Summer 2020. Enjoy Ted's personal faves of the moment in a six pack.

Let's face it, Spring 2020 has been, ummm, challenging. These are my six summer picks to help cope with the madness.  

1) Allagash, White: This might seem like a lazy pick. But it's not. Allagash is a classic and one of my favorite summer beers. It's an American craft take on a classic Belgian style beer. I love that it's refreshing and light with a soft mouthfeel and a great citrus flavor. 

2) Barrier, Money IPA: When I first opened Top Hops, Barrier Brewing limited production of this beer to every 6 weeks. We had a standing order and Money proved to be a perennial bestseller. It is an early example of the New England style IPA, pre the juice bombs. It is still one of my favorite beers. 

3) Evil Twin, Two Roads Geyser Gose: This beer's ingredients are sourced from Iceland's saltwater. The Gose style has become a popular thirst quencher, much like a sports drink. I love this wheaty, salty drink. 

4) Five Borough, Gridlock IPA: This has become a new favorite of mine. A Big Juicy IPA, for when you want a lot of tropical fruit flavor. 

5) Industrial Arts, Metric: Most people know of Industrial Arts for their excellent IPAs but that's just the beginning of the story. Jeff O'Neil is a legend. He has nailed an American version of a German Pilsner. Crisp and hoppy upfront with a clean finish, just as it was meant to be. 

6) Half Acre, Daisy Cutter: Sometimes you're not looking for a cloudy juice bomb. It's nice to get back to a West Coast Pale Ale, bitter and filtered. Not as high in ABV (5.2%) as a West Coast IPA, but with great balance and piney hoppy notes.