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Howzit Punch

Alvarado Street Brewery
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🌍 United States · Fruited Sour Ale · One of 3 Fruited Sour Ales in hopIQ

Howzit Punch from Alvarado Street Brewery in Salinas, California pours a hazy golden-amber hue with a whisper of white foam. This Gold Medal-winning 2026 World Beer Cup fruited kettle sour opens with an inviting tropical bouquet of sun-ripened passionfruit, zesty orange, and lush guava — transporting the senses straight to a Pacific shoreline. On the palate, the bright, clean acidity of the kettle souring process keeps everything lively and refreshing, while the fruit character remains generous and genuine rather than artificial. The mouthfeel is light and smooth, making each sip effortlessly drinkable. The finish is crisp and tartly satisfying, with lingering tropical sweetness that rounds out this vibrant, California-crafted crowd-pleaser beautifully.

ABV
5.5%
Bitterness
Mild
Citrus hop bitterness
SRM
golden8
How it drinks· Its pace, balance and relationship to the style.
Pace
sessionsipper
Balance
malt-ledhop-led
Style expression
textbookdistinctive
Taste structure· The backbone of the beer, regardless of style.
Body
lightfull-bodied
Sweetness
drysweet
Bitterness
mildbitter
Texture
crispcreamy
hopIQ take

Crisp and dry.

A direct pour that closes clean — trim and sharp, working together to keep things moving.

Wider bands mean we're less certain about the exact position.
Character· What makes this beer itself — not just another Fruited Sour Ale.
Hop character
citrusy
tropical
orange
Fermentation & yeast
fruity
sour
tart
Compare with another beer →

FEATURED IN

#2 of 50The Best American Sours

Tasting Notes

AI-generated sensory profile for Howzit Punch

Appearance

Howzit Punch presents a hazy golden-amber body with excellent clarity for its style, allowing light to glow warmly through the glass. A delicate white foam crowns the pour, exhibiting modest but stable retention and fine lacing that gradually fades with each sip. The carbonation is gentle and measured, creating a soft, inviting visual presentation.

golden-amberhazywhite foambright

Aroma

The nose opens immediately with vibrant tropical fruit notes dominated by ripe passionfruit and guava, layered with bright zesty orange that carries no artificial character. Behind the fruit sits a clean, slightly tart backdrop from the kettle souring process, with no prominent yeast esters or malt notes competing for attention. The overall impression is fresh, beachside, and inviting—an olfactory transport to sun-warmed citrus groves.

passionfruitguavaorange zesttropicalclean acidity

Taste

The palate opens with immediate bright acidity that is clean and structured rather than piercing, courtesy of the kettle souring technique. Generous tropical fruit flavors—passionfruit, guava, orange—follow smoothly across the mid-palate, maintaining authentic fruit character without cloying sweetness or artificial additives. The light, smooth mouthfeel carries these flavors effortlessly, with minimal bitterness (10 IBU) allowing the fruit and acid to remain the focal point throughout.

tart, cleanfruitylight bodysmoothtropical brightness

Finish

The finish arrives crisp and satisfying, with lingering tropical sweetness that rounds rather than dominates. The acidity fades gracefully, leaving a refreshing, dry aftertaste that invites another sip.

crispdry finishlingering fruit
87
hopIQ score
Aroma
89
Taste
88
Appearance
85
Finish
84
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Serve & Enjoy

How to get the most out of Howzit Punch

Serve at 6–9°C
Refrigerate, then rest 2 min

Serve at 6–9°C for the best flavour balance and aroma expression.

Pint glass
Recommended for this style

The classic — versatile, comfortable to hold and keeps the beer cool. No frills, no distractions: just the beer.

Store in a cool, dark place. Check the best-before date on the label for guidance.

Food Pairing

What to eat with Howzit Punch

About Fruited Sour Ale

Style guide · what to expect · how to find alternatives

What is a Fruited Sour Ale?

Fruited Sour Ale is a distinctive beer style with its own characteristic flavour, aroma and colour. Discover what makes it unique and find similar beers on hopIQ.

Finding a similar Fruited Sour Ale

hopIQ matches by flavor profile — not just style label. A beer with the same tropical, citrusy, fruity character as Howzit Punch will score highly even if brewed in a different country or under a different sub-style name.

Other Fruited Sour Ales in hopIQ

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