Today is National Biscuit Day. Yes, fake food holidays are stupid, but biscuits are not stupid, and therefore Peaks and Pints will drink a lot of them. Indeed. We speak of Biscuit malt and biscuit notes in craft beer. Biscuit malt is aptly named for the biscuity flavor it imparts. It’s also sometimes described as a “saltine cracker” flavor, which Peaks and Pints thinks is more fitting than “biscuit.” Biscuit malt is a relatively recent type of malt made possible by the invention of the first drum roaster in the early 1800s during Britain’s Industrial Revolution. It’s produced when germinated, kiln-dried barley is then roasted at high temperature but for a relatively short roasting time, resulting in a color of about 30° Lovibond/SRM. The high temperature applied to the malt at low moisture content, also known as dry roasting, develops the unique toasted, warm bread, biscuit, and especially nutty flavors and aromas characteristic of this malt type and the beers in which it is used. Peaks and Pints presents of flight of beers brewed with Biscuit malt or that have biscuit flavors in what we call Craft Beer Crosscut 5.29.18: A Flight of National Biscuit Day.

Oskar Blues Pinner Throwback IPA

4.9% ABV, 35 IBU

Oskar Blues threw “throwback” on Pinner’s name for two reasons — the beer has some elements of an old-school IPA heavy on hops and lighter in ABV, which in turn makes it easier to throw a few back. The Longmont, Colorado brewery is primarily known for its high ABV offerings, but this session IPA complements those nicely. For Pinner, Oskar Blues tosses in six to eight different hops per batch — including an experimental variety — then dry-hopped with Mosaic, Citra, Eldorado and Azacca hops, for tropical fruits, citrus juices, pineapple and spice berry up front, balanced with biscuit and toasted bread in the back.

Crux Pilz

5.2% ABV, 35 IBU

The return of hot weather tends to bring with it a desire for light, crisp, session beers — ones that quench your thirst without being too heavy or intoxicating: pilsners. The pilsner style has been seeing something of a revival among craft brewers in recent years. One of the best comes from Bend, Oregon. Modeled after the German style, Crux Fermentation Project’s Pilz is crisp and clean, with complex biscuit maltiness and spicy, earthy hops. A somewhat unique pilsner with its flowery bouquet, but it hits all the right style points.

Barrel Mountain Backpacker Smoked Porter

9.3% ABV, 45 IBU

Named the 48th fastest growing brewery in the US by the Brewers Association, Barrel Mountain Brewing Co. brewmaster Ryan Pearson brewing awarding-winning beers on a 15-barrel system in Battle Ground, Washington. His Backpacker Smoked Porter. The big dessert beer has a malt bill of 2-Row, Cherry Wood-Smoked, Black, Crystal and Biscuit with Willamette hops providing balance. Real vanilla beans add subtle sweetness to the smoky porter with additional flavors of chocolate and molasses. It’s a real treat.

Mazama Mosaic Eruption IPA

6% ABV, 60 IBU

Mount Mazama is famous for blowing itself apart and leaving a hole where Crater Lake form and later became Oregon’s only full-service national park. Mazama Brewing came later, much later, but it’s catching up in popularity. Founded in 2013, it’s a family owned microbrewery in Corvallis specializing in European style ales made with the finest ingredients from the Willamette Valley. Mosiac Eruption IPA, duh, showcases Mosaic hops that give it a bold grapefruit twist. This beer is triple-hopped with a blend featuring Mosaic, Amarillo, Citra and Centennial hops for moderate herbal, grassy and earthy flavors and bitterness with medium biscuit and cracker malt and a dry finish.

Icicle Bootjack IPA

6.5% ABV, 64 IBU

Icicle Brewing Co. sits in the Bavarian theme park known as Leavenworth, which seems perhaps the most appropriate place for a brewery. The brewery draws their water from nearby Icicle Creek, a run-off from surrounded by numerous mountain ranges including the Stuart Range and Wenatchee Mountains. Owner Oliver Brulotte has deep family roots in Washington’s hop farming history. Their Bootjack IPA is refreshing. It’s hop forward with some biscuit malt notes and a resinous linger. This isn’t a pine bomb; instead you get smooth citrus and lots of fruit.