite the ambiguity of the name, it's not a bad beer. Crisply refreshing, with a surprising hop bite, with an almost minty character, rather than the more common grapefruit or pine notes. Some citrus: orange and lemon peel. Overall, worth a try, it just doesn't live up to the label.

Anchor Brewing India Pale Ale

You can't go wrong with a beer from San Francisco's Anchor Brewing. I could almost leave it at that...but I won't! Anchor's IPA pours the color of maple syrup, with a beige two-finger head and immediate hop aromas cuddling your nostrils. There's a creamy consistency to it, with a combination of different types of hops - both grapefruity and piney, with hints of apple, pear and even a little honey. IPA's tend to run the gamut from astringent to smooth, Anchor falls somewhere in the middle. Very exciting ale for the discerning IGB reader.

New Belgium Summer Helles Lager

Pours a crystal clear pale yellow that you could read a newspaper through, with a frothy white head. It's a nice, refreshing, drinkable lager. Drinking so many ales I sometimes forget that lagers are not supposed to be as complex, and I have to reset my expectations. Billed as a Munich-style Helles (helles means "light", as opposed to dunkel = "dark"). There's some roasted grain and bread notes and a teeny-tiny bit of floral character. Not very interesting, but it tastes pretty good.

Lucky Bucket Belly Flop Strawberry Blonde Ale

If you're a fan of fruit beers, this is a pretty good one. Looks like an unfiltered wheat, but it's hard to tell if it's a wheat or not, what with the strawberry flavor really dominating. It is pretty cool and refreshing though...not a bad summer brew.

Breckenridge Ophelia Hoppy Wheat

The first burst of aroma and the initial taste presented a lemony floral melange. Strong hop presence, but without the kick-your-ass aggressiveness that characterize so many hoppy beers. Some orange and some definite wheatiness - stacks up well alongside other hoppy wheats that I've tried. Sessionable at only 5.0% ABV. A good summer beer for the hopphilic among us.

Deschutes Twilight Summer Ale

Yay! We finally got rid of the Deschutes Christmas Ale! Pouring an amber hue with a thin white head, this blonde ale is very crisp and refreshing. There's a pleasant hop bite, but nothing too overwhelming. Shades of orange peel and a subtle wheatiness paired with some shy grapefruit hiding around back and some lemony tartness as well. Very summery. IGB rating: 8.5/10