For as valuable as it can be to keep your beer fridge stocked with reliable favorite lagers, ales and IPAs, consider spring an ideal time to refresh your suds as much as your wardrobe. With its often unpredictable weather and perhaps a last gasp of winter’s chill from time to time, the season serves up a prime opportunity for hops-focused experimentation, be it through sipping a rich amber ale. a vivid array of easy-drinking lagers or a flagship IPA. All are prime for the taking, and the return of seasonal releases like Bell’s Oberon is also a sure sign that a spring thaw is well on the way. Imbibe accordingly this season with some of our latest spring beer favorites.
Highland Brewing Gaelic Amber Ale
A pioneering brewery leading the craft beer boom in famously sudsy Asheville, Highland Brewing went back to its roots with the spring release of its first-ever brew, the excellent Gaelic Amber Ale, in fresh packaging. With touches of hop bitterness and malty sweetness, it’s a worthy complement to the more brisk days of patio beer spring sipping. $11.49
Firestone Walker Sunglider Golden Lager 2026
If ever there were a beer to capture the bright flavors and atmosphere of spring, it might just be Firestone Walker’s newest lager, a delightfully crisp sipper modeled after classic German Helles lagers. A healthy blend of pilsner malts and traditional German noble hops aid in delivering utterly refreshing, crushable character. $10.99/6-pack
Bell’s Oberon 2026
The return of Bell’s Oberon each March heralds the return of spring in full force, and the release of the beer at the iconic Bell’s Eccentric Cafe is practically a state holiday. While other Oberon expressions have debuted across recent years (including a more fall-centric variety), the flagship Oberon is as delightful with an orange slice as it’s ever been. $18.49/12-pack
Wicked Weed Brewing Freak-Ish Pale Ale
Spring sipping needn’t solely be about light lagers or wheat ales aplenty. There’s still more than enough room in your beer fridge for a classic pale ale, especially one that clocks in at a highly accessible 5.4 percent IPA while boasting a solid malt backbone. $14.49/6-pack
Ratio Beerworks Cityscapes Mexican Lager
Packed with plenty of character and a crisp, refreshing sense of place almost as brisk as its Denver home, there’s a reason Cityscapes is a flagship offering from the 11-year-old Colorado brewery. There’s a slight dryness to the finish for a pairing practically made to team with Southwest culinary delights aplenty this spring. $10.99/6-pack
Dogfish Head Grateful Dead Citrus Daydream Lager
Deadheads, rejoice: There’s yet another character-packed release from the pleasingly off-centered folks at Dogfish Head, with a pleasant, vibrant citrus-forward lager joining a previously IPA-heavy, Grateful Dead-focused rotation. This time, the American rice lager style takes centerstage, while lemon peel and lime add delicious brightness. $11.49/6-pack
10 Barrel Brewing Pub Light
10 Barrel’s perfectly crushable Pub Beer gets a lighter, smoother, even easier-drinking relative in an American light lager that clocks in at an agreeable 4 percent ABV. At just 99 calories, this is a modern version of the “lawnmower beer,” the kind of beer you reach for after a long day of spring cleaning. $17.99/12-pack
Elysian Jacktail Hazy IPA
Don’t forget to stock your beer fridge with the flavor burst of a hazy IPA for the India Pale Ale fanatics in your crew. The newest IPA from Seattle-based Elysian packs beautiful citrus and tropical flavors into a remarkably smooth beer: Imbibe responsibly out there, as Elysian says this beer is “brewed for adventure.” $12.99/6-pack
Oskar Blues Neon Rodeo
Embrace the unusual and the unexpected with this “slightly sour fruited ale” from craft beer innovators Oskar Blues. A departure from its more malt and hop-forward offerings, lime and raspberry lead the way, making for a beer that could prove especially well-suited for sipping during a breezy beach day. Find it now until July. $10.99/6-pack
Harpoon Low Key Lager 2026
Even as the market for a bold IPA remains as strong as ever, there’s a growing set of brewers out there focused on unlocking remarkable flavor without going overboard on the ABV. The newest year-round offering from Harpoon is certainly a more easygoing sipper, boasting an ABV of just 3.3 percent and a mere 97 calories for guilt-free yet still utterly flavorful imbibing. $17.99/12-pack
