Cold beers on hot days! The summer is a great time to go outside with a few beers. Breweries make lighter, easier-to-drink options that are perfect for summer. (And all year round, hooray!) When the temperatures rise, I’m all for lighter options. If “summer’ is printed on the label, you can expect easy drinking, a golden colour and a lightness that will make you reach for another can or a bottle in the backyard cooler.
These are some of my favourite beers and their styles for the summer.
American Wheat
Bell’s Oberon Ale
Bell’s, based in Michigan, produces beers that are consistently high-quality. Oberon wheat, their popular summer beer, is enjoyed by Americans across the country. This wheat ale is a crowd-pleaser thanks to its pleasant graininess and citrusy taste. This beer is also available in a mini-keg of 5L, which will look great on your fridge for the Fourth of July.
Munich Helles
Saint Arnold Summer Pils
Saint Arnold, a Houston-based brewer, makes my favourite beer of all time, the Lawnmower Kolsch. But their Summer Pils, which is also delicious, is perfect for the rising temperatures and humidity of summer. Saint Arnold Pils may be a little misleading, as it’s actually a Munich Helles. This German beer style focuses on the cracker malt flavours rather than hoppiness, like a pilsner. But don’t worry, drink it anyway because it’s delicious.
Blonde Ale
Victory Summer Love
Victory’s Summer Love is a classic blonde ale that makes sense for the summer. Victory has been made for more than ten years. Summer Love, brewed by the Pennsylvania-based brewery, is a lovely golden ale. The beer is brewed using German and American hops, which give it a lemony, earthy taste. Victory claims on their website that the beer “pairs with summer”, and I totally agree.
Summer Ale
Back East Summer Ale
I had to shout out to a local Connecticut brewery. Back East Summer Ale has a unique ABV of 6% and is quite hoppy. It reminds me of a lighter American Pale Ale or a hoppy, blonde ale. It’s my favourite because it is always available on draft at our local baseball stadium. Summer and this beer go together.
Sour
Revolution Freedom Lemonade
It’s great to have a sour in the summer, and Revolution’s Freedom Lemonade has a unique brew that’s like a hybrid of a lemonade with a beer. It’s not like beer, so it could be a great way to change the minds of those who aren’t fans. In this regard, sour drinks are great as a gateway beverage. Freedom Lemonade can be enjoyed all year long, so you don’t have to worry about missing it when summer is over. It’s also great for making beer cocktails.
Fill the coolers, head to the beach, the pool, a baseball game, or a mountain trail, and have a few beers (responsibly, of course). Cheers!
