Grateful Pale Ale vs American Beauty

High summer is here, and in honor of the season that was once synonymous with the annual tour of a certain San Francisco band, we offer a matchup of very "grateful" beers. Without exactly stating it—brewer Mark Thompson says the brew "springs from our brand's humbleness and our love of the music culture"—Grateful Pale Ale is Starr Hill's tribute to the spirit of the Grateful Dead. The beer is an excellent pale ale for the warmer months, hoppy but balanced by a citrusy, light body.

Last fall, to much fanfare, Dogfish Head released American Beauty, a full-on tribute to The Dead. An imperial pale ale, American Beauty includes organic granola (naturally), bringing a toasty, fruity flavor to the brew, along with all-American hops. Either way, you can't go wrong with these two examples of artisanal expertise—it's better living through chemistry!