SOUTH GERMAN WHEAT BEER - HEFEWEIZEN
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Weihenstephaner "Hefe Weissbier," $2.50/12 oz.

Further south, another German wheat beer tradition thrives in Bavaria, where Hefeweizen reigns supreme in summer. Literally translated “yeast wheat,” Hefeweizen beers are cloudy gold in color and packed with rich, spiced fruit flavor. These friendly beers have virtually no hop bitterness, and as such are crowd pleasers that appeal to even non-beer drinkers. An unusual yeast strain gives Hefeweizen a distinctive banana bread character, though no fruit or spices are added to German beers by law. Weihenstephaner produces one of the all-time classics, able to both pique and satisfy the appetite at once. Sometimes served with a slice of lemon, Hefeweizen beers pair as well with casual burgers as they do with sesame chicken.

NORTH GERMAN PILSNER
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Jever "Pilsener," $1.50/12 oz.

The Friesland town of Jever, not far from the North Sea, makes one of Germany’s most striking pilsner beers. Paler and more bitter than the softer styles of Bavaria and Bohemia, the fierce bite of Jever puts bland macro-lagers to shame. This pungent, mid-weight lager delivers a blast of refreshment that builds to a whip-crack finish. Sharp piney aromas and lean soda-cracker malt flavors cut through even the fattiest of fried foods, scouring the palate clean. When hot, muggy days are getting you down, a cold Jever is as welcome as a Nordic breeze, a bracing counterpoint to fish and chips or butter-dipped lobster.

AMERICAN WHEAT BEER
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Three Floyds "Gumballhead," $7/22 oz.

"Gumballhead" has an attitude all its own, as one look at its crude, grouchy label will confirm. Wheat beers may traditionally be only mildly hopped, but "Gumballhead" sets tradition on its ear. Like most Three Floyds brews it’s a hophead’s dream, crackling with resinous, citrusy hop aromas. Though it clocks in at a modest 4.8 percent alcohol, this is no wimpy wheat beer. “Gumballhead” is an "in your face" wheat beer, with the piney essence of fresh Amarillo hops screaming out of the glass. Softly sweet on the palate and surprisingly gentle in bitterness, few summer beers are as adept handling complex spices, from dry rub barbecue ribs to shrimp with coconut curry.

CANADIAN FRUIT WHEAT BEER
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Unibroue "Éphémère - Apple," $6/22 oz.

Not far from Montréal, the Canadian brewery Unibroue is crafting authentic interpretations of Belgian brewing recipes. They are also creating a few newsworthy styles of their own, like Éphémère—a line of ales brewed with both fruit and wheat. Éphémère Apple has tremendous finesse, its green apple character understated and almost as aptly ephemeral as the dainty fairy on the label. Snappy and refreshing, this lees aged ale rolls aspects of hard cider, wheat beer and Champagne into one delightful package. Éphémère is a graceful partner with subtle seafood dishes, yet has the sinew to stand up to sweet-tart tropical specialties like Thai tom yum soup.

Lambic beers are neither ales nor lagers, but rather result from “wild yeast” fermentation that yields a rustic wine-like edge of fierce acidity and funky aromas reminiscent of soft-rind cheese. Lambics are generally fruit beers and can range from dry to the fully sweet. Boon (pronounced "bone") is a stronghold of the drier style so rarely exported, and is more appropriate for dinner service than dessert. "Kriek," or cherry, is Boon’s icon brew, combining seductive red-fruit flavor and tartness with the praline aroma of cracked cherry stones. Delicious with mustard-spiked sandwiches and fresh produce, few beers are as delightful with picnic lunches at the lake.

Though it is one of the world’s strangest beers, Berliner Weisse could also qualify as the most refreshing summer brew of all time. With half the alcohol of normal beer and the bracing acidic backbone of fresh lemonade, it can conquer even a blazing noon-day sun. This wheat beer is sheer in texture and has an oddly yogurty sourness, an ideal partner for summer salads or raw oysters. Or try the traditional approach taken in Berlin, where this local specialty is most often served "mit Schuss," or "with a shot," referring to a dash of sweet syrup. The usual options are red or green for raspberry or woodruff, a tender aromatic herb, both of which create tempting sweet-tart drinks far more quenching than any cola.

SOUTH GERMAN WHEAT BEER - HEFEWEIZEN
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Franziskaner "Hefe Weisse," $2/12 oz. and $2.50/16 oz.

In and around the legendary brewing city of Munich, the wheat beer tradition takes on its own form. Bavarian Hefeweizen beers are cloudy gold in color and packed with rich, spiced fruit flavor, thanks to a unique strain of yeast, or hefe in German. These warm-weather beers are unfiltered to emphasize their fruity-yeasty taste, and have exceptionally low hop bitterness. Like "beer with training wheels," they can easily charm even non-beer drinkers. Brewed in accordance with the centuries-old German beer purity law, no fruit or spices are added. The recognizable aromas of caramelized bananas and dessert spices come from the specialized yeasts that give these wheat beers, or weisse, their name. There's no better beer for southeast asian treats, like Pad Thai noodles or Vietnamese spring rolls.

AMERICAN WHEAT BEER
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Bell's "Oberon Ale," $2/12 oz.

Unlike so many American wheat beers, Oberon Ale from Bell’s delivers layers of complex flavor and opulent texture. Who says summer seasonal must be thin and bland? Its hazy, rusty color promises depth, and the first sip delivers. Snappy green apples and pears on the nose give way to malty goodness in the mouth, all rounded out with a tantalizing hint of dessert spices. At a respectable 5.8% alcohol, Oberon hides some muscle behind its refreshment, and can stand up to summer’s richer flavors. Try it with juicy ribs slathered with smoky sauce or a bushel of buttered white corn on the cob.

BELGIAN "SAISON" FARMHOUSE ALE
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"Saison" Dupont, $5/12 oz.

Before the days of temperature control, brewing in summertime was impractical. Brewers could easily lose control of speeding fermentations in conditions favoring spoilage. "Saison," meaning season, is a traditional brass-colored Belgian beer style, brewed in spring to last all summer long. Aged on their lees like Champagne, these farmhouse ales are heavily hopped, malty and strong enough to survive the warm months. Their earthy richness and pungent spicy flavors vary widely, but Dupont is the style's ambassador to the globe. Simple foods, like roasted chicken or firm cheeses, act as marvelous foils for this beer's complexity.

AMERICAN FRUIT INDIAN PALE ALE
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Dogfish Head "Aprihop," $2.50/12 oz.

"Aprihop" will be a revelation for those who think fruit beers aren’t "real" beers. Dogfish is renowned for "India Pale Ales" loaded with malty muscle and jolly, green hop aromatics on a giant scale. The irreverent "Aprihop" delivers both in spades, enough to keep any brew-geek happy, but defies convention by adding fresh apricots to this otherwise "serious" beer. The fruit and pale ale flavors marry seamlessly, creating a fruit beer that isn’t dominated by fruit flavor or sticky sweetness. "Aprihop" is unusually strong for a summer beer, with enough body and bitter bite to take on the strongest, spiciest summer foods.

ERIN GO BREW
Top Irish Beers
St. Paddy's Day shouldn't be the only excuse to drink Irish beer. From ales to lagers to cream ales, Ireland sure knows how to make a solid brew. Try any one of these selections from our top Irish beers list.