January 19, 2025

You can only buy summer beer right now.

It’s easy to imagine. It’s Friday night, and it’s hot. It’s Friday evening, and you are just finishing a hard week of work. You want to relax on your back porch and sip a cold beer while enjoying the sunset. You might roll a cooler down the sandy beach on a Saturday afternoon. A chair is set up, an umbrella is placed on the sand, and you enjoy a refreshing summer beer. It sounds perfect.

Your usual go-to beers will always work, but summer is the best time to try some of the original beers from craft beer breweries all over the country. This is especially true when there’s a beach day or backyard barbecue. These limited-time summer beers include fruity session ales and hoppy IPAs. Grab them before they disappear! This is the best place to find more beer recommendations.

Peak Conditions Double IPA – Stone Brewing

This double IPA is known for its West Coast hops, East Coast haze and fruity notes of passionfruit, orange and guava. Stone Brewing launched Peak Conditions in September after customers begged for a return to the summer.

Road Jam – Two Roads Brewing

Two Roads’ favorite pink raspberry ale with lemongrass is a great way to start summer, especially during the Road Jam Musical Festival in Stratford, Conn., in June. Road Jam has a refreshing and fruity taste that is perfect for sipping a beer at the beach or a music festival.

Southern Tier Brewing – Nice Slice

The Nice Slice is a watermelon-session ale made with wheat and subtle caramel malt. It is light and crisp, perfect for a day at the pool.

Apollo – Six Point Brewing

Apollo, named after the Olympian sun god with the golden bow, is a thick beer that “feels like nectar and ambrosia from up high”. This summer, wheat beer is available only between April and September. It has clove and banana notes.

Uberon – Bell’s Brewery

Bell’s Brewery has created Uberon, an American Wheat Ale aged in bourbon barrels. This stronger summer ale is distinctive among the many lighter, more fruity and crisper ales available in the summer months. It has notes of whiskey, spicy toffee and other flavors.

Summer Ale – Brooklyn Brewery

Brooklyn’s iconic Sunny Pale Ale is the stuff you dream of in summer. This pale ale is floral and light, with a low ABV, making it a great choice for hot days. Between March and August, the Summer Ale can be purchased.

Montauk Brewing Watermelon Session Ale

Montauk’s Watermelon Sessions Ale makes watermelon the preferred summer beer. You can also get this beer along with Montauk’s classic Summer Ale between March and August.

Pink Flamingos – Sloop Brewing

Sloop Beer is the home of the Juice Bomb IPA. Their limited series Pink Flamingos recently released a mildly hoppier summertime beer. This new beer will be available on rotation, so make sure you try it before it’s gone. Sloop Brewing can only be found in 19 states.

Harpoon Brewery – Camp Wannamango

This drink takes you back to summer camp with its tropical aromas of pineapple, mango, and pine. A case of Camp Wannamango is brewed with mango puree and adds an interesting twist to the usual beer selection for your next backyard barbecue–or bonfire!