The Beer Loop's top 10 beers we drank in July

With Summer unofficially hitting the halfway mark with the passing of British Columbia Day, we looked back at our tasting logs and pulled out the 10 best beers we drank in July 2022.

Having spent a week in Portland for a brewery incubator workshop, you'll once again see some Oregon beer on the list. With some of these breweries expanding their distribution to BC, we thought we'd include them, so you can keep an eye out for them.

Four Winds (Delta): Pequeno Cabo

This beautiful sour has tequila and oak in the nose, making for a wonderful sensory experience every time you take a sip. A light tart start to the mouth gives way to more beautiful tequila and oak flavours on the tongue. The tartness returns in the aftertaste. An escape. Simply delicious.

Strange Fellows Brewing (Vancouver): Scarab

This super light rice lager was what we all needed to cope with the intense heat that hit us in July. This one is super clear with a very light straw colour. Sweet cantaloupe in the nose. Very light on the tongue with a barely-there sweet malt flavour giving way to a clean and dry finish. The aftertaste hints at melon. Super quenchable, super refreshing.

Von Ebert (Portland): Living on Borrowed Time

This blend of puncheon-aged and founder-aged mixed culture beer was conditioned on cherries and marionberries. If you love wood-aged beers or fruit-forward beers, this one is a must-have in your bottle collection. I enjoyed this in the company of 10 future brewers and the consensus around the table was that this was an incredible beer. We savoured every sip and enjoyed the clean acidity, dry finish, and burst of cherry notes.

Great Notion (Portland): Mangossi

I wanted to hate this beer. I really did. I can be too much of a purist at times, but dammit, this one got me. Creamy mango screams from the glass. It looks the part, bright orange like a mango lassi. It serves as a good reminder that beer should be fun. If you're wondering, yes, this beer was actually brewed with yogurt and conditioned on cardamom and vanilla beans.

Great Notion (Portland): Blueberry Muffin

No surprise that Great Notion makes the list with several beers this month and their classic fruited sour is mind-blowing stuff. Again, lovely beers are not my thing, but this one is incredibly fascinating. It literally bursts with blueberry muffin aromas, like fresh out of the oven goodness. I wish I knew how they pulled this off. The beer manages to impart sweetness while still finishing like a sour beer.

Great Notion (Portland): Key Lime Pie

Okay, last one from Great Notion, I promise. This one is simply key lime in a glass. Beautiful aroma carries through the nose and is incredibly seductive. Bursting with lime and a meringue counterbalance. The salt and restrained finish makes this drinkable. It's the kind of dessert beer you can drink endlessly.

Barnside Brewing Co (Delta): Summer Days Sour Saison

This was one of our featured new releases at the start of the month, and for good reason. This mixed fermentation saison presents phenolic citrus saison notes in the nose. Sporting a super hazy straw colour, your eyes anticipate sourness and get a very light acidity. Effervescent, spritzy, with a slight touch of funk. Light and enjoyable, making for a perfect summer sipper.

Callister (Vancouver): In Bloom

Lambic-style beers can be hard to find in BC, so when a brewery takes the time to make one, I go out of my way to try it. This one pours a slightly pink/orange colour and hits you with funky and oaky aromas. The flavours are very intriguing, starting with a sour tang before suddenly shifting to reveal an oaky Captain Crunch flavour that tastes much better than I've made that sound. It finishes dry and surprisingly clean.

Steel & Oak (New Westminster): Easy Grapefruit

A very light pale straw colour and brilliant clarity sets the tone for what to expect. Grapefruit dominates the nose and flavours without being too bitter. The flavour mellows out quickly for a dry and refreshing finish. Combined with the light ABV, this is made for enjoying on a sunny patio, especially over brunch.

Ecliptic Brewing (Portland): Pyxis Pilsner

I was delighted to learn that Ecliptic Brewing will soon have distribution here in BC. That will save us the 4.5 hour drive for their flagship beers. This German pilsner presents light honey and sweet make aromas. Light gold in colour, it is crystal clear and stunning in a pilsner glass with nice lacing. Medium hop bitterness dominates, underpinned by sweet malty notes. Soft finish, but enough bite to keep you sipping for more.