Last week was a lousy time to take a hiatus from beer.

Rising temperatures, extra daylight in the afternoon and new seasonal releases combined for exceptional drinking conditions.

But I wouldn't know. I was observing Passover, affectionately called the Feast without Yeast

Thankfully, my taste-memory bank is loaded. So even though I wished the kosher-for-Passover wine at our Seder was something a little hoppier, I got through the week knowing these great beers would be waiting for me on the other side:

The Chosen Ones

• Goose Island Night Stalker: This imperial stout highlights two of my favorite beer characteristics: dark and hoppy. It looks like an inky stout but smells like a hugely hopped India pale ale. The flavor is somewhere in between, with notes of fudge and licorice underscored by a woodsy hop bitterness. Chicago's Goose Island released it through the end of March, so look to grab one of the 22-ounce bottles before they're gone.

• Founders Kentucky Breakfast Stout: Just when I was growing weary of bourbon-barrel-aged beers, St. Louis received its annual allotment of this highly sought imperial stout, and I knew I'd have to try it. I'm glad I did. Brewed with vanilla and coffee, then aged for a year in oak barrels, KBS is a brilliant beer that delighted every taste bud on my tongue with its flavors of vanilla and coffee up front, followed by bourbon and chocolate on the way down.

• New Glarus Moon Man No Coast Pale Ale: The fine print — a dry-hopped ale brewed with five varieties of hops and 2¼ pounds of hops per barrel — would lead you to think this is just another American hop bomb. Not so. Brewer Daniel Carey set out to produce a bottle-fermented brew that was neither too bland nor too extreme, and he nailed it. Note: New Glarus is not distributed in Missouri, so you'll have to seek out this new year-round beer through a trade, online or on your next trip to Wisconsin.

• Six Row Extra Pale Ale: Open since December, Six Row Brewing Co. is already on its way to becoming a must-stop destination on any beer lover's St. Louis brewpub circuit. Brewmaster Evan Hiatt was fresh out of his popular Strong Porter on my recent visit (more should be on tap by now), but he has several others that will please most palates, most notably the Extra Pale Ale. It's lighter in color and bitterness than many American pale ales, yet still packs a citrusy hop aroma and balanced malt smoothness that make it a standout.

Hit Me With Your Best (Long)Shot

To celebrate home brewers, the makers of Samuel Adams organize a yearly LongShot contest to find the best homemade brews in America and bottle them for a special release. This year's winning brews — an old ale, a barleywine and a saison — are hitting shelves this month for about $10 per six-pack, with two bottles of each of the three styles.

• Old Ben Ale: Sugary prunes and raisins and alcohol warmth dominate this malty old ale. At 9 percent alcohol by volume, Michael Robinson's home brew is best enjoyed in sips, as an after-dinner drink. Let it warm slightly once it's out of the ice box.

• Mile High Barley Wine: My favorite of the trio, this beer from Ben Miller pours a beautiful red color and is highly drinkable for a hoppy barleywine with a big 12 percent ABV.

• Lemon Pepper Saison: Is this a beer or a chicken marinade? I'm not sure I'm a fan of the name, but zesty lemon and white pepper are definitely two discernible characteristics of this Belgian-style brew from Jeremy White (who happens to be a Samuel Adams IT staffer).

Yes We Can

I'm happy to report that two formerly bottle-and-draft-only beers are making their way into cans in time for summer outdoor fun: Leinenkugel Summer Shandy, a unique style that blends beer with lemonade, and Schlafly Summer Lager, a golden brew that's in bottles now and will be available in cans by mid-May.

Evan's Pick: Founders Kentucky Breakfast Stout

• Lowdown: Aromas of vanilla and coffee dance with flavors of chocolate and bourbon in this 11.2 percent alcohol-by-volume imperial stout that's best enjoyed from a snifter glass.

• Price: $8.75 per 12-ounce bottle.

• Where to find it: The Royale, 3132 South Kingshighway, 314-772-3600. Limited supply; call first.