Summer beers are the best beers, mostly because they’ll be gone in a matter of months… just like the sun. Try any of these 12 summer beers while you still can! I stuck with larger craft breweries to get the biggest distribution footprint, but feel free to tout the dozen of breweries near you whose beers are a million times better.
1. Porch Rocker – Samuel Adams (MA)
Sammy’s version of a radler is this Helles style lager combined with lemon. No need to even add a shot of vodka. It’s the perfect summer beer. 4.4% ABV
2. UFO Big Squeeze Shandy – Harpoon Brewery (MA)
Standard UFO would work as well, but you might as well drink fruit beer while it’s trendy. Go grapefruit! 4.5% ABV
3. Summer Ale – Brooklyn Brewery (NY)
No fruit necessary in this classic luncheon ale. Just a ton of flavor without the weight. 5% ABV
4. Festina Pesch – Dogfish Head (DE)
Sour beers are having their moment in the sun, and this Berliner Weisse style beer loaded with peaches is one of the best. 4.5% ABV
10 Barrel Gives Summer Beer Away For Free
5. The Wright Pils – Great Lakes Brewing (OH)
You’re clearly not as accomplished as the beer’s namesakes, but maybe you could fly a kite while drinking a dozen of these classic pilsners. 5.3%
6. Seersucker Summer Pils – Abita (LA)
This traditional pilsner is the perfect summer beer to compliment that pink seersucker suit you’ve been dying to wear again even since Derby Day. 4.8% ABV
7. ZŌN Belgian-Style Wit – Boulevard Brewing (MO)
This beer has no relation to Zod, but it will remind you of a better version of Blue Moon. Orange slices optional. 4.4% ABV
8. Summer Helles – New Belgium (CO)
Bike and bluegrass combine in this perfectly balanced lager. You won’t find a better beer to sneak into festivals, if you’re into that sort of thing. 5% ABV
9. Twilight Summer Ale – Deschutes (OR)
This malty ale thankfully has nothing to do with sparkly vampires. It will, however, satisfy your thirst. 5% ABV
10. Little Sumpin’ Extra – Lagunitas (CA)
Not all summer beer have to be low alcohol, and this Imperial IPA big sister to Little Sumpin’ Sumpin’ will definitely get the job done. 8.5% ABV
11. RuinTen IPA – Stone Brewing (CA)
This is a hop monster, plain and simple. It’s 110 IBUs so don’t plan on tasting anything for the rest of the day. 10.8% ABV
12. Summerfest – Sierra Nevada (CA)
Sierra Nevada’s beer camp gets most of the summer attention, but their pilsner quietly sates all summer beer lovers.