Fruit … it’s out of control!

At first it was a cute phenomenon.  Some were good; some were bad. Some were over-the-top fruity and sweet (even into being syrupy) – some had only the slightest hint of fruit flavor that you almost didn’t notice it.  And then, it got out of control.

A quick search shows that there are at least 20 different fruits that can be found in beers today. And there are literally hundreds upon HUNDREDS of options. No, I have not tasted hundreds upon HUNDREDS of options, but I have had several. I’ll let you know some of those I like and those I’d rather avoid for the rest of my life.  But before I go any further, I have to take this opportunity to share this video about cranberries … it’s worth it.

The Good

• 21st Amendment Hell or High Watermelon. Uhhh, watermelon. 
• Founders Rubaeus. Raspberries. 
• Ommegang Aphrodite. Raspberry and pear.
• Shiner Prickly Pear. Okay – so I don’t know if this is cheating or not.  Although pear is in the title, prickly pear is actually a type of cactus. Does this count?
• Dogfish Head Black & Blue. Cleverly named – it has blackberries and blueberries.
• Wells Banana Bread. Such a great beer if you can find it … and like bananas.

The Average

• Abita Purple Haze. One of the first I ever had, and still a great choice. Raspberries, again!
• Magic Hat #9. Apricots … just enough to notice.
• Samuel Adams Cherry Wheat. Becoming a little mass-produced and less special, but still solid.
• Pyramid Apricot. Slightly better than #9, in my book.  First time I had this was after finishing my first Warrior Dash!
• Southern Tier Pumking. Fall is a great time of year: football is back, and you can start finding Oktoberfests and pumpkin-flavored beers.  This is one of the best.
• Sweetwater Blue. On the ragged edge of being too blue-y. I can only have one at a sitting.

The Awful

• Wild Blue. Seriously – should have its own category of awful. But I’ve been told it’s quite good when poured over ice cream.
• Terrapin Maggie’s Farmhouse. Some people like it. I think it’s horrific.
• Any cider. Sorry folks, I just can’t count it as beer, so it finds a spot here at the bottom of the barrel.
• Any one of the 11,406 Leinenkugel Shandy beers.

In case you’re wondering, here is the list of fruits I have found that can be found in beer:
Acai (yes, it’s the super-fruit beer), Apple, Apricot, Banana, Blueberry, Cherry, Cranberry, Grape, Grapefruit, Huckleberry, Key Lime, Lemon, Mango, Orange, Peach, Pineapple, Prickly Pear, Pumpkin, Raspberry, Strawberry, Tangerine, and Watermelon. 

So, what say you?  What’s your favorite fruit-based beer?