Gothic Top Brewing

Taco Tuesday is here once more.

If you’re feeling like chicken or fish, try a crisp, mild Mexican Lager, a Pilsner, or for something a little different, a Belgian Wit. All three are easy on the palate and will really help your meal shine, while still providing a satisfying drink.

If you’re going a bit heavier with beef or pork, try something with a bit more punch like a juicy IPA, Vienna Lager, or Amber Ale, where the hops will really have a moment in the spotlight and help to cut through the richness and fat of the meat.

Whatever you decide, beer and tacos are never a miss. Cheers!

As the weather gets warmer, IPAs and lagers start showing up everywhere. And while most people love the cool, crisp snap of a lager, IPAs can still be a little hit or miss.

So if IPAs don’t really feel like they’re for you, here are 5 alternative beers we love that we always recommend trying instead:

🍺 Hefeweizen: expect banana and clove notes (usually one or the other, sometimes both). If you love banana bread, cozy winter spices, and a medium-bodied beer (texture-wise, think somewhere between water and hot cocoa), a Hefeweizen might be your beer.

🍺 Pilsner: earthy (like the smell right before rain), sometimes floral, less bready and more crackery/dry. You may get a little malt up front, but as your mouth empties and your tongue meets your palate, there’s usually a soft, lingering bitterness. Usually light to medium-bodied.

🍺 Kölsch: super light in mouthfeel, crisp, refreshing, and basically what most people mean when they want an easy summer drinker. Very mild, with subtle yeast notes that can read fruity and/or bready. The dryness makes it a great swap if you usually reach for crisp white wine or dry bubbles.

🍺 Amber Ale: this one lives in the sweet spot between maltiness (think the flavor version of how malted milk balls smell) and sometimes a slight fruitiness. People call these “balanced,” which just means the sweet and bitter notes tend to show up in pretty equal measure.

🍺 Fruited Wheat: these are so fun — and honestly one of our go-to recommendations when someone says they don’t like beer. A lot of the time, you taste the fruit as much as (or more than) the beer itself, and they often drink a little sweeter unless you’re specifically ordering a sour.

We’re firm believers that everyone has a beer for them — they just haven’t found it yet. And if that’s you in general (or specifically with IPAs), we hope this roundup helps.

Save this for your next brewery visit so you can skip the panic-order… or at the very least order a flight that helps you find your beer of the summer (or beyond).

Follow us for beer tips, pairings, and brewery information explained for beer drinkers.

This spring break was for the grown ups too.

Took a road trip with the kids: started in Maine, made our way through Massachusetts, stopped in Cooperstown and Buffalo, finished up in Niagara on the Lake and made our way back to Pittsburgh. We made a point to pack in lots of history and fun stops for the kids, but we visited some of our favorite breweries along the way too, ones we’ve had on our list forever!

Allagash Brewing Company has been one of our favorites since we could buy it in 2011, back when Night Sky was still Allagash Black.

We had the best time at the brewery; everyone was so kind and thoughtful, and the taproom was cozy and loaded with games so the kids had a blast too. Wayne loved seeing behind the scenes, and we can’t wait to share more from this trip with you.

First up on the ones we brought home is Snow Report Winter Ale and it is delicious! So balanced, and while the wildflower honey lets you know it’s there, the beer still tastes like beer and that’s when for us, it’s next level.

So glad this trip tastes/tasted as fun as it was and can’t wait until we can visit again!

This black IPA is currently in fermentation and we can’t wait to give it a try. The color is awesome, the smell is out of this world and it already tastes like it’s going to be a winner. We are super excited to share this one with you!

Got this batch dry hopped last week and cold crashed this weekend. It’s ready to be kegged any day now and we’re getting excited! Have a feeling this recipe is now perfected 🍻🍺🍻

These had a head, I promise. But, in between pouring and this photo, my two year old asked for help finding an episode of a show and 9282646 minutes later, here we are. The reality of being a homebrewer and a parent is that sometimes time is a challenge. Don’t let that stop you from following your passion. This is for everyone (who’s legal drinking age) who has a passion for beer and man, the results are delicious.

Cheers!

Orange creamsicle IPA was ready today so we gave it a try! It’s got great body, delicious flavor and is the perfect drinkability for knocking back a few on your back porch this summer. Check out our video on YouTube for our thoughts as we try it on camera!

My wife LOVES windows. My wife also LOVES light, especially natural light. It therefore stands to reason that the only blackout material in our house is a blanket for the fermenters...

Uncovered this batch yesterday for cold crashing — now it’s keg day! The brewers version of that oh so important day at the gym...

Its "Corn-Teen" here in the Burgh, and there's no better time to home brew than when there is a literal mandate for you to stay home. Spring has sprung and we're welcoming it in with our Gothic Top Earl Grey IPA. We'll be talking about this beer on our YouTube channel soon!