Mosaic Pale Ale by Bike Dog Brewing is reasonably priced, good looking—and probably fresher than your chonies

It's a war out there. More drunk than hostile. But still a battle. I'm of course speaking of the fight for shelf space at a beer aisle near you. So many breweries, so many bottles—how do you choose? Start with price. Try a bomber of West Sacramento Bike Dog's mosaic-hopped pale ale ($6.49 at the Sacramento Natural Foods Co-op). Its Carolina blue and cantaloupe colors stand out amid the teenage-boy beer aesthetic. The brew is lightly bitter with a big fruit-bomb hoppiness. This bottle, packaged less than 10 days earlier, is probably fresher than your chonies. Heyo! 2534 Industrial Boulevard, Suite 110, in West Sacramento; www.bikedogbrewing.com.