Beer for haters

Not all of us like beer. Some just can’t handle those hops, and in a city in a deep love affair with IPAs, it can be hard to find something for milder taste buds. So out of 10 breweries and taprooms, and more than 30 beers and cider samples, here’s a handful of other options:

Lucid (7.1 % ABV)

Stir Cider Co. ($7)

Cider is a go-to for non-beer drinkers. If you’re looking for something outside the usual local offerings, Lucid crafts a delicious take on a classic cider. The vintage and modern Northern California apples give it an earthy but crisp taste. Grab a pint at Highwater in Midtown. 1910 Q Street; highwatersacramento.com.

Blood Orange Wit (5.2% ABV)

Big Stump Brewing Co. ($6.50 for 14 ounces)

Transport yourself to childhood summers and popsicles with this aromatic wheat beer’s mellow sweetness. Big Stump brewers add coriander and orange peel to the wort during knockout and blood orange during secondary fermentation to create its fruity flavor and deep red-orange color. 1716 L Street; bigstumpbrewco.com.

Push to Start (6% ABV)

Urban Roots Brewery & Smokehouse

Wake up and smell the beer—this aromatic porter is brewed with coffee, vanilla and cocoa nibs to create a surprisingly easy drink. Push to Start is $7 a pint, and has a bitter bite from the dark coffee and cocoa notes. 1322 V Street; urbanrootsbrewing.com.

Afterglow (5.5% ABV)

Jackrabbit Brewing Co. ($6)

Jackrabbit partnered with Devil May Care Ice Cream in West Sacramento to create this raspberry macaroon brown ale. Brewed with raspberry puree and coconut, this beer is subtly sweet, smooth and toasty with bright berry and creamy caramel notes but without the syrupy finish. 1323 Terminal Street in West Sacramento; jackrabbitbrewingcompany.com.

Kiss Me I’m Dry-rish (5.2%)

Device Brewing Co. ($6)

This absurdly smooth Dry Irish Stout is nitro-infused, giving it a creamier consistency and chocolaty taste. In lieu of sweetness, this stout finishes dry and is enjoyably heavy. This comfortable alternative to dark beers is available at Device’s Ice Blocks Midtown location. 8166 14th Avenue and 1610 R Street, Suite 145; devicebrewing.com.

Blueberry Parfait (6.4% ABV)

Fieldwork Brewing Co. ($8.50)

This kettle sour ale is anything but sour. With vanilla, blueberries and lactose sugar, it offers the sweet creaminess and subtle tartness of its namesake dessert. Despite its rich flavors, the beer isn’t too heavy or sugary. Fieldwork Brewing rotates flavors, but always offers a fruit parfait brew. 1805 Capital Avenue; fieldworkbrewing.com/sacramento.