Craft beers have never been more popular. People are forming clubs dedicated solely to visiting local breweries and trying their brews. Heavy ales are often favored over lighter, sweeter beers, but not during the summer. 
The 5 best summer beers
Here are five small-batch summer beers to get you through the hottest summer days.
Schofferhofer Grapefruit
Schofferhofer Grapefruit is the lightest and sweetest beer on this list. This isn’t a party beer. It’s the kind of beer you drink all day long on your porch swing. It contains less than 3% alcohol and tastes like a delightful citrus soft drink. You can feel comfortable recommending this beer to your mom at your next cookout.
Abita Strawberry Harvest
Though the Satsuma brew is technically Abita’s summer beer, Strawberry Harvest is available through the summer and goes down more smoothly. The sweetness from the strawberry juice is sharpened by wheat malts. Strawberry Harvest has a richness to its flavor that makes it appealing to those who dislike shandies. The sweetness never becomes cloying.
UFO White Ale
This is the perfect beer for you if you’re just starting to explore craft beer. It is flavored with citrus, though it is unlike other overly sweet citrus beers. UFO has added coriander to this brew for richness and earthiness. You’ll get the bitterness of a light ale with a hint of tartness to make it palatable for beer beginners.
21st Amendment Brewery Hell or High Watermelon Wheat Beer
Hell or High Watermelon is perhaps the most obviously summery beer on this list. This one is incredibly sweet, even compared to the Schofferhofer. It is nonetheless a favorite among connoisseurs due to its unique watermelon notes. There’s no other beer like it on the market, small-brew or otherwise. You’re not a beer nerd until you’ve tried this one.
Derailed Black Cherry Cream Ale
This favorite from the Erie Brewing Company is exactly what the name describes: a dark cherry-flavored beer that is equal parts sweet and bitter. It’s the fruity beer for people who scoff at the notion of fruit-flavored beer. Despite the syrupy cherry notes, you can easily spend a day leisurely drinking Derailed. You won’t have to occasionally cleanse the palate with an unflavored beer.
You don’t have to spend yet another summer drinking mass-market light beers or the same old summer shandies. Step out of your comfort zone and impress your guests by serving some trendy and seasonally appropriate brews.
About the Writer: Dixie Somers is a freelance writer and blogger for business, home, and family niches. Dixie lives in Phoenix, Arizona, and is the proud mother of three beautiful girls and wife to a wonderful husband.
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