Rita Strawberry

Rita Strawberry comes from Massachusetts and is a strawberry-flavored take on the "-rita" style of beer-based drinks, which borrow the margarita's fruit-forward, citrus-and-salt sensibility and put it on a lighter, fizzier base. The listing doesn't give an ABV or bitterness figure, so treat the following as what the style usually delivers rather than a measured profile. Expect little to no hop bitterness, a clean and lightly malty backbone, and a ripe-strawberry sweetness that leads the flavor, often with a tart lime or citrus edge that keeps it from turning syrupy. Serve it well chilled, around 36 to 40°F, straight from the refrigerator or over a few cubes of ice. Cold temperatures keep the sweetness in check and emphasize the tart side of the fruit. A salted or sugared rim is a natural nod to the margarita idea, and a wedge of lime or a sliced strawberry works as a garnish. Pour it into a stemless margarita glass, a short tumbler, or a pint glass if you want to keep it casual. The wider mouth of a margarita glass or tumbler lets the strawberry aroma come forward in a way a narrow bottle neck won't. For food, lean on dishes where salt, spice, and acid can balance the sweetness. Fish or shrimp tacos with lime, chips with fresh salsa or guacamole, grilled chicken with a chili rub, and carnitas all suit it well. It also holds up against mildly spicy dishes, since the sweetness and cold temperature soften heat. It is less suited to delicate or very rich desserts, where the fruit will taste flat or compete.