Beers for Summer?

[mrpologuy]

What are some good beers to drink on hot summer days and nights? I usually drink Red Stripe and Sam Adams cheery wheat and summer ale. What other beers are good for summer? I was thinking wheat style Blegian beers might be good for summer. Thanks for the help!!

 

[johnnymarrsbarres]

I really like Liefmans Kreik. Warning though, it doesn't taste like it's as strong as it is (6% ABV).

 

[Kent Wang]

I think Red Stripe is shite. It's like the Budweiser of Jamaica.

You are right about the wheat beers. Brasserie Caracole's Troublette is one of my favorites. Unibroue's La Fin du Monde is a light Belgian Strong Ale that I like a lot as well.

 

[chrysalid]

red stripe is ******* horrible, it's the jamaican carling. i love bavarian wheat beers - i think erdinger is the biggest selling, but one of the supermarkets over here stocks weihenstephaner kristall ( http://www.brauerei-weihenstephan.de...page=home_2_1& ) - it's currently my favourite tipple.

a different supermarket over here was stocking a bit of this - http://www.etalon-beer.com.ua/ger/etalon/product - a ukrainian beer repro beer of the bavarian heffeweissbier (simmila in theory to japanese 501 repro's i suppose) - i bought one bottle and it was v. v. nice.

i'd stay away from the stronger belgian beers for the summer, not quenchign enough for me when the sun is beating down. i used to work in a bar that sold leffe, antoon and hoegarden (leffe is 6.6%abv) draught, and we did kwak and duvel in bottles (7-8%abv) - i still get flashbacks to the mind splitting hangovers of those days.

if you're after a fuller flavoured, but less alcoholic lager then the daddy of them all has to be pilsner urquell from czech - http://www.pilsnerurquell.com/ - allegedly the first ever amber 'lager'. it is very hoppy so you can chill it right down to near freezing and still taste it, and if i remember correctly it is about 4.7%abv - a perfect summer beer.

 

[chrysalid]

Originally Posted by johnnymarrsbarres

I really like Liefmans Kreik. Warning though, it doesn't taste like it's as strong as it is (6% ABV).

i had a bottle of this last night, it's my fave of the belgian fruit beers, nicer imho than the more expensive belle vue's. i only drink the kreik though (my girlfriend bought me a couple of bottles with the kreik glass a few xmas's ago) as it is dry and refreshing, i find the framboise too sweet.

edit - i'm a bit of a beer nerd - i'm gonna start a what beer did you drink last night thread with a couple of photos - check it out if you're interested.

 

[shoreman1782]

Red Stripe (and Budweiser) is fine for slumming.

Heavy beers can be bad (pilsner urquell or stella artois have nice, crisp flavors and always seem to taste cold), but I love a good IPA in the summer. Just Sierra Nevada, Red Hook, or my favorite, Dogfish Head 60-minute IPA (the 90 and 120 are too strong).

 

[JBZ]

Harpoon IPA I find is very nice.

 

[romafan]

Lord Chesterfield Ale (ice cold)

 

[Spencer Young]

If you get the brewery's beer in your area, New Belgium Brewery has a nice summer seasonal out right now called Skinny Dip. It's quite crisp and refreshing. New Belgium is out of Fort Collins, CO, so if you're in the midwest you should be able to find it (they also make Fat Tire). http://www.newbelgium.com/beers_skinnydip.php

Blue Moon is always readily available and goes great on hot nights. Toss in a slice of orange and you're all set.

And for good measure, I'm fairly certain that Chimay Grand Reserve goes well regardless of time, place, occassion, or anything else.

And ditto on the Red Stripe, don't do that to yourself.

Cheers!

 

[Joffrey]

Just to shoot out a few unique beers Ive had so far this summer:

*Corona with Lime (i hear this was actually started to keep the flies away)
Magic Hat no.9
Saranac
Milwaukee's Best Light!

 

[pscolari]

Couple of other favorites this time of year:

Allagash White
Smuttynose IPA
Victory Golden Monkey -
Bear Republic - Racer 5

 

[shoreman1782]

Originally Posted by pscolari

Victory Golden Monkey -

That stuff'll kill ya.

 

[Englandmj7]

Not to be a fancy-lad fruity-boy, but I love Pyramid's Apricot Hefeweizen on a hot summer's day. Easy to find as well.

 

[skalogre]

For summer?

Start with a witbier like Witterkerke. VERY nice for a hot summer evening (95 farehneit last night here). Another excellent choice are Flemish red sour ales (the only one I have been able to find recently here is the Duchesse de Bourgogne but it is very good). And, of course,a plain old simple lager - I'll plug the home team here, KEO from my hometown Limassol

Oh and for Japanophiles here, Hitachino Nest white ale. Very close in character to a witbier but has its own character and excellent in its own right.

 

[pscolari]

Originally Posted by shoreman1782

That stuff'll kill ya.

It has.