Pete
In a rare treat these days, I'm caught up enough that the beer of the week is actually going to be something I had in the last week. A fall star: Tröegs Master of Pumpkins
Description: This beer just tastes like fall. It has a tiny bit of sweetness, but definitely isn't sweet. There's pumpkin flavor in there and plenty of warming fall spices.
What you should know: This beer is actually made with each year's crop of local pumpkins, unlike most pumpkin beers, which are made with canned pumpkin (if there's even pumpkin in them at all). Because of that, it's released a bit later in the year than the other pumpkin stuff.
Recommendations: Find yourself a pumpkin beer this weekend that is not a sugar bomb. If you can't find this one, have the king instead.

Pete
I was planning to do another Portland-based beer this week, especially given that the stuff I added included my best trip of the weekend (Oxbow), but everything was trumped by a beer I got at home: Toppling Goliath Flying Seahorses
Description: This is just about perfection. Smells super grassy, and the flavor leans toward dry and piney. There's also some citrus in there to give it extra depth. Fairly light body too, making it dangerously drinkable.
What you should know: This is a collaboration with Vitamin Sea, and it's definitely the best collaboration I've ever had. It is available in stores, so this should be somewhat easy to find pretty much all around the country.
Recommendations: Get this beer; you won't regret it. Toppling Goliath has a beer finder on their website. Use it.

Pete
Making my way through my Portland trip - only a couple breweries left. I had an outrageous amount of beer. The best of this bunch is from a place I hadn't heard of until I got to Portland: Belleflower Hexology Blue
Description: Creamy, tropical, and really peachy going down, with a peppery finish that keeps you coming back for more, quickly.
What you should know: Despite the name, this is actually pictured 2nd from the right in this photo. Also, this brewery is less than a year old, and as soon as I returned from Portland to Boston, I found a Belleflower beer on tap, so it's clear they're distributing.
Recommendations: Watch out for this brewery. They make an impressive number of IPA's given how long they've been open, and they seem to know what they're doing.

Pete
Got started on adding beers from Portland, though I'm nowhere close to done. The best so far: Battery Steele Flume^2
Description: Creamy, citrusy (mostly mango), and piney with a dry finish.
What you should know: Flume^3 has also been beer of the week. This one isn't quite as much mango, but it's damn good.
Recommendations: Battery Steele distributes throughout at least some of New England. The Flume series is incredible, so grab yourself some this weekend. It doesn't really matter which one, they're all great.

Pete
OK, since last week's post I drank about 100 new beers in Portland, ME. I haven't gotten to adding those quite yet, so this is the best of what I had in between trips to SD and Portland (and there were many, many beers on that list): Stellwagen Invisible Airwaves
Description: Super creamy, with loads of different citrus flavors blending together to make this go down incredibly fast. This is a perfect example of the NEIPA style.
What you should know: I was extremely inebriated when I had this (shoutout to Fat Camp for that). I wrote down 'yummy yummy in my tummy'  as part of describing this beer, so you know it's good.
Recommendations: If you're in the Boston area, check out something from this brewery. I see it around beer bars and craft beer stores, and they make really good IPA's and sours. 

​Pete
I managed to drink enough beers in 8 days in SD to cover a normal 5-6 week stretch at home. Fortunately, that means I'm behind and can highlight some more stuff from the trip. The best beer I had Monday-Wednesday on that trip: Pizza Port Tangerine Assassin
Description: Fruity, tart, and finishes a little salty. At 7% ABV, this is a beer that'll get you going masquerading as a refreshing option after a long day at the beach. Fortunately, that's the exact situation I was in, and it was perfect.
What you should know: I only had one of these (obviously I moved onto trying others), but other people around me had a bunch, so this is clearly a beer you won't get tired of.
Recommendations: Drink a fruity/sour beer this weekend. Act like it's still summer and ignore the fact that you're being inundated with pumpkin stuff already. 

Pete
My SD trip was extremely fruitful. The best of the bunch: Pure Project Forest Guardian
Description: A tiny bit of sweetness, but plenty of dankness to balance it. Great mix of citrus/sweet and dank.
What you should know: I usually hate IPA's this strong (it's 9.5%), but this one is amazing.
Recommendations: Try to visit a random brewery in the next city you travel to.

Pete
Before going away, I did some damage in my fridge, and even made one more trip to a home brewery. The best: Remnant Sour Sol
Description: Funky with a fruity tart background, finishing crisp and refreshing. Great summer beer that paired really well with bibimbap.
What you should know: Remnant puts saison yeast in many of their sours, leading to an extra layer of funk/spice that really take their beers to the next level.
Recommendations: Have a saison this weekend. It's an underappreciated style, and there are some great ones out there.

Pete
I'm going to be away next week, so I'm getting ahead of the game with a 2nd post this week. Hard to go wrong with Tree House, and although it wasn't the best beer I had, it was a close 2nd: Tree House Fudge
Description: Rich and chocolatey with hints of maple. Tree House describes this (and names this) like it tastes like fudge, but I say it's closer to ultra-chocolatey chocolate chip pancakes. 
What you should know: My week 'away' is going to involve a lot of good beer tasting, so I'll have some different options from my usual stuff next time.
Recommendations: Ignore the fact that it's summer and sip on a stout. Maybe even two!