Undistributed beer of the week: Beachy Belgian

There can only be one undistributed beer of the week. The competition is fierce in San Diego’s beer community, but someone has to take the title. This week’s best undistributed beer is ...

Pizza Port Solana Beach : Beachy Belgian

Style: Belgian

ABV: 4.7 percent ABV

Pair with: Roasted chicken salad

This beer comes to us from Josh Schaner, head brewer at Pizza Port Solana Beach. Before his current position at Pizza Port Solana Beach, which he accepted in June of 2016, he was a lead brewer at Pizza Port’s Bressi Ranch location and an assistant brewer at the Carlsbad Village location before that. He even use to utilize Pizza Port’s grain for his family farm to feed the livestock before becoming a brewer.

This week’s pick, Beachy Belgian, is a nod to the traditional Belgian-style brew and seems especially appropriate for the weather as it (finally) has began to warm up here in San Diego. This brew is quite light, low in ABV, easy to drink and a traditional-tasting, yet it is slightly more fruit-forward than the typical Belgian ale. It makes this beer a little less banana-y in flavor, with more sweet, berry notes. Why’s that?

Schaner tells us that this beer actually got an addition of raspberries during the brewing process.

“This beer was made same as many others: A warmer mash temp and darker crystal malts make for a caramel-like, full body. The added raspberries to the fermenter after the primary fermentation added the nice hint of fruit,” Schaner said.

This brew was inspired by sour Belgian ales, a style that offers a fruit-based variation of the traditional style, which is quite unique and tasty if done right. While it’s not overly fruity at all, Beachy Belgian offers that a little fruit bite with a traditional, flavorful Belgian ale. Notes of caramel malt flavors come through this one, as well.

“I think that this would go nicely in a wine barrel for a few months,” he said. “I really enjoy how drinkable this beer is with that added fruit to the fermenter.”

That balance makes this beer a crushable choice for the near-the-beach location, ideal for a post-ocean treat in our opinion.

This beer is currently available to try on tap at Pizza Port Solana Beach. Get it while it’s cold!

35 N. Highway 101, Solana Beach. pizzaport.com