15 Best Fruit Beers To Try In 2023
If it's edible, you better believe a brewer has attempted to cram it into a beer at some point in time. It doesn't matter if it is cookies, spicy peppers, or pricy saffron, it's been added to beer. Few ingredients are as popular to utilize in the making of various beer styles as fruit. Fruits can instantly add tartness, sweetness, sour variations, or even complex earthy tones.
Whether they are looking to create a new take on an existing beer, or they just want to make a unique beer, fruits can completely transform your drinking experience. You will often find fruit variations of popular beers. It's a viable way to use an existing recipe and tweak it in a minor way in order to produce a familiar, yet different beer for the public to enjoy. Whether using vanilla or rhubarb, huckleberry, or grapefruit, here are some of the best fruit beers out there on the market.
Papago Orange Blossom by Huss Brewing Company
This is a tiny brewery located in metro Phoenix. It's so small that, for a while, Orange Blossom was its only beer. And yet it was distributed throughout the entire state (you'll probably be hard-pressed to find a smaller brewery with such a large, state-wide distribution footprint). Why? It's so delicious and refreshing that you forget all about the Arizona heat. It very literally tastes like an orange creamsicle. If you ever find yourself in the Grand Canyon state, pick up one of these and thank us later.
Papago Orange Blossom technically uses mandarins, and not oranges, so the marketing is a little off. For a citrus-producing region like Arizona, you'd think they'd get it right, although Mandarin Blossom might not have the same name flow as Orange Blossom. Whatever the beer is called, the wheat-based beer is smooth and will taste like you've had a delicious dessert, all with 5% ABV.
Mango Oberon by Bell's Brewery
Bell's Oberon is about as legendary as a craft beer can be. If you lived in the state of Michigan when Bell's first started expanding back in the 1990s, you likely remember how big of a deal "Oberon Day" was. If you're not from the state, Oberon Day was the very first day of the year when Oberon hit stores and restaurants. It also came at the very beginning of spring, which helped signal an upcoming end to the winter months.
Some beer drinkers might argue Oberon in itself is overrated — and no argument here. While an early influential beer, there are far better white/wheat beers out there. Regardless of where you stand, or whether you've had it or not, Bell's has made a few offshoots of the popular beer, and each of these releases has been generally fun takes on the classic. This includes the Mango Oberon. There's sweetness with a good 6% ABV, andOberon is already subtle in its wheat beer taste, but this beer brings with it just a hint of tropical mango that is present, but not overpowering.
Coconut B-Bomb by Fremont Brewing Company
Coconut has a very interesting flavor profile. There is a tropical sweetness to it, and there's no denying the taste of coconut, but it isn't super overpowering the way other citrus fruits can be. Coconut is an excellent fruit addition when there's a need for a subtle sweetness that won't overpower the beer, similar to using a hint of honey. You can taste it, but it lingers in the background, allowing you to enjoy the full breadth of flavors while still tipping your hat to the coconut.
When it comes to the Coconut B-Bomb by Fremont Brewing Company, it's an American strong ale, instead of an imperial stout. This particular beer is three versions of Fremont's Winter Ale, all of which are aged in 12-year-old American oak bourbon barrels. To add some deep, delicious flavor, Fremont added toasted coconut into the aging process. It has an impressively strong 13% ABV, and it still brings the hoppy bitterness with its 50 IBU. The only downside is its wax top (it looks pretty, but we're not huge fans of dealing with the wax).
Huckleberry Honey by Bitter Root Brewing
Huckleberry might be one of the most underrated fruits in the United States — seriously. Have you ever had huckleberry ice cream before? It's like a cross between blueberry and raspberry. It's a more popular flavor in Montana and around Yellowstone National Park, and if you haven't had the chance to taste huckleberry before you absolutely owe it to yourself to try it. It's one of those flavors that when you have it, you'll wonder why it's not more popular. Huckleberry Honey from Bitter Root Brewing Company is a seasonal beer brewed in Montana and uses sources of huckleberry and local honey, for a fresh, sweet, and crisp beer that absolutely needs to be enjoyed.
The beer has a subtle bitterness, present with its 20 IBU, although the bitterness remains mostly in the background, as a stronger, crisp, and sweet taste from the huckleberries takes over. To help up the sweetness of this 5.1% ABV beer, Bitter Root Brewing does use additional huckleberry extract, so you absolutely will taste the fruit.
Stiegl Radler Grapefruit by Stieglbrauerei
There aren't a ton of fruity German beers out there. Radlers are basically beer cocktails, with German Hefeweizens cut with juices such as lemonade. This particular one is cut with grapefruit. It's a deliciously refreshing beer. And if you're not looking for a buzz, it has an especially low 2.25% ABV. Technically, this isn't a straight beer, but instead, Stiegl Radler Grapefruit is a beer and grapefruit soda mix. If you've never made a radler or shandy beer cocktail, you absolutely owe it to yourself to try this coming summer.
In general, you're not going to find a fruit-infused German beer. Due to the rather strict brewing laws that have been in place in German for hundreds of years, the ingredients used are extremely limited. This has helped ensure most German beers are exceptional, but it does narrow down the kind of flavors you'll ever experience from a Deutschland brew. This particular beer is a 40% Stiegl beer and 60% grapefruit soda mix. However, unlike other radler beers on the market, this one is exceptionally carbonated, which helps deliver that desirable soft-drink fizz.
Paw Paw Wheat by Jackie O's Brewing Company
The pawpaw is such an interesting fruit to include in a beer. Namely, because many people simply haven't heard of it before (and if you haven't, take note to not eat the pawpaw's skin or seeds). The pawpaw looks like a cross between a pear and a mango, but the fruit itself tastes more like a custard apple. The pawpaw itself is native, surprisingly, to Ohio and up into Canada. It is very similar to a number of fruits that grow throughout Central America, such as the Peruvian cherimoya.
So, when you crack open a bottle of Paw Paw Wheat by Jackie O's Brewing Company, the taste is truly original. It isn't going to punch you in the nose with tropical aromas, and yet there is an almost mango and banana taste to it. This particular beer is wheat, which typically is on the lower side of the alcohol by volume spectrum, but the Paw Paw Wheat bucks the trend and instead packs a surprisingly high 9% ABV. In case you're wondering, Jackie O's is located in southeastern Ohio (Athens, Ohio, to be exact), which is a stone's throw from the West Virginia border.
Mr. Pineapple by San Tan Brewing Company
One of the largest independent craft breweries left in Arizona, SanTan Brewing Company makes beers designed to help you beat the heat. The folks there know their audience. And one beer that beautifully delivers is Mr. Pineapple. On the label is a fun-loving pineapple that looks like he jumped right out of a California Raisins cartoon. It takes a wheat base beer and pumps in pineapple. Lots of it. It's refreshing and perfect for hot days.
The beer is very much on the lighter side. It has a low 15 IBU, so if you're not a fan of the hoppier, IPA styles of beers this will be much more up your alley. It is also a 5% ABV and made in the style of a German wheat (although they also use Vienna malt as well). And, unlike other breweries that use artificial flavorings in their beer, all the pineapple and pineapple juice is obtained through Fair Trade farms in Costa Rica. The beer is seasonal though, so keep an eye out for it during the summer months.
Blueberry Cobbler by Funky Buddha Brewery
Funky Buddha out of Florida makes all kinds of beer, so if you find yourself in the Sunshine State, or within the brewery's distribution footprint, chances are you'll find at least one beer from the company that you like. This includes the Blueberry Cobbler, which pulls flavors from not only blueberries but vanilla and cinnamon. You're just a crust away from enjoying an actual cobbler. There's minimal bitterness in the 5.4% ABV beer. As is the case with many of the other beers on this list, the Funky Buddha Blueberry Cobbler uses a wheat-based beer before adding in the secondary fruits and spices.
In honor of spring right around the corner, Funky Buddha puts out the Blueberry Cobbler beer as a March seasonal ale. So, if this sounds like something you might be interested in trying, keep an eye out for it during the spring months. Once summer rolls around Funky Buddha will replace it with its summer seasonal releases.
Power of Love Shandy by Shorts Brewing Company
When it comes to Michigan beers, Bell's and Founders receive most of the attention. However, Shorts, located just outside of Traverse City, is sneaky good and can realistically compete with the other two. The brewery puts out all kinds of fruit-inspired beers, although many of these brews are one-time releases (such as the Peaches and Cream as well as the Key Lime Pie ale). Instead of selecting one of the beers that won't be around this time next year, we went with one of the seasonal releases that will be: The Power of Love Shandy.
Not only do we love any kind of reference to Back to the Future (as well as Huey Lewis and the News), but this is one of the best examples of shandies out there. You are probably more familiar with the Leinenkugel Summer Shandy, but that beer has leaned more and more into the sugary lemonade flavor that it's lost some of its finer qualities (although it's still a refreshing beer on tap). The Power of Love Shandy is far more complex, as it is an ale brewed with raspberry and rosemary and then cut with lemonade. Ever had lemonade with a hint of rosemary in it before? It's divine. And so is this 3% ABV and 20 IBU brew.
Pineapple Mana Wheat by Maui Brewing Company
Pineapple wheat beers were incredibly popular a decade or so ago. Most breweries had some kind of fruit-infused wheat beat at the time, but many have dropped them. Maui Brewing Company has continued with its Pineapple Mana, which already takes the refreshing offering of a wheat beer and pumps up the fruit with pineapple. Wheat beers truly are some of the best jumping-off points when it comes to flavored brews. These are already lighter beers with more taste than your average macro lager, and thanks to their flavor profile, they can handle the influx of fruit exceptionally well.
The Pineapple Mana Wheat beer by Maui Brewing Company comes in strong with the pineapple, as you can smell it as soon as the top is popped. While the taste itself isn't as strong, you won't ever forget you're drinking a pineapple beer. The low 18 IBU makes it easy to drink, and the 5.5% ABV allows you to enjoy a few without feeling the effects.
Pumking by Southern Tier Brewing Company
You didn't think you'd actually get through this list without a pumpkin beer now, did you? Pumpkins have come in strong in recent years, as the flavor is a major player in the autumn seasonal selection of many breweries around the country.
Southern Tier Brewing Company, based out of Lakewood, New York might be the king of flavored beers. Just about every beer it produces is laced with chocolate, mint, watermelon, or something else, and they do it all incredibly well. We decided to go with the Pumking beer, which has a nice 8.6% ABV kick to it.
This seasonal beer, which is available between August and October, uses two varieties of hops, two kinds of malts, as well as pumpkin and spices in order to hit its higher ABV. Southern Tier does have a solid distribution system in place, but if you want to drink it in person, don't worry, you don't need to head out to upstate New York for a brew. The company has brewhouses in Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Charlotte, and Buffalo.
Wisconsin Belgian Red by New Glarus Brewing Company
The New Glarus Brewing Company markets its Wisconsin Belgian Red as a marriage between beer and wine. While we might push back on that a little bit (specifically because of its rather low 4% ABV), the brewery does age the Wisconsin Farmed Wheat, along with Montmorency cherries, within oak tanks. So there is a bit of that oaky wood taste buried within the beer. That's about the extent of the "wine" you're going to get out of this beer.
Even though we might not fully agree with the branding of the beer, there's no denying it is a fine-tasting fruit beer. It's basically a wheat beer with cherries, and because it's aged together in oak barrels, it gives the beer enough time to pick up on the sweetness. Some might say it's too sweet, but we think it works well. This is basically the more evolved version of the beer Sam Adams Cherry Wheat. Okay, so we've been a little harsh on old Sam Adams. We were big fans of Cherry Wheat when it first came out ages ago. But revisiting the beer years later we never realized just how strong the cough syrup taste was in it. Us picking on the beer is just our way of showing some love to one of the OGs of the fruit beer world.
Nectarine Première by de Garde Brewing
Saisons are going to have a lighter, floral taste to them by the nature of the beer itself. After all, saisons, also known as farmhouse ales, were originally produced in the Belgian countryside by farmers, so they could have a light, refreshing beer, after working long days in the fields. They didn't want something dark and heavy after a long day of work. Chances are, you're the same. Sometimes just a lighter beer with a hint of lime, even if the beer itself isn't all that great, can be the best-tasting thing in the world.
In the case of the Nectarine Première saison, from Pacific Northwest brewery de Garde Brewing, takes the art of creating a wild-fermented saison to another level. It doesn't simply have the traditional light, floral tasting notes, but it brings a tart, refreshing peach flavor. This is because the beer is aged with peaches (a lot of peaches), which gives it a sparklingly delicious taste, all while still coming strong with an 8.2% ABV.
Organic Strawberry by Samuel Smith
Samuel Smith is a British brewery that makes some truly fine brews. Organic Strawberry is refreshing, and most importantly, it has an authentic, real strawberry taste. Some of the older "fruit" beers have more of a chemical, cough syrup taste (we're looking at you, Sam Adams Cherry Wheat). If you want an after-dinner beer, you've found it.
One of the main reasons why this Organic Strawberry beer actually tastes like strawberries is because of the organic strawberry concentrate and extract it uses in the brewing process. The beer is also registered with The Vegan Society, per the brand's site, so if you're looking for a vegan-certified brew, this 5.1% ABV beer is just the beverage for you. Samuel Smith also uses a similar production process to make its cherry, raspberry, and apricot beers as well. Not only is Samuel Smith one of the most respected breweries in the U.K., but it's also one of the most well-respected in the world, and Organic Strawberry is no exception.
Grapefruit Sculpin IPA by Ballast Point
The original Sculpin IPA is one of those classic India Pale Ales that continues to transcend the craft brewing industry. And while Ballast Point out of San Diego has been putting out a number of well-respected and quality beers, it continues to return to its Sculpin IPA in order to offer slight variations of its popular brew. This includes the Grapefruit Sculpin IPA.
The seven-time award-winning beer makes sure you know it is an IPA, with its hefty 70 IBU, and its 7% ABV is right in the sweet spot, where it's not too strong for an IPA and yet doesn't dip into the category of a session IPA. It is available year-round. There are a great number of excellent IPAs out there, but many of them are difficult to track down. Thankfully, Ballast Point Sculpin IPA and Grapefruit Sculpin IPA have a much wider distribution footprint, so chances are, it's available near you.