Fruits of a new year

Counterclockwise, from top left: Fremont has already released its spring seasonal Lush IPA; New Belgium’s IPAs are moving under a new Voodoo Ranger label; Sierra Nevada is introducing an orange version of its iconic pale ale; Full Sail's latest Pub Series offering is a papaya-infused IPA.

Brewers are welcoming 2017 with an array of new beers designed to satisfy the growing thirst for fruitier flavors. Among the offerings from Western breweries that should start showing up on local taps and store shelves soon:

• Fremont is flouting the calendar with the launch of its new spring seasonal Lush IPA (7 percent alcohol by volume, 80 International Bitterness Units), brewed with fruity Citra and Mosaic hops over a pale and honey malt body. It replaces the previous 77 Select session IPA.

This past Monday’s release party at the brewery will be followed by similar events at select locations around the region next Wednesday, including Manito Tap House. Along with the straight beer, those will feature variants with extra Citra and Mosaic infusions plus a cask-conditioned version.

• Mosaic also stars in New Belgium’s revamped roster of hoppy beers under the edgier Voodoo Ranger label. The existing Ranger IPA and Rampant imperial IPA will take on the Voodoo Ranger name with revised recipes, while the new Voodoo Ranger 8 Hop Pale (5.5, 35) is a more potent replacement for the previous Slow Ride session IPA.

New Belgium is shaking up the rest of its lineup as well to stay relevant in an ever-evolving craft beer landscape. Tartastic Lemon Ginger Sour steps in for the former Snapshot tart wheat; Blue Paddle is being reborn as a crisper Bohemian Pilsener; the golden Dayblazer Easygoing Ale is in, while Shift Lager is out; and Citradelic Exotic Lime Ale follows in the bigger footsteps of Citradelic Tangerine IPA, last year's top new beer brand.

• Sierra Nevada is following suit with fruity new tweaks on two of its core offerings. The iconic Sierra Nevada Pale will be joined by Sidecar Orange Pale Ale (after the cocktail of that name, 5.3, 35), while Torpedo IPA gets a new Tropical Torpedo sidekick (6.7, 55) that’s similar to last year’s spring seasonal Beer Camp Tropical IPA.

This year’s spring release is the wheat-based Beer Camp Golden IPA (6.5, 50, rolling out any day now to knock my beloved Celebration off the shelves).

• Full Sail's latest Pub Series entry is a papaya-infused IPApaya IPA (6.2, 58) brewed with malted wheat and fruity Ekuanot (formerly Equinox) hops.  

• Finally, Deschutes is introducing a year-round Pacific Wonderland Lager (5.5, 37) hopped with orangey Tettnang Mandarina.