Craft Beer You Need to Try this Summer

CraftBeer.com Quenches Summer Thirst with List of Craft Brewers’ Seasonals.

As summer quickly approaches, a few things come to mind – beaches, cookouts, baseball games and enjoying the great outdoors with family and friends. None of those are complete without craft beer. That’s why CraftBeer.com – the Brewers Association (BA) website for beer lovers – has released its list of summer seasonals produced by small and independent craft brewers throughout the country.

Summer seasonals are typically the second largest seasonal (behind fall), and seasonals are the second largest style category behind all India Pale Ale (IPA) styles combined. Last year, during the 13 weeks leading up to September 6, summer seasonals accounted for 14% of volume in scan data from off-premise sales (source: IRI Group).

“Small and independent craft brewers continue to lead when it comes to releasing some truly rewarding summer seasonals. These beers are as versatile to pair with good times outside as with what’s on the summer menu at your local restaurant and at home.
– Julia Herz, publisher of CraftBeer.com

Most of the summer seasonals featured in this list are lighter in body and aim to be refreshing and more sessionable. Additionally, there is frequent use of fruit, especially citrus, in many of these selections. Not only is summer the peak season for a lot of fruits, the lighter beer styles associated with summer lend themselves nicely to highlighting fruit flavors, rather than overpowering their subtlety.

Craft Beer You Need to Try this Summer

A selection of summer seasonals includes:

• Brenner Brewing Co. | Butterfly Farts | citrus ale | Milwaukee, WI
• Arcadia Brewing Co. | Cheap Date | session ale | Kalamazoo, MI
• Perrin Brewing Co. | Grapefruit IPA | Comstock Park, MI
• Public House Brewing Co. | Thorn & Heat Strawberry Wheat Ale | St. James, MO
• Burnt City Brewing | Retrofit Lime Radler | Chicago, IL
• Fiction Beer Co. | Do Not Touch the Flamingos | apricot saison | Denver, CO
• Meadowlark Brewing | Teddy Roosevelt American Badass | oak-aged imperial wheat IPA | Sidney, MT
• Kannah Creek Brewing Co. | Apricot Sour | Grand Junction, CO
• Squatters Craft Beers | Bumper Crop Honey Lavender Ale | Salt Lake City, UT
• Carver Brewing Co. | Garden Brau Hefeweizen | Durango, CO
• Dogfish Head | Festina Peche | neo-Berliner Weisse | Milton, DE
• Cricket Hill Brewing Co. | Jersey Summer Breakfast Ale | Belgian blond session | Fairfield, NJ
• Spellbound Brewing | Peach IPA | Mount Holly, NJ
• Coronado Brewing Co. | Berry the Hatchet | ale brewed with berries | Coronado, CA
• High Water Brewing | Cucumber Kolsch | Pittsburg, CA
• Tin Roof Brewing Co. | Not Too Sweet Watermelon Wheat | Baton Rouge, LA
• SweetWater Brewing Co. | Goin’ Coastal IPA with Pineapple | Atlanta, GA
• Avondale Brewing Co. | Strawberry Kolsch | Birmingham, AL

Read CraftBeer.com’s 2016 Summer Seasonals for the leading list of seasonal selections and descriptions. To round out the experience consider seeking out seasonal craft beers at your local neighborhood brewery and taking a tour.