Reaching into an ice-filled beer cooler never fails to evoke that peak summertime feeling. The drastic, almost startling temperature change when your hand touches the icy surface. The audible splooshing and sloshing of gradually melting ice as you root around for a brew. The beads of condensation still clinging to a can freshly plucked from submersion. These set the table for that first quenching sip, which can instantly provide a crisp, cold respite from the grotesque perils of scorching temperatures and sapping humidity.
Certain beer styles pull this trick off better than others — a rich, dark porter laden with chocolate and toffee notes doesn’t exactly scream summer refreshment. While it’s not unorthodox to stash a variety of brews inside an ice chest, it’s also not uncommon for a specific brand to dominate a beer lover’s summer lineup. With that in mind, we asked eight brewers what beer they plan on keeping submerged in their cooler throughout the summer. Here’s what they had to say.
The beers to keep stocked this summer, according to brewers:
- Other Half Brewing Snaps Lager
- Pickle beers
- Half Acre Beer Vallejo
- Kishwaukee Brewing Company Sandhill Lager
- Pabst Blue Ribbon
- Living Haus Beer Company Dolores Pilsner
- Lesser-Known Beer Co. Lomax
- Human Robot Hallertau Pils
- Cantina Cantina
- Rosé wine instead of beer
“My fridge beer this summer is Snaps from Other Half Brewing. Hot weather calls for light, crisp lagers, and Snaps strikes a great balance between drinkability and character. The Motueka and Saphir hops add subtle citrus and herbal notes with just enough bite to keep things interesting.” —Richie Tevlin, owner and brewmaster, Space Cadet Brewing Co., Philadelphia
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“This is going to be divisive but I’m all in on pickle beers this summer! I’m obsessed. I want pickles in everything, and beer is no exception. A crisp and briny pickle lager ticks all my boxes. And if it’s not for you then even better. That means my fridge will stay personally stocked.” —Sara Szymanski, owner, Threshold Brewing & Blending, Portland, Ore.
“An easy choice for me is Half Acre Beer Vallejo. A brilliant IPA that I first tried nearly 15 years ago, and very influential to my perspective on what beer can and should look like. It’s vibrant and drenched with hop character, with this compelling clarity and succinctness that makes it easy to keep rolling. I’m so glad they continue to make it after all these years.” —Jake Guidry, brand director, Hopewell Brewing Company, Chicago
“The beer I’m keeping stocked in my fridge as much as possible this summer is Kishwaukee Brewing Company’s Sandhill Lager. Anytime I visit my parents it’s the first sixer I grab. When I head back north, I’m always sure to grab a few more 6-packs to enjoy the next few weeks. Light and crushable, with just the right amount of hop flavor and aroma.” —Chris Schnepf, head brewer, Vault 202 Brewery and Taproom, Appleton, Wis.
“The beer that I want to have in my fridge is Pabst Blue Ribbon. For one thing, it’s super cheap. It also has a clean, crisp taste with a light body that makes it very easy to drink and refreshing, especially when it’s ice cold. It’s the perfect beer when you want to quench your thirst.” —Yoshi Mashuda, homebrewer and server, Cocktail Omakase, New York City
“I would pick Dolores from Living Haus Beer Company out of Portland, Ore. It has a simple but beautiful pilsner base, and it’s hopped with Hallertau Mittelfruh and Tettnang [hops]. It is super lively, vibrant and floral — exactly what you want in a summer beer.” —Josh Penney, head brewer, Threes Brewing, Brooklyn
“My fridge would always be stocked with, if I could get it, just about anything from Lesser-Known Beer Co., but especially its 3.5 percent German-inspired schankbier, Lomax. Ryan and Will have an incredible eye for detail and a deep respect for traditional brewing techniques, and it shows in every pour. Lomax is one of the most memorable low-ABV beers I’ve had, and it’s perfect for hot summer days. Lesser-Known doesn’t can its beer, so the only way to enjoy it is fresh from the tank at the brewery’s taproom in Winston-Salem, N.C. If we’re talking cans, though, it’s Hallertau Pils from Human Robot all day. It’s one of my all-time favorite summer beers, though I’d happily drink it any time of year.” —Zac Porter, director of marketing, Mast Landing Brewing Company, Westbrook, Maine
“I always like to keep any beer from Cantina Cantina stocked and ready to go.” —Yuki Shiono, CEO, Saltfields Brewing, Brooklyn
“Stocking beer that isn’t my own? In this economy?!? Hell, no. I’m stocking it with Dianthus Rosé from Tablas Creek.” —Kevin Davey, brewer and owner, Heater Allen Brewing, McMinnville, Ore.
