With the days getting longer and the sun getting stronger, Memphis Made Brewing Co. has brewed a beer to let you soak it all in: Tan Lines, a 5.1%-ABV Kölsch brewed with tangerine.
Memphis Made has brewed Kölsch-style beers before, and they’ve experimented with fruit-forward brews — but Tan Lines marks the first time they’ve highlighted tangerine.
The result is a beer that balances bright citrus flavors with a crisp finish. With the first sip, it’s definitely got some bite, but it smooths out quickly.
“I like that we kind of put it out a little early, right when the weather is slowly starting to turn,” said Jake Schneider, Memphis Made’s taproom manager. “I feel like a lot of our fruited summer crushers in the past have been an IPA or Pale Ale. This one sits right at 5.1%. I mean, if you want to, you crush that all day.”
“It’s a boat beer, but it’s also a sipping beer. It’s a good summer beer for the people.”
Tan Lines is part of Memphis Made’s expanded seasonal lineup.
“Last year, when we were moving, we stuck to the script,” explained Memphis Made co-owner and sales manager Andy Ashby.
“This year, we’re doing more seasonals, and this is one of the new ones.”
Tan Lines will be available for the next couple of months, with Prince Mango set to take its place in the rotation later this year.
The story behind the name
Naming beers isn’t always easy — especially when you’ve done it dozens of times — but Tan Lines came together with surprising simplicity.
Schneider, the taproom manager, said the team was working with a list of six or seven names, all of which were a little wordy.
“I said, ‘Hey, this is like a summery beer, right?’ … I said, ‘Tan Lines,’ and then I just walked out of the room.”
With that, Schneider officially named his first beer.
Where to find Tan Lines
Tan Lines hit Memphis Made’s taproom last week, and it’s available on draft and in 6-packs of 12-oz. cans to go.
The beer is on its way to grocery stores in the Memphis market, including some Kroger, Fresh Market and Whole Foods locations. It should also be available at liquor stores such as Joe’s Wines & Liquor and Buster’s Liquors & Wines.