The Best Beers for Summer 2011

There’s nothing better on a hot summer day than kicking back with an ice cold beer, so peruse this list of the best beers for summer 2011 if you’re interested in both quenching your thirst and challenging your palate.

Many breweries offer seasonal brews which are produced only once per year. With summer 2011 just around the corner, many companies are releasing their summer brews. A good summer beer is light and refreshing with hints of fruits mixed in. Here are just a few of the great summer beers you should check out.

Magic Hat

Magic Hat, a brewery in Burlington, Vermont, produces a brew called Wacko every summer. A Wacko is an English-style pale ale with a crisp finish and a heavy malted aroma. It has a distinctly sweet finish despite a less-than-subtle hop bite. At 4.5% alcohol by volume, it is one of the milder beers produced by Magic Hat.

Victory

Sunrise Weissbier is produced by Victory, a brewery in Downingtown, Pennsylvania. With its unfiltered taste and Bavarian influence, the Victory Sunrise Weissbier features a tangy fruity flavor with a crisp citrus finish. It is a refreshing beer for any hot summer day. Fun Fact; the Victory name and ‘V’ logo are derived from George Orwell’s famous novel, 1984.

Goose Island

Goose Island is a brewery located in Chicago, Illinois. Their Goose Island Summertime Ale is a kolsch-style beer that is modeled after beers from the Cologne region of Germany. True to traditional kolsch beers, the Goose Island Summertime has a clear yellow color and a prominent hops taste. The creamy texture provides a nice balance and hints of apricot and peach provide a refreshing finish.

Sierra Nevada

Sierra Nevada is a brewery in Chico, California. Their Sierra Nevada Summerfest is a mellow pilsner-style brew with a strong hops taste; hints of lemon and orange make this beer a refreshing summertime beverage. Its clean finish will leave you wanting more. Sierra Nevada was named the "Green Business of the Year for 2010" by the United States Environmental Protection Agency for their sustainability practices.

Brooklyn Brewery

Brooklyn Brewery is located Brooklyn, New York. Their Brooklyn Summer Ale is packed with flavor just like its namesake. Hints of sourdough bread and a bitter hops taste dominate the flavor. The Brooklyn Summer Ale features a clean orange and lemon grass finish that is sure to quench your thirst.

Geary’s

Geary’s is a brewery located in Portland, Maine. Their Geary’s Summer Ale is a kolsch-style beer that features a spicy nutmeg flavor. Hints of clove, banana ester and a grassy bitterness give this beer a complex flavor. A toasted grain finish makes this beer a perfect match for a backyard barbecue.

All of these beers are sure to hit the spot on a hot summer’s day. The light, refreshing characteristics of summertime brews make them perfect for picnics or barbecues. Try them all and see which one is right for you!