Even if you’re not an Allman Brothers fan, this is the time to be eating peaches — out of hand, in cobblers and pies, over ice cream, in beers, while spinning 51-year-old records. Not only is it National Peach Month but also National Peach Pie Day. Did you know that peaches originated in China, where they have been cultivated since the early days of Chinese culture? The peach was brought to America by Spanish explorers in the 16th century and eventually made it to England and France sometime during the 17th century. Peaches are said to have been a regular item on the menu in Queen Victoria’s day, where a fresh peach was presented in a fancy cotton napkin. Various American Indian tribes are credited with bringing the peach tree across the United States. The method was simple, they took seeds with them and planted as they roved the country. Just in case you wondered where peaches were ranked among other fruits, peaches are the third most popular fruit grown in America. The best way to eat a Washington state peach is straight off the tree or from a roadside stand, still warm from the sun. Just dust off the skin, take a bite and let the juice run down your chin as you savor the sweetness. The best way to drink a peach is with Peaks and Pints Beer Flight: Peaches.
Peaks and Pints’ Beer Flight: Peaches
Kings & Daughters Flora & Fauna
5.8% ABV
Kings & Daughters brewed this IPA with Sarah’s Simon’s new book, Flowers, Feather, & Animal Friends, in mind. Flora & Fauna starts life as a New England style IPA then receives a grand addition of peach, apricot, and sweet cherry puree. Expect stone fruit to be the dominant flavor but don’t count the hops out as they certainly assert themselves in this hazy IPA with a balanced bitterness and inviting fresh hop flavor.
Urban Family Disambiguation
9% ABV
This wood-aged sour has a strong theme of stone fruit. Urban Family Brewing aged their foeder-soured golden base into barrels with Collins Family Orchards donut peaches and yellow nectarines. After two years of fruit conditioning, these barrels were blended to create this latest wood-aged stone fruit sour. After bottle conditioning, this golden, sparkling peach and nectarine sour has potent flavors of peach skin and flesh, slight oak, and hints of tropical fruit from the donut peaches.
Block 15 Revolve 2023
11% ABV, bottle
In celebration of their 15th anniversary in April, Block 15 Brewing brought back this bière de Champagne brewed Northwest-grown grains cellared two years with Brettanomyces in peach brandy barrels and bottled, riddled, and discouraged in the méthode traditionnelle. Expect fruity peachy and sweet, but tart and wild yeast funky goodness with an amazingly thick mouthfeel and effervescent.
Block 15 Peach Punch (You in the Eye)
7% ABV
A collaboration with hazy masters Great Notion Brewing, Block 15 Peach Punch (You in the Eye) is a luscious fruit forward hazy IPA fermented with peaches and apricots. Designed and brewed at Block 15, Peach Punch is dry hopped with a 1-2 knockout punch of Galaxy and Mosaic hops that’s a little more apricot than peach. As the beer warms the fruitiness mellows out, and hops start to shine.
Wander Yummy Bits IPA
7.2% ABV
Wander Brewing Yummy Bits is an extra juicy hazy IPA brewed with Juicy yeast, double dry hopped with Strata and Idaho 7 hops, and fermented with peaches for a heavy sweet peach tea vibe.
LINK: Peaks and Pints beer and cider cooler inventory
