No need to break out the blender, rocks, or salt for National Tequila Day (or the rest of the summer for that matter) with these craft beers made for margarita lovers. A little sweet and a tad salty, these beers are oh-so refreshing and will make the blazing summer sun bearable.

Redbud Cucumber | Independence Brewing Co. | Austin, TX

Austin is no stranger to heat waves or margaritas so a beer from the live music capital of the world should come as no surprise. Nick Hiller, Independence Brewing’s director of marketing, says a particularly brutal summer here in Austin, Texas, working in a 110ºF brewhouse spurred the creation of Cucumber Redbud. “Bored with plain water, the brewers started adding cucumber to the water cooler. Of course it wasn’t long before we started adding cucumber to our tart and lemony wheat beer, Redbud Berliner Weisse.” Independence took their OG lemony Redbud Berliner Weisse formula and added a twist of crisp, freshly distilled cucumber water for the Cucumber Redbud, for the most refreshing spritzy tipple any margarita lover will enjoy. The cucumber addition cuts some of the lactic tartness, and delivers a lingering and refreshing cucumber flavor on the finish. Hiller continues, “It’s a great option for people who love the profile of a margarita and are looking to cut that tartness with something other than sugar.” Paired with your favorite bloody mary mix, it makes a mean michelada too.

(Style Spotlight: Contemporary Gose)

Blood Orange Margarita Gose | TrimTab Brewing | Birmingham, AL

Blood Orange Margarita Gose beer is a saving grace in hot weather. The beer is juicy with tangerine and blood orange puree, and lime peel. Add in Himalyan pink sea salt for a margarita-like brininess that will keep you coming back. It’ll remind you of juicy popsicles of your childhood and happy hour margs all at the same time creating a satisfying thirst quencher.

Cultural Convergence Imperial Gose | Coal Mine Brewing & Seedstock Brewery Collaboration | Littleton, CO

Craft breweries love a chance to collaborate and experiment with friends and that’s exactly what happened between these two Colorado craft breweries. Cultural Convergence Imperial Gose  starts with Seedstock’s Czech/European heritage using simple Czech/European ingredients like Czech Pilsner malt, traditional Czech Saaz hops, European yeast, and slight gose sourness. Then Coal Mine adds some Latino-inspired flavors using cilantro, lime, jalapeno and salt and the result is a truly unique imperial gose. The lime and jalapeno flavor are light on the nose and palate, and you just get a tinge of spice and then a hit of salt, almost like a spicy margarita. This one would be absolutely perfect with a pile of nachos.

Tres Amigos | Elevation Brewing Co. | Poncha Springs, CO

Tres Amigos is brewed with key lime juice and sea salt and is the definition of easy drinking and with the heat waves of the summer. This summer sipper is crisp and clean and finishes with a hint of lime and salt making it the ideal happy hour sipper after a long day. Founder and Director of Brewery operations, Christian Koch, says the beer came to be during bike rides to work with some of the production crew. “We have a 4-mile ride from Salida to the brewery in Poncha Springs and it is just uphill enough that you have to work a bit and you start dreaming about refreshing beers. Leading up to Cinco de Mayo, we wanted to do a spin on our 8 Second Kolsch with adding lime and sea salt and named it Tres Amigos in honor of the bike crew. It was an instant hit with everyone from brewers to ranchers in the tap room. The lime flavor added a second layer of refreshment on top of our already refreshing lager-like Kolsch recipe. The salt is subtle, but detectable on your lips and reminds me of a margarita.”

(Related: Spirit Quest: Aging Beer in Tequila Barrels)

SeaQuench Ale | Dogfish Head | Milton, DE

The first taste of the salt on your tongue will make your mouth water and beg for more. The brewers at Dogfish Head originally developed this beer to pair with seafood dishes at Dogfish’s restaurant Chesapeake & Maine, and the result was a unique sour mashup of a crisp Kolsch, a salty Gose and a tart Berliner-style Weiss brewed in sequence with black limes, sour lime juice and sea salt. The more you sip the more you’ll swear you can feel a gentle sea spray from ocean waves, even if you’re just sitting in your backyard with a lawn chair in a baby pool (No judgement–it’s freaking hot out there!). Try rolling your can in salt, drink just a little SeaQuench from the vessel and add a splash of tequila on top for to kick it up a notch.

Prickly Pear Zinger | Tarpon River Brewing | Fort Lauderdale, FL

 Located in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Tarpon River clearly knows how to beat the heat because there’s no way you could feel prickly in the humidity with a Prickly Pear Zinger beer in your glass. If you’ve ever had a prickly pear margarita, this award-winning beer mimics the sweet and sourness of that drink almost too well. Not too sweet or sour, the 4.5% ABV Zinger is a Berliner-style Weisse walks that thin the line well thanks to the fruit forward prickly pear giving you melon/berry jam notes and finishes with a delicate tartness.

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Tritonia with Cucumber and Lime | Creature Comforts Brewing | Athens, GA

Creature Comforts Brewing co-founders Adam Beauchamp and David Stein both love margaritas and knew a Gose-style beer would be a great opportunity to make a beer with similar flavors. The lime in this Tritonia is definitely what sets it off in that direction, and the addition of cucumber adds to the refreshment. Pro-tip is to add in a splash of your favorite silver tequila for a beer cocktail packing a punch.

Key Lime Pie Gose | Westbrook Brewing Co. | Mt. Pleasant, SC

With just a hint of cinnamon and vanilla, this one may be more key lime pie than margarita, but it is no less refreshing or delicious. If you’re going to have dessert in the summertime, a cool slice of key lime pie is the way to go, don’t you think? Westbrook goses always bring that cheek-pinching pucker, and this one’s fragrant key lime aroma and tart flavor makes your palate sing with every swig, like dancing down Key West’s Duval street without a care in the world.

Margarita in Gose | Second Self Brewing Co. | Atlanta

Margarita in Gose—dubbed MIG around the midtown Atlanta brewery—is a partner beer to Second Self’s Maverick in Gose. (Yes, if you’re following along at home, both beers are “Top Gun” themed!) Second Self brewers use organic Florida orange peels and fresh-squeezed lime juice to give MIG its margarita-like taste. Margarita in Gose is also saltier than Maverick, adding to the margarita-like experience. At 4.3% ABV, this gose is the perfect patio-sipping wing(wo)man — or, as the brewery suggests, “flying inverted.”

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Briny Melon Gose | Anderson Valley Brewing Co. | Boonville, CA

 Salted watermelon is one of the most refreshing summer snacks, so why not have those flavors in a beer? The Briny Melon Gose from Anderson Valley Brewing starts off with subtle sweetness from the watermelon and then sea salt tickles your tongue creating a sessionable, thirst-quenching beer.

Tropical Blast Gose | Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant

Vibrant flavors of blood orange and pineapple dance the samba together in this tropics-inspired beer. It starts off juicy, slightly sour, and totally refreshing. Then the Gose style breaks out its signature move–a subtly salty finish that will leave you craving an encore. Mark Edelson, director of brewery operations, says, “A gose is the perfect beer alternative for a margarita lover due to its slightly tangy and salty flavor. Typically, goses are brewed with the addition of spices such as coriander and are fermented with wild, top-fermenting yeast to produce a dry, bubbly and puckery product. That, combined with a low ABV and sweet, acidic taste, creates a great summertime beer.”

When it is 90 degrees and the humidity is like a wet blanket, channel your inner Jimmy and think of soft sandy beaches, a salty ocean breeze, and crack one of these beers made for margarita lovers. Even if you’re completely landlocked this summer, these tart margarita-like beers will keep you feeling cool through Labor Day.

The post Craft Beers for Margarita Lovers appeared first on CraftBeer.com.

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Cranberry-Quince | North Coast Brewing | Fort Bragg, CA

If you’re throwing a festive Christmas brunch for a group, North Coast’s Cranberry-Quince Berliner Weisse is a great beer to start the holiday off right. Brewmaster Chuck Martins grew up with quince trees in his family’s orchard and thought their subtle sweetness would be the perfect complement to the tanginess of Oregon cranberries. The unique blend of cranberries and pear-like quince creates a fragrant and fruity Berliner Weisse that will be a delightful crowd pleaser for any Christmas brunch.

(MORE: How to Host a Winter Beer & Food Pairing)

Orange County IPA | Left Coast Brewing Co. | San Clemente, CA

Oranges are one of those delights that somehow provide instant warmth even in the most frigid, gray winter. You may have even gotten an orange in your stocking when you were a kid. As an adult, a citrusy beer can carry on this tradition with a little more excitement. Left Coast’s Orange County IPA is light bodied with a slight sweetness and bitterness from California-grown oranges. It’s brewed mainly with Mandarina Bavaria hops from Germany that give off even more citrus flavor and the sweet aroma of tangerine and orange. Kick back and enjoy one while the kiddos stare at you puzzled over the golden orb at the bottom of their stocking.

Serendipity | New Glarus Brewing Co. | New Glarus, WI

Famous for exceptional beers and only distributing in Wisconsin, any New Glarus beer would be a delight to sip on Christmas morning. One year, the Wisconsin cherry crop did not fare well, so the brewers used what they could. They added apple and cranberry to create a delicious accident. This fruit beer aged in oak melds the different fruit flavors perfectly, they almost dance across your palate. Like this beer, you never know what will happen around the holidays so raise a glass to the unexpected.

(Related: Reindeer Grains: Brewery Finds Use For Spent Grain)

Prim | Upland Brewing | Bloomington, IN

Perhaps made famous in Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol,” plum pudding has graced many tables during the holiday season. Technically, there are no plums in the traditional pudding, but no matter. You should forgo this meat and dried fruit concoction for a delicious beer with actual plums. Upland Brewing Company’s Prim is a little sweet and savory with bright tart plum flavor up front with a subtle savory and spicy finish courtesy of cardamom. The beer pairs well with rich holiday dishes such as roasted duck and plum sauce.

Running with Axes Pale Ale | Finnegans Brew Co. | Minneapolis

The brew is a fresh hop pale ale brewed exclusively with Minnesota-grown Mighty Axe Hops. It’s a classic pale ale with earthy, pine and citrus notes. Finnegans also donates 100 percent of profits to charities working to eliminate hunger. If that doesn’t say Christmas spirit, I don’t know what does. To top it off the label will match your most festive plaid Christmas jammies.

(Watch: Meet the Brewery Who Makes Tree Beers)

Oakspire Bourbon Barrel Ale | New Belgium Brewing | Fort Collins, CO

Christmas is a time for celebrating and any brew that pairs great beer and Kentucky bourbon deserves a seat at the table. New Belgium brewed Oakspire Bourbon Barrel Ale in collaboration with Knob Creek. It’s aged with bourbon-steeped oak spirals and char from inside the barrel. With notes of toffee, vanilla. and caramel, this brew pairs perfectly with Christmas morning coffee for the perfect eye opener. It will carry you through to brunch and pair perfectly with bacon and pancakes.

Lee Hill Series Volume 18, Wild Christmas Ale with Balaton Cherries | Upslope Brewing | Boulder, CO

Named after Upslope’s original North Boulder brewery, the Lee Hill Series is a tribute to its commitment to experimentation. Volume 18 Wild Christmas Ale is aged in oak barrels for 12 months with the house sour culture before being racked onto 1,000 pounds of Balaton cherries. Then it re-fermented for eight weeks. Boasting an ABV of 9.1%, this flavor-filled beer features aromas of cherry pie, leather, clover honey and almond, followed by mulling spices, and a touch of orange peel. Enjoy it Après Everything, preferably in your finest Ugly Christmas sweater. This one is served up in 19.2 ounce cans, making it a great beer for now or a cellar keepsake for next year.

(Related: Interesting Ingredients in Winter and Holiday Beers)

Mad Elf | Troegs | Hershey, PA

The scheming elf on the label lets you know this one is going to be a dangerously good beer. Mad Elf is on plenty of holiday beer roundups but rightfully so. The cheerful ruby red color immediately gives you a festive vibe and tastes of ripe cherries, honey, and a hint of cinnamon, clove and allspice. This Belgian Strong pairs so well with all the Christmas fixin’s that you might want to wait for dinner to crack this one, not to mention the 11% ABV. Try it alongside rich baked brie cheese to compliment the bright cherry flavor or alongside the Christmas ham to intensify the malt character and sweet honey.

Christmas Morning | Hardywood Park Craft Brewery | Richmond, VA

It doesn’t get more festive than gingerbread and coffee, now does it? This beer from Hardywood Park adds more complexity and decadence to their original Gingerbread Stout (seriously tastes like a liquid gingerbread cookie) through deep conditioning on locally roasted Mexican Chiapas coffee beans from Black Hand Coffee Co. Hints of sweet honey and oven-baked gingerbread greet the comforting nuances of freshly brewed morning coffee in this imperial milk stout.

The holidays can be stressful and unpredictable, so you may as well have some delicious beers stocked up to enjoy. Whether you have a house full of guests for Christmas brunch or you plan on a holiday movie marathon with a leftover cookies for breakfast, pop one of these beers to bring back feel that Christmas morning anticipation and fun from your childhood.

The post Craft Beers to Unwrap Christmas Morning appeared first on CraftBeer.com.

If you’re a brewery brunch newbie, be aware it can easily take up the better part of a Sunday. Forget boring brunch buffets and omelet stations! Check out these 13 breweries that have whipped up a stellar brunch that pairs perfectly with their beers.

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Revolution Brewing | Chicago

Brunch is one of Chicago’s favorite past times and Revolution Brewing adds to that storied tradition with an admirable commitment to quality utilizing local farms and making everything from scratch. This brewery brunch menu leans towards comfort food which is ideal in the frigid Chicago winters. Don’t miss their biscuits and gravy made with buttery, flaky biscuits baked in house topped with a spicy sausage gravy. The result is a very rich, hearty breakfast that is great for those who might have attended FOBAB the night before. Pair these with a hoppy Anti-Hero IPA to cut through the richness of that gravy. Eggs in a Hole is another favorite made with thick sourdough that makes a great basket for a couple of runny eggs. And because it’s all about using that bread for soppin’, they pour a generous pool of Cross of Gold beer cheese over the plate. If you need a little something sweet check out their bakers Donut of the Day that changes every week. The pub has 18 Revolution beers pouring at all times, so there’s something for everyone ranging from their crisp Rev Pils to barrel aged beers like the Deth’s Tar Imperial Oatmeal Stout.

Dogfish Head Brewings & Eats | Rehoboth Beach, DE

Since 1995, Dogfish Head Brewings & Eats has been serving up off-centered ales and creative pub fare. This pub is the OG of Dogfish Head and gave founder Sam Calagione the flexibility to indulge his experimental inclinations by grabbing at the time unusual ingredients like raisins and coffee from the pub kitchen to try in beers. Dogfish Head Brewings & Eats is still the heart of Dogfish Head and what better way to experience their creations and feed your soul than at Sunday brunch. The chicken and waffles are a must and perfect choice for IPA lovers as the chicken is brined in the brewery’s Flesh & Blood IPA. Delaware toast is the best mix of sweet and savory thanks to brioche french toast, bacon, cheese, and a sunny side up egg while the Death in the Afternoon Pizza made with scrapple, sausage, home-fries, ricotta and egg is something totally different and may get you ready for an afternoon nap. Order one of the classic beers alongside or try one of the brewpub exclusives like the Lapsang Souchong Porter featuring smoky aroma and flavor of Lapsang Souchong tea from China into a roasty, robust porter.x

Taxman Brewing | Bargersville, IN

Known for their take on Belgian style beers, Taxman Brewing serves up a laid-back and craveable brunch in Bargersville, Indiana. The brewery sources from local farms and in order to highlight what’s in season, the menu changes often. Bring your pooch along and hang out on the patio while indulging in pancake corn dogs and breakfast frites (basically everything that’s good about breakfast on top of twice-fried in pork fat Belgian French fries, eggs cooked your way, sausage gravy, bacon, cheddar cheese, scallion and jalapeno crema). Nothing says Sunday Funday like the 8.5% ABV Exemption Belgian tripel or indulge like the king or queen you are with the beermosa, a blend of OJ and the biere de champagne Royalty.

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Hinterland Brewery | Green Bay, WI

The land of beer and cheese and monster bloody mary’s, Wisconsin knows how to do brunch right. It should come as no surprise that a brewery in Green Bay, Wisconsin, is on this list. Hinterland Brewery is in the heart of the Titletown District and conveniently next door to Lambeau Field, home of the Packers. If you’re not into football, Hinterland’s brews and brunch are reason enough to visit. Year-round beers like their Citra Pale Ale and Packerland Pilsner are great alongside dishes like Bill’s Crab Cake Bennie piled high with smoked ham and red hot butter. On the sweeter side, you can’t go wrong with the Pumpkin Bread Pudding French Toast topped with whipped cream, candied pecans, and blueberry maple syrup and a Nitro Stout. Hinterland’s beer hall boasts two wood-burning fireplaces to keep beer lovers cozy all winter and in the summertime the garage doors open to the beer garden so you can enjoy the short Wisconsin summer.

The Brewer’s Table | Austin, TX

The Brewer’s Table is a place where beer and food share the spotlight. Named one of “20 craft breweries where the food is as big a draw as the beer” by Food & Wine, they credit this success to the creative partnership between brewer and chef whose crossover of ingredients are used to make beer as good as food as good as beer. The Brewer’s Table Brunch is available from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. every Saturday and Sunday, and keeps in line with their mission of putting out food as good as beer. The brunch menu delivers a playful take on classic brunch fare, with something for everyone including decadent sweet and savory dishes like a pretzel croissant with beer cheese foam, heirloom tomato toffee and banana pancakes with grilled banana, sunflower seed toffee, mesquite maple syrup Try one of their house beers like their flagship Common Lager or Reinheitsgenot festbier with smoked acorn squash and Thai basil or a Mich-a-lager featuring Vor Ort lager with fresh squeezed lime juice, house bloody mary mix and chili salt rim. Don’t forget to save a little bit of room for the mini ice creams cones. Solidifying that beer = food, Chef Zach Hunter utilizes a portion of each brewing waste product, ending up with a delicious, yet tiny, indulgence comprised of toasted barley ice cream, yeast caramel, hop honey and beer grain waffle cone.

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Edmund’s Oast | Charleston, SC

Located in one of the hottest food scenes in America, Edmund’s Oast needs to be added to your list of breweries to visit. They have an impressive lineup of ales and lagers, complex sours, refined, locally sourced pub fare, and creative cocktails. The vibe is cozy and unpretentious but elegant, kind of like the Lowcountry itself. The restaurant is always packed with beer fans and diners that often hang out for hours sampling small plates and house-made charcuterie alongside a flight of their choice. The brunch menu is always changing but there are a few standouts that are always available. The Brewer’s Breakfast is their take on a classic English breakfast complete with ham, sausage, bacon, eggs, mushrooms, butter-beans, potatoes and red-eye gravy. Pair this with the Ol Puffery English Pale Ale. This light golden and softly bitter beer is right at 4% ABV and polite to all the senses. We frequently have this beer on regular CO2 tap as well as on cask. For something truly decadent and fun, try the french toast with peanut butter, banana cream cheese, bourbon caramel and peanuts. Paired alongside the Session Confection stout with cacao nibs and vanilla, prepare your taste buds for a flood of vanilla, whiskey, and caramel notes that take this combo to a whole new dimension. The staff is incredibly knowledgeable and friendly so if you need help deciding on your order, just ask.

White Squirrel Brewery | Bowling Green, KY

Seekers of a Sunday Funday, families and the post-church crowd can all find common ground at White Squirrel Brewery’s Sunday brunch in Bowling Green, KY. For beers, you can keep it classic with their Nut Brown Ale or Kolsch, or you can try their seasonal Pumpkin Ale. This brew is autumn in a glass sourcing its pumpkins from local Kentucky farms with a hint of sweet cinnamon and caramel. The dishes are twists on Southern classics like chicken and homemade biscuits with lavender honey and lemon butter and Nashville hot chicken and waffles with blueberry maple syrup. Live local bluegrass music makes this a real Kentucky brunch.

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Trophy Brewing | Raleigh, NC

Located in the heart of downtown Raleigh you’ll find Trophy Brewing Company’s Trophy Tap + Table. This craft beer bar serves a rotating selection of 12 Trophy beers, produced less than 2 miles away in their production facility on Maywood Ave, and a diverse menu of upscale Southern cuisine. Brunch favorites include the Fried Green Tomato Sandwich and the Shrimp + Grits (pro tip: don’t forget the loaded tots as your side). Head up to the rooftop patio and start your weekend brunch off right with a Good Morning Vietnam cocktail, made using Trophy Brewing’s Slingshot Coffee Porter and locally-roasted Larry’s Coffee.

Cibolo Creek Brewing | Boerne, TX

Cibolo Creek Brewing Co. is one of the coziest breweries located in a historic house in downtown Boerne, about 25 minutes north of San Antonio. Sustainability is a focus for the brewery’s restaurant choosing to buy sustainable Texas raised meats, dairy and produce. Sunday brunch items rotate each week but you can expect hearty dishes like fried chicken with pancakes and fried eggs alongside with an Early Bird Hefeweizen with a shot of orange juice in it. The Bier Buns, homemade potato roll stuffed with browned goat, cabbage, and cheese, are a lunch mainstay but add an egg to make them a brunch crowd pleaser.

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Carver Brewing Company | Durango, CO

Carver Brewing Company opened in 1988, Durango’s first brewpub since prohibition, and among Colorado’s original brewpubs. Durango features over 100 award-winning restaurants, and Carver is known for serving the best breakfast in town. Characterized by the flavors of the Southwest, including Hatch green chiles, poblanos and chipotle, Carver Brewing is known for having the best brunch in town. Try huevos rancheros smothered with green chilies or the Anasazi Benedict with chipotle ham and poblano cream sauce. Alongside their 12 in-house brews, they serve locally roasted, organic, fair trade cold-pressed coffees on nitro and have a creative selection of brunch cocktails, including the Brewer’s Breakfast, a half nitro cold press coffee and half Imperial Stout, also from the nitro tap for a creamy, delicious pint. No milk or sugar needed.

Fishtown Brewpub | Philadelphia

A neighborhood favorite in the heart of Fishtown, Fishtown Brewpub is a place where locals and visitors alike kick back and enjoy a few beers and delicious food. The menu combines Philly-specific favorites and modern pub fare to go along with their classic German and English-style beers and unusual seasonals like the Cool Beans Golden Ale brewed with vanilla and over 5 gallons of cold brew coffee or the Black Magic Pumpkin Stout that is a stout first giving way to subtle notes of cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove. Prepare to gorge with dishes like the South Philly Omelette with long hots and aged Provolone or the lobster roll with saison steamed claw and knuckle, smoked tomato aioli, celery heart, pickled red onion, on a top split bun. If you’re craving sweet then get the coconut crusted french toast with chai apple butter and ginger maple syrup. 

Mill House Brewing Company | Poughkeepsie, NY

Located in Poughkeepsie, New York, Mill House Brewing is known for giving every guest a “holy s#*t” moment” with every bite and sip. The brewpub’s Sunday brunch delivers by taking classic dishes to the next level. Start with the house-made brioche donut bites topped with lemon poppy seed glaze and one of their Bloody Beer cocktails with the Kold One Kolsch, Fresh Lime, House Bloody Mix, Chili-Lime Salt, Stout Float. For main dishes try the poutine with house cut Belgian fries with caramelized onion gravy, cheddar cheese curd, swiss, pickled jalapeños, and scallions or the Reuben Benedict with house-made rye and pastrami.

City Acre Brewing | Houston

As Houston’s highly rated brewpub, City Acre Brewing brunch is a local favorite. Just like their beers, everything from the sourdough bread for sandwiches to the jams made from berries and peppers in their garden is made in-house. French toast is a definite stand-out: it’s more of a cinnamon sugar toast, with the melting butter on top mixing with the sugar crust to make its own syrup. Eat it by itself or top it with the fried chicken. The breakfast tacos are some of the best in town, and the tasso benedict is unlike any other brunch item you’ll get in Houston or elsewhere. If you’re thinking french toast, pair it with the Tweaky Wheat: Sneaky Wheat Stout infused with City Acre’s own nitrogenated cold brew coffee.

After a long weekend of brewery tours and tastings, a delicious brunch is in order. With these brewery brunches the weekend is looking even more delicious. Pass the bacon and pour another.

The post 13 Brewery Brunches You’ll Love appeared first on CraftBeer.com.