While I don’t think I could refute the suggestion that this has been the summer of shandies and radlers even if I wanted to, the broader case could be made that craft brewers are just really getting into adding flavors to their beers. From coriander and salt, it’s a small step to black pepper and hot chiles, and from there the rest of the spice rack has to seem like fair game for the last days before pumpkin pie spice beer. But the first time you pick up a bottle of Flying Dog’s Dead Rise Summer Ale you have to wonder what you’re getting into — Old Bay seasoned salt in a beer, really?

Really. This is first and foremost a pretty good summer beer, not too strong, not too hoppy, with a pronounced celery and pepper bouquet, golden body and good fizz. I taste the spice up front and find that the flavor continues pleasantly through the finish; others tell me they don’t notice the spice until the last.

Old Bay is the flavor of crab cakes and Utz has already capitalized on the association with beach eats by bringing out a line of Old Bay potato chips. Dead Rise pairs well with chips and better with crab cakes or lobster rolls, but what this really is is the ideal lox brunch beer for weekenders who don’t want to go straight to a bloody mary.

The obvious question is, can’t you mix up your own no-tomato no-worcestershire sauce michelada by taking a pale ale or lager and mixing in some seasoning? Of course you can, and maybe even rim the glass with a bespoke mix of celery salt, paprika and crushed red pepper. The mix of lager and Dr. Brown’s Cel-Ray Tonic I came up with in the middle of a second Dead Rise was too sweet, though, and while I liked my home-mixed seasoning beers, the blend in a Dead Rise is strong enough and a lot easier to clean up after. Definitely worth getting a six-pack.

Photo: Flying Dog Brewery