The Best New Summer Microbrews To Sip All Season Long
Add these standout suds to your beer fridge this summer.
Make way in your beer fridge: For as pleasing as it can be to return to a reliable, often mass-produced beer (best served ice-cold in a crushable can), there’s a world beneath the surface when it comes to the best summer beers, a world of sudsy hops packed with flavor and distinction. Let’s be clear: There’s still a fine line between innovation in the world of craft beer and taking that innovation a bit too far, but as with finding the right fit for your polo shirt or discovering the best summer colognes, balance goes a long way. New releases and revamped editions of time-honored favorites all deserve space in your beer fridge, near your grilling set-up and in your cooler as you trek to the beach this summer: Start with these favorites to welcome the dog days of summer.
Threes Brewing Shapeless Days
The lager your dad drank decades ago, this is not. Innovative Brooklyn outfit Threes Brewing has managed to update the summer lager in pleasing, ultra-flavorful fashion, touching on light golden honey notes backed by classic German Pilsner Malt. The result is made to savor, yet still endlessly crushable. $17/4-pack
Wrexham Lager
Wrexham Lager dates back to the 1880s, but the name might seem especially familiar these days, as the city’s soccer club roars back to prominence. It doesn’t hurt that Wrexham Lager is now available Stateside following the brewery’s decade-plus revamp under new ownership that includes actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney. This 16oz. summer sipper boasts delicate and refreshing hop character and plenty of crisp flavor: Ideal for watching any number of sporting pursuits this summer. $9.99/4-pack
Wicked Weed Brewing Twist Belgian White Ale 2025
As Asheville makes its way down the long road to recovery after last fall’s devastating hurricane fallout, breweries are among the region’s businesses standing tall — Wicked Weed just so happens to be brewing truly excellent beer as part of that process. There’s a sense of zest and freshness, with tasting notes of pepper and orange to this lovely beer, made all the better when sipped on a hot summer’s day. $12.49/6-pack
Sierra Nevada Premium Pils
Craft beer innovators Sierra Nevada have consistently paved the way with groundbreaking beer, a lineage that continues apace with its newly released Premium Pils. Like its iconic Pale Ale, this beer is packed with remarkable flavor while sticking closely to timeless brewing tradition. Consider it another winner for a brewery that’s stacked up the accolades over the years. Available now in select markets
Schafly Summer Lager 2025
Schafly’s Midwest heritage shines through in an array of classic-style beers, the kind that act as perfect refreshment after a hot day in the yard or the garage. Brewed in the Helles style with a touch of spice from German Noble hops, the famed St. Louis brewery says this crisp sipper is “wholly representative of what summertime should taste like,” and we’re inclined to agree (and raise a toast). $11.99/6-pack
Brooklyn Brewery Summer Ale 2025
Brooklyn Brewery might have been put on the map by its approachable Brooklyn Lager, but don’t sleep on the “sunny pale ale” designation of its Summer Ale, which seems to get better with each seasonal brewing. Plenty of citrus and floral notes, plus delicate spice, shine through in this seasonal favorite. $14.49/6-pack
Howdy Beer
Howdy Beer harkens back to ice-cold beers that are most at home “on the range,” as it were: Billed as an easy-drinking American lager, the sub-5 percent ABV makes for a supremely easy-drinking beer able to pair readily with summer favorites hot off the grill. You might be surprised how quickly a six-pack goes down. $6.99/6-pack
Dale’s Light Lager 2025
Dale’s Pale Ale is a household name under the Oskar Blues umbrella, and what began as a very humble outfit in the basement of a Lyons, Co. restaurant now includes a number of other styles, including this flavorful light lager. The beer remains fun, approachable and now comes delivered in special denim-patterned packaging for the summer months. $18.49/15-pack
Goose Island Big Mango Beer Hug
While summer is prime domain for easy-drinking American classics, it’s wise to keep an assortment of hopped-up beers close at hand for a dash of variety. Goose Island goes big-time on flavor with plenty of citrus notes in this bold imperial IPA. $14.49/6-pack
10 Barrel Camp Coldie
This low-ABV IPA, brewed in partnership between 10 Barrel and Scout Campers, manages to be lightly refreshing, easy to drink minus a massive buzz, and bursting with characteristically hoppy flavor. It’s the rare IPA one can enjoy on a hot summer’s day without overdoing it, because every beer fridge and cooler deserves variety. $11.99/6-pack
Allagash Surf House
Allagash, makers of the groundbreaking Allagash White decades ago, isn’t content to rest on its laurels: Rethink what you thought you knew about summer lagers, because this number boasts plenty of distinct character. Billed by the Maine brewery as “a lager crafted for easy-going relaxation,” the dry-hopping process gives it touches of tropical flavor. $16.99/6-pack