Top 10 Summer Beers

Pilsners are pale hoppy lagers and the name often adorns bland generic junk beers. But, pale lagers are the world’s dominant style for good reason. Long, slow brewing at cold temperatures creates a crisp and refreshing flavor ideal for taking the sizzle out of a hot summer day. When quality ingredients are used, pilsner can truly be the king of beers. A case in point is this American craft brew from Victory. Richer than a classic German pilsner, "Prima Pils" has a biscuity malt core and heaping helpings of noble whole-leaf hops to add an herbal scent and quenching bitterness. A far cry from the wifty macro-brews that claim to be pilsners, this is a beer of substance that will please ale and lager lovers alike. Try it with fish tacos or hot dogs and sauerkraut.

GERMAN KÖLSCH
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Reissdorf "Kölsch," $3/11.2 oz. and $4/16.9 oz.

Köln, or Cologne, is a renowned brewing city even by German standards and is known for its uncommon local ale known as Kölsch. Warm-fermented for fruity flavor then cold-aged to boost refreshment, there are few ale-brewed beers more perfectly suited for hot weather. Pale gold in color and vigorously carbonated, Reissdorf Kölsch has a fluffy head of long-lasting foam. Aromas of apple peels and poached pears mingle with the scent of crusty Italian bread.  The beer is brisk, perky and delicately hopped—a great daytime pick-me-up. Classically understated in flavor, it is a terrific foil for simple light foods, like summer salads, seafood and white meats. Pour yourself a well-chilled glass with fresh tomatoes and mozzarella, or a dozen clams.

BELGIAN RASPBERRY LAMBIC
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Cantillon “Rosé de Gambrinus," $12/12 oz. and $20/25 oz.

Before there were cultured brewing yeasts, like ale and lager yeasts, all beers were spontaneously fermented with a mélange of wild varieties. Only one type of beer is still made in this way—the lambic family of Belgian beers. Most Lambics are fruit beers, and while Americans are more familiar with candy-sweet brands, the Belgians prefer their lambics as dry and tart as fine wine. Cantillon is the highest-profile brewer of dry lambics, and “Rosé de Gambrinus” is their version of a Framboise, or raspberry lambic. In the glass, it has the pinkish tawny color of onion skin and a vivid scent of wild raspberries. The first sip is mouth-shockingly sour and dry, with the zing and bubble of Rosé Champagne. Tailor-made for rich and salty foods, this beauty from Cantillon will shine with duck confit, shaved prosciutto or steak tartare.

AMERICAN "I.P.A."
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Anderson Valley "Hop Ottin" India Pale Ale, $2.50/12 oz.

Anderson Valley is an icon among breweries, a charter member of the California class that ushered in the era of small-batch craft brewing. Located in a scenic corner of coastal Mendocino county, the town of Boonville has long been a countercultural mecca and even boasts its own folk language. “Hop Ottin” is Boontling for “hard-working hops” and gives a clue to what’s in the bottle. This coppery brew is positively drenched in Pacific Northwest hops, added both to the boil for bracing bitterness and afterwards for pungent aroma. Clocking in at seven percent alcohol, this I.P.A. is plenty strong, but never cloying. The beer’s malt backbone is as wholesome as crunchy granola, while the scent of sappy hops conjures images of ruby grapefruits and cedar fronds. Keep the Boontling spirit alive by serving this beer with organic foods; try some with planked wild salmon or free-range rotisserie chicken.

AMERICAN CRAFT WITBIER
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Allagash "White," $3/12 oz. and $8/25 oz.

This luscious wheat beer can’t be beat on a sweaty summer day—the American craft answer to Belgium’s popular Hoegaarden. Brewing with wheat yields hazy ales with a bright flavor reminiscent of lemon yogurt. In Belgium it is traditional to spice these white beers, or “witbiers,” typically with coriander seed and ground Curacao orange peel.  Maine’s Allagash makes the best interpretation of the style in the USA. Their “White” pours daffodil yellow with wheat’s distinctive opalescence and a pillowy head that releases a citrusy blast of exotic spice fragrance. Each sip feels silky and rich, despite modest strength, and delivers a doughy malt flavor similar to that of hot cross buns. This spritzy ale has the flavor density to handle boldly seasoned cuisine, from ceviche and dry-rubbed ribs to curries and gumbo. Give it a try with tandoori chicken or chili con carne with melted cheddar cheese.

While sipping a Blue Paw, it’s hard not to be transported, Proust-like, back to the sticky-fingered summer days of berry picking, which were followed by piles of blueberry pancakes the next morning. The beer’s aromas, not color (a respectable amber gold), reveal its intense wild blueberry nature. Though the nose suggests a sweet fruit beer with faint citrus-like notes of wheat, the beer is pleasantly dry and refreshing. Modest in alcohol and highly carbonated, it will surprise with a bracing touch of hop bitterness in the finish. Ahh… Finally a simple summer fruit beer that still tastes like a beer. Give it a try with a simple cheese plate or a salad topped with grilled chicken.

BAVARIAN WHEAT BEER
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Paulaner "Hefe-Weizen," $2/12 oz. and $2.50/16 oz.

In German, hefe means “yeast” and weisse means “wheat,” and Bavarian Hefe-Weizen beers are exactly that—unfiltered, yeasty wheat ales. Brewer’s yeast is the active culture that produces alcohol in beer and wine, and is usually filtered out when spent. Keeping the yeast in the brew gives Hefe-Weizen beers their distinctive cloudy haze and their unmistakable flavor. Paulaner is an internationally recognized icon of this delightful style. This highly refreshing warm-weather beer is so vividly reminiscent of baked goods and tropical fruit that it’s like fresh banana bread in a glass. Briskly carbonated and lacking palpable hop bitterness, this is one of the world’s best beers for tempting wine and cocktail lovers to take a walk on the malt side. Serve this beer with a nutty shrimp pad thai or grilled ham and cheese on rye.

NORTH GERMAN PILSNER
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Bitburger "Premium Pils," $1.50/12 oz.

German "pilsner," modeled after a style first brewed in the Czech town of Plzen, has inspired the world’s pale golden lagers—the globe's most popular beers by a mile. But the German originals, like this classic "Pils" brewed in the city of Bitburg, have a more bracingly bitter finish, ideal for cooling off on sun-drenched days and taming the heat of spicy foods. More substantial than commercial lagers too, Bitburger packs as much nutrition as a bowl of granola. This classic pilsner’s herbal hop aromas and brisk lager finish feel as fresh and clean as a newly starched shirt and can banish even the most persistent cases of the hot and muggies. Buffalo wings and burritos make for terrific pairings.

BELGIAN-INSPIRED FARMHOUSE "SAISON"
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Ommegang "Hennepin," $2.50/12 oz. and $5/25 oz.

Belgian-owned Brewery Ommegang in Cooperstown, NY, is a source of remarkable beers; each one is as alive as an illegal unpasteurized European cheese. Hennepin is their interpretation of the classic “Saison” style of farmhouse ale—a potent golden variation brewed for the late summer harvest season. This bottle-conditioned ale is surprising from the first pour, billowing up with pillowy froth as persistent as meringue. Pungent aromas are strangely diverse—nutty, fruity, spicy, funky—yet the overall impression is of cohesion. Even more flavorful layers unfurl on the palate—herbal, floral and cereal grains—all jousting for supremacy in a lingering finish. Here, surely, is proof that beer can be as complex and food-friendly as fine wine. Hennepin deserves to be shared with friends in red wine glasses, as traditional pints won’t do justice to its aromas. Give this remarkable ale a chance to shine with rotisserie chicken or grilled salmon.

GERMAN-INSPIRED SOUR WHEAT BEER
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Dogfish Head "Festina Pêche," $2.50/12 oz.

Dogfish Head is one of the United States’ quirkiest breweries. Flying their freak flag proudly, they are known for their monster brews that frequently top ten percent alcohol. One of their finest achievements, however, is Festina Pêche, an homage to Berliner Weisse, one of the world’s lightest bodied beers. A wheat beer brewed with special lactic cultures, Berliner Weisse is sour and dry. Traditionally, it is spiked with fruit syrup to offset its oddly yogurt-like lemonade tang. Dogfish Head chooses to add the fruit for you—in the form of fresh juicy peaches that add flavor (though not sweetness) to the beer. Festina Pêche manages to combine the dry refreshment of great beer with the tart and fruity tastiness of cider. At only four and a half percent alcohol, this lithe beauty is a terrific partner for al fresco lunches, such as a spinach salad or Chesapeake crabs.

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.