High on Hops: Good People Brewing Co.

Birmingham, Alabama’s Good People Brewing Co. has a mission to craft what it calls “Ales from the Heart of Dixie,” beers that can be enjoyed any season of the year, paired with a range of foods and satisfy the cravings of a variety of beer drinkers. Founded in 2006, Good People has been at the forefront of the current Southern beer revolution and was an early advocate of making craft beer available in cans.

The Good People lineup begins with a solid pale ale. Good People Pale Ale is easy to drink and aligns perfectly with the beer judging definition of the style. A combination of base and specialty malts creates a slightly sweet caramel-tinged backbone for the crisp and mild Columbus, Cascade and Chinook hops that add just a touch of bitterness.

Every American brewery needs to produce a viable IPA to be competitive in the marketplace. Good People IPA is the staple in the collection, a cloudy, unfiltered beer that is all about showcasing an earthy and citrusy hop combination. Like the Pale Ale, the IPA has an iconic throwback can design that makes it easy to tell what you’re drinking from across the bar.

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Not content to just produce a single IPA, Snake Handler ramps up the basic concepts behind Good People IPA to make a drink that’s bigger in every way. The citrus notes coalesce into a more distinctly pineapple flavor and the earthiness gives way to grassiness. Some distinct pine notes shine through and help to expertly mask the whopping ten percent alcohol by volume.

For those looking for something sessionable, creamy and mild, the Coffee Oatmeal Flavored Stout elevates the concept of a dessert beer to an any-time drink. The medium mouth feel and effervescent body makes it a simple delight to drink a can and not feel full. The coffee and mild chocolate flavors are supported by a classic British yeast strain.

Southerners love their wheat beers. When summer heat indices are stuck in the triple digits, a bright, refreshing wheat ale really hits the spot. Bearded Lady’s alcohol levels barely crest four percent, making it a perfect choice for imbibing multiples on the beach or after a long day of yard work. The sweet, subtle orange is the star here, but there is just enough tart and bitterness to make it enjoyably complex.

Good People’s beers are currently available in Alabama and Tennessee with distribution expanding into Florida this summer. To learn more, visit GoodPeopleBrewing.com.