There’s an entire checklist to go through if you want to live your best life this summer, be it tracking down the best summer sunglasses or ensuring the fit of your favorite polo is on-point. Pay close attention to what’s in your fridge and your cooler as well, though, and pack it full with the best summer beers.
In the same way you turn to roasty stouts and rich Oktoberfest beers in the fall (all the while wearing your favorite flannel shirt), prepare for the season ahead accordingly with light, refreshing, crushable lagers and pilsners, best enjoyed often and best enjoyed ice-cold with a beautiful vista out in front of you.
The churn of innovation in the craft beer world never stops, but sometimes, what you just need is a cold one at the end (or the start?) of a long summer’s day. Here are a few of our top suggestions to whet your whistle.
Shiner ¡Órale!
Shiner is best known for its excellent Shiner Bock, the sort of legendary beer that’s survived for more than a century and helped many a Texas farmer get refreshed after a long day in the fields. For the uninitiated though, Shiner does so much more than just Shiner Bock, including the brand-new, seriously crushable and endlessly delicious ¡Órale!, a Mexican-style cerveza brewed with agave. On a recent visit to the historic Shiner brewery itself, this brew was an intense burst of freshness enjoyed right off the canning line. To that, we say: ¡Órale!, or in another manner of speaking: Hell yes.
Sierra Nevada Summer Break
Sure, summer calls to mind crushable, light lagers and pilsners, but don’t sleep on the virtues of the session IPA — designed and brewed as such for long (yet hopefully responsible) drinking sessions. Sierra Nevada’s beers have long stood for character and quality, and its Pale Ale is a game-changer in its own right, but switch things up with notes of mango and passionfruit in this hazy session ale.
Stone Buenaveza Salt and Lime Lager
When the mercury climbs and keeps on climbing, it’s sometimes a wise bet to reach for something insanely refreshing, yet with a bit of substance and zing to it. That’s what Buenaveza is serving up, with a shot of salt and a lime kick to add some zest to afternoon imbibing. Better still is the fact that you can easily blend this beer into a Michelada when you need a bit of a summer weekend pick-me-up.
Ommegang Witte
A tried-and-true summer favorite is always a solid beer to have on hand, especially one with as much flavor and character as this Belgian-style wheat ale. When you kick back with one in hand, it’s almost like being within the tranquil confines of Ommegang’s lovely Cooperstown brewery — think of it like the next best thing, and be sure you’ve got enough for your friends to enjoy, too.
Lawson’s Finest Scrag Mountain Pils — Salt & Lime
Adding some extra zest to a tried-and-true pils seems to be all the rage these days, and Lawson’s Finest is getting in on the fun with an infused edition of this Czech-style pilsner. Lawson’s is a cult favorite that can be tricky to track down, but if you play your cards right, you’re in for plenty of summer refreshment with this all-new pilsner.
Anchor Brewing Easy Weekend IPA
The idea of a lo-cal IPA that doesn’t skimp on flavor or quality sure is an intoxicating one, and Anchor Brewing surely delivers on that front with this new session IPA. It clocks in at just 3.7 percent ABV and boasts only 99 calories, two stunning facts that underscore the great work being done by Anchor Brewing’s innovation team. We think we just found your new favorite summer brew (or one of them, at least).
Firestone Walker Mind Haze Tiki Smash IPA
Firestone Walker continues to push the boundaries of IPA innovation with a new run of beers as part of its Mind Haze series, and Tiki Smash just might be the most hopped-up, hazy yet refreshing innovation yet. Think: Tropical hops with coconut for good measure, the equivalent of a beach vacation in canned beer form.
Dogfish Head x Patagonia Provisions Kernza Pils
Earlier this year, Dogfish Head tapped a rather unlikely source as a partner in brewing its newest beer — that’d be Patagonia Provisions, an offshoot of the famed outdoor and gear brand. The results were an instant hit, in our book: A clean, crisp and light pils brewed with groundbreaking kernza grains, and best enjoyed on a sweltering beach day or during a summer hike. Learn more.
