Beer of the Week: Press Go

From the Beer Writer: The Fourth of July is the official start to the American summer season; a three-month span that’s (ideally) packed with cookouts, picnics and other get-togethers with family and friends featuring plenty of food and drink. Such events are multiple-hour affairs held amid high temperatures (yes, sunshine has finally returned to San Diego!), rendering a refreshing, lower-alcohol beer the best imbibing option. Thankfully, there are plenty on the market these days with consumers’ increased interest in lagers. From pilsners of various origins (Czech, German, Italian) and hop treatments (American, New Zealand) to Mexican (corn-infused) and Japanese (rice-infused) lagers, Helles and Dortmunder export, there’s no shortage of options. But for a patriotic holiday like the Fourth, there’s just something fitting about embracing the all-American style that is the light lager. But not the products of Big Beer conglomerates that fit the BJCP (Beer Judge Certification Program) description: highly carbonated, very light-bodied, nearly flavorless lager designed to be consumed very cold. While we’re not looking for big, bold flavors come Independence Day, nearly flavorless is never good and nobody needs to waste time on some bland rice-cake equivalent of beer. Instead, reach for this week’s featured beer, Press Go. Easy-drinking and spritzy with more nuanced malt and hop presence than most craft beers, this new release from Oceanside’s fast-growing Black Plague Brewing was developed in collaboration with a brewery considered by many to be the county’s finest lager house, Vista’s Eppig Brewing. Both businesses’ bottom-fermenting beer expertise shows through in Press Go. At just 3.9% alcohol-by-volume, it could come across as a straw-hued water alternative. Instead, it tastes like beer…and a lot like ‘Murica.

From the Brewer: “This one’s for all the craft-lager lovers out there! In collaboration with our good friends and lager wizards at Eppig Brewing, we formulated Press Go, a super-smooth, easy-drinking light lager with a stripped-down malt-and-hop bill to bring you something clean and refreshing while highlighting the importance of process. We brewed it with just four ingredients, using traditional American hops highlighting a pop of floral notes with a light, biscuity body and dry finish. Its a term that gets thrown around too freely, but this is truly the perfect ‘summer beer’, and what better weekend to introduce it than leading up to Fourth of July celebrations! It’ll be available starting Saturday, July 1, on draft and in to-go in four-packs of 16-ounce cans. We’re excited to share this top-shelf, small-batch craft light lager with you all.”—Aeryk Heeg, Head Brewer, Black Plague Brewing