Sometimes, you just want a beer to crush. This is especially true during the hazy, sunny summer months. You seek out a beer to crack open that goes down easy and is thirst quenching. Anything more is a bonus.
Bryan Donaldson, brewing innovation manager at Lagunitas Brewing Company in Petaluma, California prefers to head to classic European flavors when the heat hits.
“I am going to go generic on this and say Berliner weisse,” he says. “The smoothness of the wheat and the tart flavor of the fermentation make it eminently drinkable. The fact that fruit syrups are often mixed into beers of this style makes it perfect for any palate.”
While you can take Donaldson’s advice and start furiously searching for Berliner weisses, there are other styles that fit this criterion as well. We’re talking lagers, IPAs, Goses, pale ales, and more. To find them, we turned to the professionals for a little bit of help. We asked a few of our favorite brewers and craft beer experts to tell us the best, most crushable brews for summer 2023.
Surly Lemonade Ale
Dashawn Agbonze, head brewer at Mastry’s Brewing Co. in St. Pete Beach, Florida
ABV: 5.5%
Average Price: Limited Availability
The Beer:
I recently had the opportunity to try Surly’s Lemonade Ale on a recent trip. Just like the name implies, it is a dead ringer for lemonade. It’s the kind of beer you want on hand when you want a crushable, citrus-filled summer experience on a hot day.
Tasting Notes:
The light and bright lemon flavor really shines with the accompanying acidity for a lightly sweet malt canvas. What could be more iconic than summer heat and lemonade?
Green Bench Sunshine City
Latiesha Cook, CEO, co-founder, and president of Beer Kulture in Saint Petersburg, Florida
ABV: 6.8%
Average Price: $11 for a six-pack
The Beer:
The most crushable, thirst-quenching summer beer is Sunshine City by Green Bench Brewing. Argue with someone who cares because this beer will be my forever summertime vibe crushable beer of all time. I live in Florida and this beer is the vibe of vibes for me.
Tasting Notes:
It’s tropical with fruity nectar and very bright to enjoy on a hot Florida day. Thirst quenching for sure.
21st Amendment Hell or High Watermelon
Kevin Mcgee, president of Anderson Valley Brewing Co. in Boonville, California
ABV: 4.9%
Average Price: $12 for a six-pack
The Beer:
21st Amendment Hell or High Watermelon. This is a classic Summertime beer from a classy and classic brewery, 21st Amendment. A wheat beer with a subtle watermelon flavor. What’s not to love in a summery beer?
Tasting Notes:
Light, refreshing, and super crushable. Perfect at a pool, boat or grill it also travels really well and is an epic trail beer. You can’t go wrong with this pick.
Creature Comforts Tritonia
James Bruner, certified Cicerone and brewing supervisor at Irwindale Brew Yard in Irwindale, California
ABV: 4.5%
Average Price: $14 for a six-pack
The Beer:
Creature Comforts Tritonia is a cucumber lime Gose that hits all the right marks for a summer crusher. Gose is a German wheat beer that is lightly sour and slightly salty by style, allowing it to be refreshing and even rehydrating if under 5% ABV.
Tasting Notes:
This one from Creature Comforts hits the mark at 4.5% ABV, with the cool freshness of cucumber and crisp acidity from lime, balanced by fruity notes of coriander and refreshing salinity that dries your palate, leaving you wanting to drink more. It’s the perfect beer for warm, sunny summer days at the beach, lake, river, or backyard.
Montucky Cold Snacks
Neil Willcoxson, head brewer at 8 Bit Brewing Company in Murrieta, California
ABV: 4.1%
Average Price: $8 for a six-pack
The Beer:
Montucky Cold Snacks, is a perfectly balanced, light, and refreshing beer that also has really fun and cool branding. It’s perfect for the season because it’s crushable, refreshing, and not too strong.
Tasting Notes:
Flavors of sweet corn, bready malts, citrus peels, and honey make for a wildly crushable, thirst-quencher of a summer beer.
Miller High Life
Justin Radel, brewing and cellar manager at The Bruery in Placentia, California
ABV: 4.6%
Average Price: $6 for a six-pack
The Beer:
Miller High Life. It’s light, crisp, and clean, making this beer one of the most crushable beers on the market. Plus, it looks pretty great in the classic, clear bottle.
Tasting Notes:
The lightly sweet bready flavor is complimented with a low bitterness making this beer perfect for summer.
Westmalle Extra
Jan Chodkowski, head brewer and co-owner at Our Mutual Friend Brewing Company in Denver
ABV: 4.8%
Average Price: $18 for a four-pack
The Beer:
I’ve been crushing Westmalle Extra this summer. It’s a little 4.8% Trappist Blonde/Patersbier that is just so incredibly refreshing on a hot day.
Tasting Notes:
Light, fruity hop and yeast aromas make it interesting while still being straightforward to quench your thirst.
Dogfish Head SeaQuench
George Hummel, grain master of My Local Brew Works in Philadelphia
ABV: 4.9%
Average Price: $12 for a six-pack
The Beer:
Dogfish Head SeaQuench Ale. When I first heard about this beer, I read the grocery list of ingredients and the collision of styles and was on the fence. Then I was at their brewpub for a brewing session on a 100-degree-plus day. When finished, I headed directly to the beach.
“Let me give you a couple ‘road sodas,’” offered Dogfish Head’s Bryan Selders. He slipped me a couple of ice-cold 20 oz cans of this gem. One sip on the steamy hot beach and I became a believer.
Tasting Notes:
It’s clean, crisp, tart with a touch of salt that just invites the next sip. It’s a surprisingly complex, thirst quencher of a beer.
Boulevard Ginger Lemon Radler
Fred Rizzo, lead brewer at Call to Arms Brewing in Denver
ABV: 4.1%
Average Price: $11 for a six-pack
The Beer:
I would have to say a Lemon Radler. I would love to make one at Call To Arms, but we haven’t yet so it fits the category. In my Avery days, we made a Lemon Radler every summer and it was hard to pull me away to another tap. They are generally low ABV so you can crush twelve of them. A good choice is Boulevard Lemon Ginger Radler. Spice and citrus. What’s not to love?
Tasting Notes:
When balanced with the base beer to create a beer-forward lemon drink they’re hard to beat. The refreshing tartness of the lemon with the general summer flavor/aroma of lemonade and a light lager is too good to pass up for me. The addition of subtle ginger adds a little spice.
Pipeworks Pineapple Guppy
Garth, certified Cicerone and owner of Garth’s Brew Bar in Madison, Wisconsin
ABV: 4.6%
Average Price: $11 for a four-pack of 16-ounce cans
The Beer:
Pineapple Guppy from Pipeworks is my go-to for thirst-quenching summery beer. It’s practically a low-strength delicious cocktail. What could be better on a hot summer day?
Tasting Notes:
The slight juicy hop flavor of the pale ale merges perfectly with the pineapple flavoring. Hops and ripe pineapple. That’s practically summer in a glass.
