5 Rabbit' Pink Huitzi - Chicago

If there's one beer you drink this weekend, let it be 5 Rabbit's Huitzi.

The two-year-old brewery, based just south of Midway Airport, calls the limited-release, seasonal brew a midwinter ale, but it's far from the stereotypical form.

You'll find no deep hues or dark spices in this bottle ($11 for 750 ml). Instead, Huitzi is a harbinger of spring: refreshing, floral and a vibrant, rosy pink. This is a beer for lovers of Saison and rosé, a drinkable respite from winter.

Its color comes from jamaica (hibiscus), the blossom frequently found coloring aguas frescas. It adds flavor to a Belgian strong ale that weighs in at 8.7 percent ABV. Chamomile and local honey from Naperville's Talbot apiaries bolster the brew's aromatic character.

We drank a bottle alongside a Mexican meal with heavily spiced mole and a cilantro-packed salad. We plan to bring one on our next trip to ATK for a Thai feast, too, and keep some on hand for grilling season.

The vernal equinox, the first day of spring, is Wednesday, March 20. We know what we'll be toasting with.

Find Huitzi at Binny's, Whole Foods, West Lakeview Liquors and Andersonville Wine & Spirits.