Adventure beer and spring events abound at Pure Project

Juicy hazy IPAs and barrel-aged stouts are certainly excellent choices for beer lovers looking for unique flavors that pack a punch. However, as the days get longer and San Diegans have the opportunity to spend more waking hours outside and enjoying the natural beauty which surrounds them, sometimes a lighter, lower ABV beer is in order.

Enter Rove Adventure Beer from Pure Project, a beer made specifically with longer days and enjoying nature in mind. Explaining the motivation to brew an “adventure beer,” Winslow Sawyer, co-founder and head brewer at Pure, says, “We wanted to brew a more approachable beer that would pair well with outdoor activities.”

The 4.2% ABV, straw-colored ale that drinks like a lager is brewed with German Hallertau hops, which provide a light fruitiness with a hint of pear, and combined with California ale yeast for a crisp, clean drink. Lingering earthy notes on the finish are courtesy of the lightly kilned barley used in the recipe, which Sawyer says took several trial batches to perfect.

Part of the reason Rove proved a challenge was that it represented a departure for Pure Project, a brewery better known for heavy hitters and smoothie-style ales. Continues Sawyer, “The Rove brand is a pivot from a lot of the beer styles Pure has produced in the past. Rove is approachable so you can focus on what you’re doing while you drink it; it’s about being in the moment.”

Pure is planning to release Rove in conjunction with a number of events designed to correlate with both the beer’s branding and ingredients. On the weekend of April 15, lager lovers can indulge in the German Hallertau hops at all five Pure taprooms (including the recently opened 7000-square-foot North Park location) when they host Frühlingsfest — German for “Spring Fest,” Frühlingsfest is often seen as the little sister of Oktoberfest, replete with beer tents and music but typically conducted on a smaller scale.

The week after Frühlingsfest is National Parks week, and Pure will be celebrating with a Keep the Stein event, featuring a “National Forest-inspired stein.” As with all other Pure Project beers, 1% of all sales of Rove are donated to environmental non-profits — to help protect the sort of places where an “adventure beer” can be enjoyed.

Further into the season, Pure Project will continue with the nature theme, says Sawyer. “Also keep an eye out for a series of beers brewed with local honey in late April, followed by Strawberry Fest, our annual celebration of organic agriculture, featuring a lineup of beers made with local strawberries in May.” As for whether Rove will be the only “adventure beer” Pure Project produces or simply become the first in a new line of beers, Sawyer is a bit cryptic, “Who knows? We’ll see how adventurous our fans are.”