Top Ten Beers of Summer, Part One

It’s the middle of summer, and most of the 21 and up crowd (and the younger sort with fake IDs) are spending their free time outdoors with a beer in hand. So with that in mind, I’ve decided to compile my own Top Ten Beers of Summer.

10) Becks: This is simply a good beer. It’s also a way to drink a German beer without actually committing to the complicated, heavy taste of most German beers. Is it a cheat? Definitely. But thanks to the Green Box Project, it now has very pretty labels on its (regrettably) green bottles. You can take a pack of Becks to the beach and tell the world that not only are you classy enough to drink imported beer but also that you support the arts community—albeit through a middleman in the form of a massive international corporation.

• Bottom Line: The Becks website contains page after page of media and funky graphics, but not a single word about beer. . . which pretty much says all you need to know. Make a statement with this crisp, uncomplicated lager.

9) Old Style: Between Becks and Old Style, Becks is the better beer. But it is also more expensive to buy a 4 pack of Becks than a 6 pack of Old Style. So if you just want a beer to accompany your summer recreation, this is the one to choose. It’s as cheap as Miller Lite but doesn’t taste like beer-flavored water. Old Style is a kraeusened lager, which means it has been double fermented to bring out additional taste and add more carbonation. Didn’t know that? Neither did I until two minutes ago. But it does explain why Old Style is the preferred beer of fratboy burping contests. Plus, should an attractive member of the opposite sex approach you after the burp contest and lift a quizzical eyebrow at your cheap choice, you can just say, “I really appreciate the hidden intricacies of taste and aroma the krausening brings out. A lot of people miss out on the flavour palate because they only look at labels, but that’s not me. Plus, you know, I like to drink local. ” BAM. In one fell swoop, you’ve dropped a technical term (that’s also in a foreign language!), implied that you have midnight depths to your soul, and supported the local working man.

• Bottom Line: In terms of lager, Old Style is closer to the pilsner family (Miller, etc.) than its German buddy Becks. Occasionally you will run across a can which tastes like dirt, literally. But it’s cheap, and sometimes that’s all you need.

8) Corona: I don’t like this beer. I don’t like that is comes in a clear bottle, and I hate that you have to put fruit in it. Fruit belongs in cocktails, not my beer. It also has no taste. But my boyfriend and roommate twisted my arm until I put it on here. So, here it is: at number 8 we have the bestselling summer beer Corona. Why are you drinking Corona when you could be drinking Dos Equis? My guess is the price tag and Corona’s pervasive advertising. Ugh.

• Bottom Line: Is it hot? Are you in your twenties and poor? Then put your damn lime in a Corona, just like The Man wants you to. Just make sure you have a koozy because that clear bottle will warm up faster than you can say, “Why the hell is the beer I opened five minutes ago skunky?”

7) Grey Lady Ale: When I first saw Grey Lady Ale in my local liquor store, I was drawn to it by the clean lines of its green case. It looked so classy, sitting next to the abrasive graffiti-style advertising of Shock Top. Plus it’s from Nantucket, which is one of the funniest place names in the English language. So I gave it a try, despite the fact that the packaging didn’t say a thing about what the beer actually tastes like. That turned out to be a good thing. This beer tastes like tea—Earl Grey tea, to be precise. My first reaction was a disgusted wince, followed by profound regret that I spend over ten dollars on a six-pack of genuinely bad beer, and then finally by an odd feeling of liking. Sip by sip, this beer grew on me, much like the mold which will grow on the bottom of your half-finished cup of tea if you leave it out too long. Perhaps it was just the alcohol (4.5% apv, low enough to drink all day), but when I reached the end of the bottle I immediately went to find the boyfriend and made him to try one as well. His reaction was the same: disgust mellowing into acceptance.

• Bottom Line: If you are sitting on the porch with your buddies one evening, grab a six-pack of Grey Lady and compare your reactions. Try it with different kinds of foods. Are the tannic notes accentuated by biscuits? Does eating a slice of pineapple bring out the soft floral accents? It may not become your go-to beer, but it will make for good discussion.

6) Sierra Nevada Pale Ale: What a lurvely beer. I say “lurvely” rather than “lovely” because it better invokes the golden state I slip into after a Sierra Nevada. Perfectly balanced between maltiness and hoppiness, it has a nice amber color which looks especially good in the summer twilight. Most of the summer beers I have chosen are perfect for social gatherings, but not this one. There’s no reason why you couldn’t drink this beer in company. It actually goes quite well with Mexican food. But my ideal setting for drinking a Sierra Nevada Pale Ale is on my back porch in the early evening with a good book.

• Bottom Line: Take a sip of this pale ale and feel your worries slip away. Relax with a good book and enjoy the summer evening. The hot months aren’t just for partying. Sometimes you just have to take a moment out and appreciate the beauty around you. When you do, Sierra Nevada is a good beer to have at your side.

So that’s the first instalment of my Top Ten Summer Beers. What are your favorite beers of summer?

(I do not claim ownership of any images used. All beers mentioned are property of their respective owners. I am not employed by any brewery.)