I’m probably the last person to have tried these seasonals, but here’s my take on some of the latest new beers to grace Upstate SC taps.
Brewery 85
864 Weizen
After being teased by test batches months ago, I was exited to try the official 864 Weizen at WheatFest in May. This Bavarian-style hefeweizen hits all the right notes, with banana and clove flavors and a refreshing effervescence.
Country Quad
With a darkness nearing purple, this Belgian Quad offers fig and raisin flavors with a lighter mouthfeel and minimal carbonation. It’s no Yeoman’s, but it’s pretty darn good
Quest
Ponce
I’ve heard from a lot of folks who love this one, but it’s my least favorite of the summer options. The initial aroma is heavy on the jalapeno scent, but there’s only a small amount of heat on the finish. The major flavor is an earthiness that didn’t settle with my tastebuds.
Strawberry Wit
Unlike the Tolba offering with nigh-impossible to detect blueberries, the Strawberry Wit encapsulates the summer fruit in both a sweet aroma and a light flavoring. This is the perfect summer beer.
Swamp Rabbit
Raspberry White Ale
I’m not a big raspberry fan, so I didn’t have high expectations for this. Much of the fruit comes early on, with raspberry tartness fading to a wheat finish. It was a good beer, but not my favorite of this batch.
Craft Beer Chick 
I loved the 864 Weizen, and I’ve yet to have an “Official” tasting of the Country Quad, but both brews were fantastic.
I also enjoyed Ponce, but got heavy heavy cucumber flavors in my multiple samples of the beer.
Here’s a suggestion for ya. Try a blend (or fuse) of a fruity beer with a stout/porter. I find them fantastic. My favorite is pretty much any fruit beer mixed with a Vanilla Java Porter by Atwater Brewing. The VJP is hard to find down here, but these blends it makes are fantastic!
Funny you should mention that: someone was mixing beers at Quest when I tried these two, so perhaps I’ll make a special request next time.
Have you had River Rat’s Lost Port Vanilla Porter? You might dig that one if you like VJP.
I have not had too many River Rat brews, but I’ve really enjoyed everything I’ve sampled thus far. Hopefully The Southern Growl, Whats on Tap or GBX will get some in soon.