Warmer months require a change in your beer drinking choices. It’s a good idea to lower the ABV and put away the barrel-aged stouts for a few months. There’s a wide variety of styles from local breweries that can help you get through the summer.
Am I Coming In Clear? Saison
The new addition to the Milwaukee beer scene (via Door County) offers this complex saison for warm weather imbibing. It’s dry hopped with Motueka, which adds some tropical fruit flavor, and conditioned with Brett for a hint of funk.
Beercation Dark Mexican Lager
➸ Collaboration between The Fermentorium and Vennture Brew Co.
The collaboration took Fermentorium’s Sombrilla Oscura Dark Lager and added Mexican coffee from Vennture. The result is a dark amber brew with a touch of coffee bite. It adds up to refreshing, and comes in at a reasonable 5.6% ABV.
Harry Cherry Hefeweizen
Weiss beers are tailor-made for summer. Add Door County cherries to one and you have a winner. The slightly tart finish adds an interesting twist to the standard hefeweizen.
Lemony Wicket Wheat
➸ Urban Harvest Brewing Company
If a shandy is your style of choice during the warmer months, try this wheat ale. It’s made with Meyer lemon zest, which gives it a pop of citrus flavor. And it’s only 5.1% ABV.
Motto Mosaic Pale Ale
Summer beer drinking isn’t relegated to lagers and wheat brews. This pale ale is just fine when the temperature heats up. It has a piney citrus hop flavor with a hint of bitterness and a clean, crisp finish.
Patagonian Hitchhiker Lager
You can’t really go wrong with lagers in the summer, and Patagonian Hitchhiker is a nice representation of the style. Crisp and clean and just 5% ABV make this a good choice while basking in the sun on Explorium’s sprawling patio.
Raspberry Crush Wheat
Component’s Rose’s Sour isn’t a bad call either, but the nod goes to this red-hued brew. Raspberry is a nice touch to an already refreshing wheat beer. Raspberry Crush weighs in at just 4.7% ABV so you can have a couple without getting groggy in the heat.
Summer Home Hoppy Blonde Ale
A light, dry-hopped blonde ale with a hint of bitterness and a low ABV of 4.8%, it comes in a can that’s ideal for cracking after a long day on the lawn or while tailgating on the hot asphalt of the Miller Park lots.
Summer Vice Hefeweizen
➸ Raised Grain Brewing Company
If you don’t care for the addition of cherries and are more traditional when it comes to your hefeweizens, try this option from Raised Grain. It has the clove and banana hints that you expect. And it comes in a can for added convenience.
High Life Lager
Beer snobs may scoff at the Champagne of Beers, but on a warm day, an ice cold High Life goes down quickly and smoothly. Does it have a complex flavor profile? No, but that’s OK. The golden brew is crisp, refreshing and unapologetic.
