Battle of the Beers – Summer Brews

As we come to the end of July, it may seem as though Summer is almost through. But here in South Texas, we are just starting to hit our stride of 100 + degree days. Summer sun means pools, beaches, rivers, barbecues and trying anything possible to beat the heat.

Given the time of year, I took it upon myself to collect (and drink) a number of breweries’ seasonal offerings, in the name of science. In this Battle of the Beers, I will be ranking these brews from worst to first. The beers are as follows:

• Saint Arnold Summer Pils
• Goose Island Summer Time Kolsch
• Josephsbrau Summer Brew
• Samuel Adams Summer Ale
• Deschutes Hop Slice Summer Ale
• Sierra Nevada Summerfest

So, without further ado, let’s start with number six.

6 – Samuel Adams Summer Ale

As someone who enjoys Samuel Adams Boston Lager, I had high hopes for this one. Unfortunately they were unable to make the citrus flavors work with the ale, leaving a bitter and confusing mess of flavors. I will concede that the texture is very refreshing, but compared to the others, this beer is not competitive. Read the full review here.

5 – Goose Island Summer Time Kolsch

This is, overall, a pretty good beer. It has a nice, light mouthfeel punctuated by a slight bitterness that holds its form into the aftertaste. The flavor profile is fairly typical of what could be expected from most summer offerings. I enjoyed drinking this beer, but felt the others performed better. It’s still worth trying. Full review coming soon.

4 – Sierra Nevada Summerfest

Surprisingly, this was the first time I had tried a Sierra Nevada brew. I noticed it was quite a bit thicker than many of the other brews offered. It has a bready taste profile and is noticeably quite sweet. This is a pretty good brew, especially if you’re looking for something to cut the summer heat. Read the full review here.

3 – Josephsbrau Summer Brew

Yet again, Trader Joe’s has surprised me with a superb beer offering. Having recently tried their Hefeweizen, I knew I had to try this one which was also highly rated on the Business Insider article spotlighting their offerings. It is a very well balanced and dangerously refreshing summer brew with a crisp flavor profile. Pick yourself up a bottle or two! Read the full review here.

2 – Saint Arnold Summer Pils

Trippy bottle design aside, it’s not hard to see that this beer was crafted with the Texan heat in mind. Easily described as a less bitter version of Saint Arnold’s 5 O’Clock Pils, this is one of the best pilsner beers I have ever tried. It has a non-threatening and clean flavor profile with next to no bitterness. It has a watery consistency, but has plenty of flavor. I really enjoyed this one and would highly recommend it. Full review coming soon.

1 – Deschutes Hop Slice Summer Ale

I loved this beer. One of the best things was its willingness to depart from a straw colored and light textured beer to fit the summer motif. Its darker color and heavier, smooth texture produce a fairly deep flavor profile boasting a pleasant mix of sweet and bitter. The crisp flavors hold in an aftertaste that soon drops the bitterness in favor of its sweetness. This is the first Deschutes beer I have tried, but it certainly will not be the last. Pick this one up while you can! Read the full review here.

So there you have it, my worst to first of the summer brews I have sampled this season. Have you tried them? Do you agree with my rankings? I look forward to discussing these with you!

Question of the Day

What is your favorite summer brew and why? Let me know!

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