Not that we’re saying that you should drink beer every day, but there’s a big difference between an everyday beer and a beer that you mostly feel comfortable sipping in specific weather conditions or certain times of the year. We’re talking about the “everyday sipper” — the beer that you immediately see when you open the fridge and don’t even look around for something else.
For many drinkers, this is a crisp, refreshing, easy-going lager. You know, the kind of beer that pairs with anything.
Luckily, even in this age of barrel-aged stouts, milkshake IPAs, and fruited sours, there are countless crushable, light, full-flavored lagers that can easily be sipped after a long day of work, paired with your favorite foods, or brought to share at a fall tailgate. Many of these gems aren’t given the respect they deserve, either — as the aforementioned styles get most of the love. That’s why we thought it was a great time to not only list eight of our favorite everyday drinking lagers but eight underrated everyday drinking lagers. Naturally, we ranked them because… why the hell not?
8) Jack’s Abby House Lager
ABV: 5.2%
Average Price: $10.99 for a six-pack
The Beer:
This 5.2% ABV beer doesn’t try to hide what it is. It’s a simple clean Helles-style lager that was crafted to taste like the traditional lagers found in Germany. It does this with traditional German malts and hops. It’s crisp, light, and malty.
Tasting Notes:
On the nose, you’ll find some sweet malt, cereal grains, and lightly grassy hops. Overall, the nose is fairly faint and muted. The palate follows suits with more cereal-like grains, slight citrus, and floral hops. It’s a crushable beer, it’s just that it’s fairly unexciting overall.
Bottom Line:
Jack’s Abby House Beer is the kind of lager that is exactly like it seems. It’s light, malty, and crushable. There isn’t too much substance beyond that.
7) SKA Mexican Logger
ABV: 5.2%
Average Price: $10 for a six-pack
The Beer:
This 5.2% ABV lager was made to pay homage to the classic, crisp, easy-drinking lagers of Mexico. That’s why this Saaz-hopped refresher is named Mexican Logger. This Mexican-style lager shines when paired with late-season grilling.
Tasting Notes:
A nose of lemongrass and light cereal grains greets you before your first sip. The palate is loaded with bready malts, corn grains, more lemon, and some floral, earthy hops. The finish is slightly bitter. This is the epitome of no frills. It’s simple and clean, but nothing to rave about.
Bottom Line:
If you’re looking for a light, slightly citrusy crusher, grab a SKA Mexican Logger. If you’re looking for anything more than that, keep on moving.
6) Narragansett Lager
ABV: 5%
Average Price: $7.99 for a six-pack of 16-ounce cans
The Beer:
A truly classic, refreshing beer, Narragansett Lager is well-known for being the beer that was “crushed by Quint” in the first ever summer blockbuster ‘Jaws’. But it’s more than simply a movie novelty, it’s a flavorful, well-balanced beer that’s been brewed since 1890.
Tasting Notes:
Classic aromas of cereal grains, sweet corn, honey, and citrus peel greet your nose before your first sip. While the nose is pleasing and welcoming, the palate is a little more muted. There are cereal grains, light malts, and citrus, but it’s mostly a crisp, slightly watery, easy-to-drink beer. It’s not bad and it’s not outstanding either.
Bottom Line:
Narragansett Lager has been around for a long time for a reason. It’s the kind of beer that’s always there. It’s crisp and easy to drink, but the definition of no-frills.
5) Lone Tree Mexican Lager
ABV: 5.3%
Average Price: $10.99 for a six-pack
The Beer:
One of the first canned Mexican-style lagers brewed in Colorado, Lone Tree Mexican Lager gets its flavor from the addition of simple malts, hops, water, and flaked corn. This light, refreshing, easy-drinking lager is the kind of beer you search for after a long day.
Tasting Notes:
Sweet grains, lemon zest, straw, and lightly floral hops are found on the nose. The palate is centered around bready, sweet malts, cereal grains, corn, and spicy hops at the finish. There’s nothing really negative that can be said about this beer besides the fact that its sweetness-to-bitterness ratio is a little off.
Bottom Line:
It’s hard to find a lot of fault with this lager. It ticks all of the easy-drinking lager boxes. Except for one thing. It’s a crushable beer, but a little too sweet for my palate.
4) Modelo Especial
ABV: 4.4%
Average Price: $8.50 for a six-pack
The Beer:
We’ve already seen a few Mexican-style lagers on this list of refreshing, everyday beers, so why not an actual Mexican lager? While Corona seems to get all the press when it comes to Mexican lagers, we think the best, most-balanced Mexican beer is actually Modelo Especial.
Tasting Notes:
Prior to sipping, you’ll be met with aromas of grassy hops, cereal grains, honey, and bready malts. The palate is filled with notes of fresh corn, bready malts, more honey, citrus zest, and floral, grassy hops at the very end to tie everything together nicely. Overall, it’s a crisp, well-balanced lager.
Bottom Line:
Next time you’re craving an authentic Mexican beer, don’t settle for a beer that you need to add a lime to enjoy, grab a sixer of the crisp, refreshing Modelo Especial instead.
3) Trumer Pils
ABV: 4.9%
Average Price: $10.50 for a six-pack
The Beer:
Part of the appeal of Trumer Pils is the fact that it’s as authentic as crisp, easy-drinking pilsners get. Using the standards set forth by the Austrian Purity Law, it’s made with simple ingredients like water, malts, hops, and yeast.
Tasting Notes:
A nose of honey, cereal grains, sweet corn, freshly cut grass, and slightly spicy, floral hops greets you before your first sip. The palate is highlighted by bready malts, honey, cereal grains, light citrus, and more grassy, earthy hops. The crisp, dry finish is what completes this iconic beer.
Bottom Line:
This is a well-balanced, crisp, sublimely dry beer that’s well-suited for warm weather drinking, but does the trick pretty much all year long.
2) East Brother Bo Pils
ABV: 5%
Average Price: $10.99 for a four-pack of 16-ounce cans
The Beer:
If you’ve never heard of Richmond, California’s East Brother, you’re really missing out on some great beer. One of its best is its Bo Pils. A 5% ABV Bohemian-style pilsner, it’s known for its mix of Noble hops and sweet, cereal grain flavor.
Tasting Notes:
Complex aromas of pale malts, bready malts, wet grass, honey, and floral, earthy hops are prevalent on this beer’s nose. Sipping it reveals notes of lemongrass, cereal grains, honey, and floral hops. The finish is a mix of spicy hops and sweet malts. It’s the kind of pilsner you’ll want to drink all day.
Bottom Line:
When it comes to American craft takes on traditional pilsners, it’s tough to beat the complexity and overall flavor of this Bohemian-style pilsner.
1) Zero Gravity Green State
ABV: 4.9%
Average Price: $10 for a six-pack
The Beer:
This classic, crisp pilsner is brewed with German Pilsner malts, Hallertau Mittelfruh and Saaz hops as well as House Lager yeast. It’s known for its clean, refreshing, complex flavor profile.
Tasting Notes:
Lemon zest, fresh grass, bready malts, floral, herbal hops, and just a hint of spice make for a very appealing nose. The palate is a combination of sweet grains, bready malts, cereal grains, and slightly bitter, floral, spicy hops. It’s a very well-rounded, complex, highly drinkable lager.
Bottom Line:
We suggest that if you find some Zero Gravity Green State Lager on your local beer store’s shelves, buy it. It’s complex, balanced, and simply an exceptional, easy-drinking lager.
