Automotive Ales: 11 Microbreweries Serving Car-Themed Beers
Gearheads and race fans will love these libations inspired by automobiles
Check out these creative, car-themed beers
Photo: Quinn Dombrowski
Whether it’s race day and you’re stocking the cooler for your pals, or you’re working in the garage and need a chilled drink, nothing beats the refreshing taste and heartiness of beer. Instead of reaching for a can of whatever cheap, widely-produced crud is most easily available, seek out a uniquely flavored and designed car-themed beer from one of these microbreweries.
Microbreweries That Make Car-Themed Beers
- AleSmith Brewing Co. (San Diego, CA)— Speedway Stout, an Imperial Stout with coffee described as chocolaty and roasted.
- Bear Republic (Healdsburg, CA)—Many year-round and seasonal choices. Well-known picks include Racer 5, an Indian pale ale; and Grand Am, an American-style pale ale.
- Bier Brewery (Indianapolis, IN)— Trackbier, an American lager through-and-through.
- Daredevil Brewing Co. (Speedway, IN)— Race Day, an American craft lager described as light and malty.
- Flat 12 Bierworks (Indianapolis, IN)— Hinchtown Hammerdown, described as a crisp and refreshing Pilsner-style beer.
- Harviestoun Brewery LTD (Alva, UK)— Old Engine Oil, a black ale described as dark, chocolaty, and roasted.
- Hoosier Brewing Co. (Franklin, IN)— Red Flyer, an Irish Red Ale.
- New Glarus Brewing Co. (New Glarus, WI)— Black Top, a Black IPA gold that’s “assertively hoppy” and “jet black;” also, Road Slush, an oatmeal stout tasting of molasses and dark chocolate.
- Old Hangtown Beer Works (Rancho Cordova, CA)— Jeepers Trail, a pale ale dedicated to the off-roading brand.
- Red Truck Beer Co. (Vancouver, B.C.)— This brewery, in general, derives a lot of its inspiration from the founder’s 1946 Dodge pickup (seen on the label), which he used to cart his home-brewed lager and ale around in.
- Two Roads Brewing Co. (Stratford, CT)— Multiple options, including No Limits Hefeweizen, a Bavarian wheat brew dedicated to Germany’s Autobahn.
Aaron is unashamed to be a native Clevelander and the proud driver of a Hyundai Veloster Turbo (which recently replaced his 1995 Saturn SC-2). He gleefully utilizes his background in theater, literature, and communication to dramatically recite his own articles to nearby youth. Mr. Widmar happily resides in Dayton, Ohio with his magnificent wife, Vicki, but is often on the road with her exploring new destinations. Aaron has high aspirations for his writing career but often gets distracted pondering the profound nature of the human condition and forgets what he was writing… See more articles by Aaron.