Here for beer

THE BEER FESTIVAL SEASON IS APPROACHING RAPIDLY. HERE ARE TEN OKLAHOMA BREWERIES YOU SHOULD DEFINITELY SAMPLE THIS SPRING.

By Matt Dinger

While this one is technically out of season, it’s possible to find a few straggling six-packs to stockpile until it returns in the colder months. Latin for “happy and dark,” what sets this American stout apart from its brethren is the use of orange peels that make the finish surprisingly sharp. If you’re still looking for something strong, The Hallows — their Belgian tripel — is now back in season.

The biggest complaint about abbey ales isn’t usually the heft of the alcohol content but rather the sweetness of the brew. Fortitude is the rare Belgian-style that comes off dry and less sweet while maintaining the strength the style is infamous for having. The problem you’re most likely to face with this tripel is that it’s crushable, which is a dangerous proposition when it comes loaded with 9.7 percent ABV.

Dead Armadillo is one of the OG breweries that has gotten overlooked far too frequently in the craft beer explosion. For the initiated, the Tulsa Flag blonde ale and the Amber are great to go back-and-forth with in a session. Both are always available in the taproom if you prefer them fresh, along with plenty of rotators to satisfy those who have been keeping score well before the laws were updated.

One of the benefits of being a taproom dweller is sometimes getting sneak peeks of concoctions in the works. While the Dublin Debauchery is finished and canned, its release is still a few days out. Just in time for St. Patrick’s Day, this no-holds-barred barrelaged coffee stout comes out swinging with a 13.8 percent ABV and the barrel flavor tempered by a little Irish cream. This one is thick and sweet and the robust flavors and strength make this one a one-anddone beer, but stout enthusiasts will definitely try to push their luck.

Hochatown is a bit of a drive from OKC and Tulsa, but fortunately, Mountain Fork comes to you. One of seven of their styles distributed in cans, Sneaky Snake is a strong Belgian-style golden ale is, in fact, quite sneaky. The 8.9 percent ABV is well masked by the sweet yet dry citrus flavors and goes down smoother than it should. This light beer is also extremely reasonably priced, which makes it even easier to tear through a four-pack before you realize you’ve been bit.

Irish Red Ale

Sometimes you just want a beer-flavored beer and Kochendorfer excels at brewing traditional styles without fanfare or fancy names. Irish reds aren’t necessarily the most popular style these days, but when you find a solid entry in the category, an old standard becomes a new favorite. This Duncan brewery also puts out one of the best hefeweizens in the state with that signature banana aftertaste you often find in European wheat ales.

Patches Treat

Strawberry Wheat Forever

Tragic Ballerinas

Frenzy Brewing Co.

Prairie Artisan Ales became a household name among beer drinkers for its stouts, then dominated the local market when sours became popular, but recently they’ve been crafting some strange brews and none are more unique than the flavors they’ve been concocting using beloved candies. They’ve stretched their Tiny Esses series to its logical limits, but, if you enjoyed that, the Patches Treat is one you must try. Significantly less sour, which is surprising considering the candy this is based on, it’s just as sweet as the Skittles sour.

If you’re looking to kickstart spring, Strawberry Wheat Forever is currently available both in cans and on tap at Anthem. The strawberry juice in this brew dulls the wheat flavor if you’re not a fan of hefeweizens, creating something that’s both subtle and bold in its flavor. Don’t go into this one expecting it packed to the brim with sugar but with just enough to replace a light lemonade or agua fresca if you prefer your spring drinks slightly spiked.

When Skydance Brewing arrived on the scene, the Fancy Dance IPA took the city by storm while the NDN Time waited to be noticed. A rich, malty amber ale, both it and the Rez Dog (their blonde ale) have quickly become staples in beer fridges. We’d certainly be remiss not to mention the taproom with its rotators and experiments (like the Juice Wolves line, which tops itself with each release), but the new packaging for the Skydance core beer lineup is a good reminder for a repeat tasting.

It’s become quite the rage to pack the weirdest imaginable adjuncts into stouts and sours, but sometimes a beer made with some classic flavors does the job best. While Knick Knacks is their flagship sour, this take brewed with pineapple and passionfruit really kicks it up a notch. Bold in flavor without being overwhelming, Tragic Ballerinas is exactly what a fruited sour should be. If peach is more your style, don’t sleep on Quitcherpeachin, their fruity wheat ale, or the Peachy Pyrotechnics, their milkshake IPA, which are both currently on tap.