The Best Things We Drank: May 15 - 21

The recent warmer weather, ok HOT by Portland standards, seems to be influencing our taste buds as this week's best beers are dominated by light, bright beers that go down particularly well on a warm, sunny day.

Pono Brewing Kikiao - Pono, while founded in 2013, has expanded their offerings and the availability of them this year, much to our delight. Focusing on tropical and exotic beers, this one follows that theme and is described as a "South Pacific Farmhouse." The mango and passion fruit provide mildly fruity notes, with the green tea and farmhouse yeast keeping it from being one-dimensional. Super refreshing!

The Commons Citrus Myrtle - A seasonal take on their year round Myrtle, a tart farmhouse ale that uses Silverton-grown lemony Meridian hops, it is made with Buddha's hand, a citron fruit, and orange peel. Citrusy and easy drinking at just a hair over 5%, it's great on its own or with a sushi burger at Wasabi Sushi PDX that we checked out last week.

Culmination Momentary Lapse of Reason - A New England style double IPA dry hopped with Polaris, Cascade, Citra, El Dorado and Mandarina Bavaria hops, this beer is all about bright and juicy. Nearly as easy drinking as the other two, its 8.4% does pack a bit more of a punch. Enjoyed at the McMenamins 23rd Avenue Bottle Shop in NW, drinking there was not a momentary lapse of reason, but a conscious choice because as much as we like to joke/poke them, Kyle curates a great tap list and packs the coolers with a selection of bottles and cans that rival other top notch bottle shops in town.

Xbeeriment Black Force One - The one beer that deviates from the sessionable and bright beers that make up the rest of this week's list, we did in fact enjoy this outside on one of last week's warm afternoons from taps at our neighborhood beer cart, Captured Beer Bus. The 10% smoked imperial stout is an import from a Denmark phantom/gypsy brewery and the first beer we've had from them. Starting off with an aroma that is deep and a bit salty, the flavor follows in depth without being deep sweet, finishing a little peaty and roasty.

As we head into Memorial Day weekend, a bit of extra time off for many hopefully, we wish you happy trails that are lined with, or at least lead to, great beer!