3 beers to try at Rockwell Beer Co. in The Grove

Rockwell Beer Co., located on Vandeventer Avenue just off the main drag of The Grove, has some stellar new brews available around town. Here are some of my favorites.

1. Rockwell’s 4.6 percent witbier Passing Clouds is an absolutely spot-on take on the classic Belgian wheat beer. The orange, coriander and grains of paradise are evident on the tongue, but none dominate. There’s a slight hint of banana and pepper, and the balanced finish is sharp and dry enough to stay refreshing.

2. The next step up is the 5.6 percent Byrd Up! rye pale ale, a deep golden ale with wonderful notes of biscuit and spice (from the heavy rye malt addition) on the nose. The mouthfeel is full, almost creamy and just a touch dry at the finish. The hop flavors are unmistakable, but they’re closer to juicy grapefruit versus the expected bitter grapefruit peel. Next time, I’ll have this with a Brasswell cheeseburger – a no-brainer pairing.

3. Finally, don’t miss the 5.8 percent Velour Tracksuit IPA, a marriage of a classic Midwest IPA and a trendy New England IPA. This gorgeous brew looks like straight-up orange juice in the glass, and the nose and flavor are equally juicy. The mouthfeel is soft – almost fluffy – and fills your mouth with notes of orange, peach and mango. There is a wonderfully subdued bitterness in the finish, but it’s pleasant and reminds you it’s OK to have a bit of bite in an IPA. While the ABV isn’t high, be warned that it goes down easy and a lot quicker than you might expect.

Jon Whitaker is a certified cicerone and beer program director at iTap.