100 degrees in the shade! Good gracious, I can hardly peel myself off the couch anymore. Everywhere I go, all people can talk about is the weather. At the bakery this morning the nice lady behind the counter reminded me to drink plenty of fluids.
Times like this call for lots of cold beer. In some circles I am known as a "beer snob," especially since graduating college 10 years ago and (thankfully) losing my taste for such delicacies as Milwaulkee's Best (a.k.a. The Beast). I just think of myself as picky. But I sure do love a cold beer. Or a warm beer, if it's October and we're talking oatmeal stout. But it is definitely NOT October, and we are talking cold, refreshing brewskies. So in this vein I would like to present to you my Top Ten list of delicious summer beers. What are yours?
Ten Best Summer Beers
- Wolaver's organic Wit Bier (I know I used the IPA in the picture; it's awfully good, too). I went to an organic beer tasting two summers ago, and the Wit Bier was the hands-down crowd favorite.
- Hoegaarden - always in a glass, with a slice of lemon.
- Negro Modelo - I prefer it with a wedge of lime shoved into the bottle.
- Franziskaner Hefe Weizen - again, in a glass with a slice of lemon. Franziskaner is made by Spaten, and is a well-priced German Hefe Weizen that puts all the domestic microbrew versions to shame.
- Sierra Nevada Pale Ale. Is that incredibly boring? I know you all know this one, but on a hot summer day it's hard to beat a Sierra Nevada.
- Stoudts Pils. I'm not usually a big drinker of pilsner, but this is one is a treat - small-batch, Old-World style lager from Pennsylvania. This beer is no slouch in a bottle, but if you can find it on tap, you'll thank me.
- North Coast Scrimshaw Pilsner. Did I say I don't like pilsners? If they're dry and full-bodied but with a light finish, okay I love them. I love this one.
- Victory Hop Devil. If you really like hoppy, bitter pale ales (as I do), and maybe you could go for something even hoppier than your standard very hoppy IPA, this is your beer.
- Red Stripe lager. This is my light & easy beer of choice for cookouts in 90 degree heat.
- Tupper's Hop Pocket ale. Made by Dominion, I haven't seen much of this beer since moving away from Virginia, but this hoppy ale was always one of my favorites. I love it in a frosted mug when the little ice floes scoot across the surface as you drink... aaaah!
I hate the way that beer makes me feel all gross in the tummie. So my favorite summertime drink is
ReplyDeleteCALIMOXO (or Calimocho)
If you go to Pamplona during the running of the bulls that is all they serve.
Red wine mixed with coke (diet coke for bratty ones like me), ice, and about a teaspoon of sugar (splenda).
Delish! and refreshing!
I don't have all that many favorites - and none quite as fancy. But the top faves are:
ReplyDeleteOriginal Sin Cider
Corona
Blue Moon
i use to like (in my restaurant daze) pete's summer brew. but find myself drinking more white wine in the summer. and, i've recently acquired a taste for those unfiltered wheat beers, with a nice wedge of something fruity.
ReplyDeleteI just had a Magic Hat #9 yesterday at the Raleigh Times - it was divine!
ReplyDeleteRaleigh Times has Magic Hat? YAY!
ReplyDeleteI loves a Negro Modelo, and also a Dos Equis, but please... a lime.
My favorite summer beers would include Otter Creek's Middleberry (NOT their summer beer this year cry cry) and Abita's Strawberry Lager. Also Avery's White Rascal Belgian white with an orange slice.
Despite the weather, I will never be able to refuse an Abita Turbodog, a Mackeson XXX Stout, or a Xingu Brazilian black.
My only beef with Hennepin is that it's so alky: I can't drink more than one, and then I start to drape myself unseemingly across the pool table. Bad news. [Wow I love to think about beer.]
I freakin' love Abita Turbodog. I've also been drinking a lot of He'Brew Messiah Bold at The Borough, since they stock it, and boy is it good. I guess I'm a dark beer kind of girl, usually, but I like the ones that aren't too sweet - Brooklyn Brown is good, but usually too sweet for me....same with the Uncle Nut from Edenton Brewing Co.
ReplyDeleteBut, I also like the hoppy pale ales a lot - just gotta be in a different mood for these, I guess. I like Dogfish Head, Carolina Pale Ale, Anchor Steam and Sierra Nevada. And I'm sure I'd like lots of other things that I haven't tried. :)
I didn't think I was a great fan of the lagers and pilsners, until I went to Europe, and found that the only place to drink that style of beer is the Czech Republic. Staropramen - so good! Outside of CZ, I probably shouldn't bother.
oooh
ReplyDeleteyour favorites
are my favorites.
that's why i heart you.
we can share
clothes and beer.
you are the perfect wife.