Since it’s summer time, I’ve been drinking quite a lot of beer — mainly crisp, clean and lighter styles, though not exclusively. So I thought I’d just document a few beers I’ve been enjoying, from the obviously-summery to the not-so, some from larger craft producers to more obscure imports.
- Des Rocs Blanche Double (Brasserie des Rocs, BELGIUM), 750ml, 6% ABV — The first beer on the summer list is the Blanche Double from Brasserie des Rocs. which is a lovely wheat ale with lots of character, even a little bit of malt. Unlike a number of American wheat beers, however, it’s fairly dry and crisp, not as “wet,” if you will, on the tongue. Old Town had 750s for the low, low price of $4.99, but they may be all gone. Also, just so ya know, Brasserie des Rocs brews in a turn-of-the-century style known as “Methode Traditionelle des Annes 1900,” so there’s a lot of completely harmless sediment in the bottle.
- Ovila Abbey Golden (Sierra Nevada Ovila, UNITED STATES) 750ml, N/A ABV — Sierra Nevada’s Ovila project makes a number of Belgian-inspired beers, and one of the best I’ve had is their new Golden, just released this July. Complex, with hints of pepper and apple, though definitely refreshing. Be careful opening this bad boy, though — it’s under major pressure, and I almost took a digit off while opening.
- West Sixth IPA (West Sixth, UNITED STATES) 12oz CANS, — I’m not a huge fan of hoppy beers in the summertime, but I’ve found the IPA from Lexington, Kentucky’s West Sixth to be seriously good drinking fun. Hoppy and bright, but not punchy or obnoxious, this is a good summer beer for hopheads who won’t touch anything lighter.
- Estrella Damm Inedit (Estrella, SPAIN) 750ml, N/A ABV — It’s pretentiously described as “the first beer specifically created to pair with food,” and it’s got some serious foodie (I hate that word) credentials since it was created with the help of Ferran Adrià, but skeptics shouldn’t hold that against Inedit, which is a decent lager-style beer. Certainly not as complex as its specs would have you believe, but still very tasty, though perhaps a little too light. Still, paired with more acidic Mediterranean flavors, this is a delicious beer.
- India-style Saison (Nogne O, NORWAY) 1 pt .9oz, 7.5 ABV — This IPA-style Saison had me completely bewildered, as at first that seemed like a strange, unpleasant combination. However, my taste buds were persuaded, and I think this would be perfect for drinking when grilling brats with caramelized onions and a good spicy mustard — don’t forget the cole slaw!
- Jaar & Dag Amber Saison (Brouwerij de Molen, NETHERLANDS ) Draft, 7.5% ABV — I tried this rather unusual Dutch “amber saison” at the Holy Grale last week, and was pleasantly surprised to enjoy it. Maltier and hoppier than regular saisons, but intriguingly sweet and tasty.
- Summer Ale (Brooklyn, UNITED STATES) 12oz CANS (also available in bottles), 5% ABV — Probably predictably, my go-to beer this summer has been Brooklyn’s Summer Ale, though I prefer it in CANS rather than bottles. A version of an English “light supper ale” (a style which, admittedly, I have next-to-no experience with), the Summer Ale is crisp and clean, but not cloying. There’s a fair amount of citrus here, but it’s not fruity enough to pass for something obnoxious (sorry, I but I dislike most fruity beers).
What are some of your favorite beers to drink during the summer? Let us know in the comments below.
I’ll have some new saisons within the next week, so when I taste them, I’ll do another update of this post.
Tasting Notes 