Zero Gravity Variety

This 12-pack from Zero Gravity, a Vermont brewer, is a mixed assortment rather than a single beer, and the stated ABV range of 5.0 to 7.2 percent tells you how the box is likely to be built. The low end points to lighter, crisper styles such as a lager or pale ale. The upper end is typical of a hoppy IPA, where moderate alcohol sits behind a heavier hop load. Expect the styles to vary from can to can, so a single bottle from this pack won't tell you what the next one tastes like. Within that range, the lighter beers will usually show clean grain, gentle bready malt and a dry, restrained bitterness. The stronger ones tend toward citrus, pine and tropical fruit aroma with a firmer bitter finish. Because the pack is mixed, drinking the lower-ABV beers first keeps the hoppier ones from overwhelming your palate. The beers are best at cellar-cool temperatures: roughly 38 to 45°F for lagers and pale ales, and a few degrees warmer, around 45 to 50°F, for the stronger hop-forward ones, which show more aroma as they warm slightly. For glassware, a standard pint glass or shaker handles the whole pack. A tulip or stemmed IPA glass is worth using for the 7 percent beers, because the narrowing rim concentrates hop aroma. Lighter, crisper beers pair well with salads, grilled chicken, fish tacos and soft cheeses, while the hoppier ones stand up to spicy wings, burgers, sharp cheddar and curries, where bitterness and carbonation cut through fat and heat.