Hey, we may not be professionals, but we know you don’t have the time or energy to hunt down the newest big game beers on the market. So we have our experts trolling the interwebs, holding an ear to the rail and keeping a wet finger in the wind to catch drift of the best beers blowing into stores as we speak. From Clown Shoe’s Crunkle Sam to 10 Barrel’s Swill Beer, we’ve found all sorts of beers you’ll want to chase down.

So welcome to another edition of Newbies -Your ultimate guide to great new craft beers!

FLASH… AHAHH!! (San Diego, CA) When you’ve set the standard and effectively named the West Coast IPA style, I guess it seems risky to mess with a good thing. Green Flash Brewing has no such concern as they’ve doubled up their signature West Coast IPA and Hop Head Red recipes, releasing reformulated recipes for their new label roll-out. Both beers now weigh in at a hefty 8.1% ABV and I don’t think I’ve ever tasted a Green Flash I didn’t like, so I wouldn’t be too concerned beer lover…

Beer for Bozos (Lexington, MA) Clown Shoes Beer has been cranking out seasonal releases like crazy and will continue to do so throughout the summer… and of course we aren’t complaining! In addition to their recently released seasonal, Crunkle Sam American Barleywine, they’re also slated to release some special small releases in the coming months including Swagger Hoppy Red Lager, a bourbon barrel aged version of their Royal Standard wee heavy called Ride the Lion, and Millionario, their Chocolate Sombrero (a big, Mexican-style stout) aged in cognac barrels.

A Special Brew for Beer City(Asheville, NC) Happening May 23rd through 31st, Asheville’s Third Annual Beer Week will be bolstered by a collaboration brew fashioned by 22 brewers, which was brewed by Catawba Valley Brewing in nearby Morganton. Those involved include local favorites Asheville Brewing and Highland Brewing, plus Colorado powers New Belgium and Oskar Blues, who recently started brewing in the area. Their creation? A locally sourced White IPA, coming in at a sessionable 5.5% ABV.

Get Yer Swill Here!  (Bend, OR) After the huge success of 10 Barrel Brewing’sSwill Beer, they’re rolling it back out to the public for the summer, in what appears to be an even bigger release than last year. Now available in 12oz bottles, their grapefruit infused Berliner-Weisse with soda added (Radler) was making appearances last month when they trucked a vending machine full of free Swill around the Northwest, taping the reactions of surprised passers-by. Available now, at a lightweight ABV of 4.5%

Homebrewers Get Bell’s (Kalamazoo, MI) This year’s Homebrewers Conference, happening in Grand Rapids June 12-14, will feature a commemorative Barleywine served up by Bell’s Brewery called Beer Michigan. Festival attendees will not only have the ability to quaff this one-time brew at a special Bell’s Lounge, but will also walk-away with a bottle to share. All the more reason to check out the American Homebrewer’s Conference this year!