Flux Rad

Flux Rad is a four-pack of beer from Esplanda, brewed in Massachusetts. The listing doesn't specify the style, ABV or IBU, so check the can for those figures before planning a pairing around them. Modern American craft beers from New England breweries usually lean on hop aroma over bitterness, so expect citrus, stone fruit or resinous pine notes, a soft malt backbone and a fairly modest bitter finish. If this one follows that pattern, it will drink best fresh, so keep the cans cold and drink them within a few weeks of purchase. Serve it chilled to about 40 to 45°F, which keeps hop aromatics lively without muting them. Straight from a very cold refrigerator the aroma tends to close up, so give it a few minutes in the glass. A tulip glass or a shaped pint glass works well because the narrowing at the top concentrates hop aroma. A standard pint glass is fine, and pouring rather than drinking from the can will release far more of the scent. Beers in this family generally pair well with tacos, grilled chicken, burgers, spicy wings and sharp cheddar. Their carbonation and hop character cut through fat and handle moderate heat.