Cans have taken over craft beer. It’s nothing new or surprising (and we’ve written about it a bunch before). If you have visited a brewery lately or stepped into a local distributor, you have seen shelves that once held only bottles now being taken over by the CAN.
Why are cans so awesome?
For summer, cans hold a lot over your traditional bottle:
- Cans don’t break when you drop them by the pool. No cut feet, just hurt feelings for spilling your beer.
- It keeps out the evil sun! Sunlight hitting beer in a bottle is the fastest way to ruin the flavor.
- FRESHNESS! Summer is about drinking light and refreshing beers, and the can helps seal in the freshest taste.
SESSION IPAS
Freshness is extremely vital to a good session IPA. The combination of hop aroma, smooth flavor and bitterness can be the difference between hop-flavored water and a robust IPA with a low ABV.
Iron Hill Crusher – 5% ABV
The first crack of the pounder can releases a punch of hop aroma. The taste that follows is a perfect balance of bready malt and refreshing hop bitterness. This is definitely a beer that could be drunk all day everyday with no worries of filling up or over doing it.
Flying Dog Easy IPA – 4.7% ABV
Easy IPA is no stranger to the craft beer market, but having it in cans is a #GAMECHANGER. Citrus and fruit hop flavors are followed by a crisp and satisfying bitterness. The dry finish makes your palate ready for more and more and more and…….you get the idea.
Ballast Point Mango Even Keel – 3.8% ABV
The one Sara’s packing (along with Numero Uno, below) to take to the beach. This super low-ABV session IPA is super drinkable and our nod to Tierney, who’s calling this the “Summer of Fruit Beers.” This one’s a win — but may be hard to find. We have word that Westy’s should be receiving a new shipment this week. Save a case for Sara!
LAGERS
Lagers are no strangers to cans or summer. The first beer for a lot of people might have been a light lager from a can at the beach. But now those light fizzy suds have evovled to encompass more flavor and balance than ever before.
Numero Uno Agave Cerveza- 4.9% ABV
If there is a more perfect beach beer, I haven’t found one. The lime zest and agave flavors will make you rethink your idea of a traditional Mexican lager.
BONUS: Pair with a shot of tequila to give the agave an extra punch. Our choice was JT’s Tequila, Sauza 901, while listening to the ultimate summer jam, “Can’t Stop This Feeling.”
»» Check out Tierney’s Top Summer Playlists and the beers to go with them
Summit Keller Pils – 5.1% ABV
The most crushable beer out of the bunch. A perfectly balanced pilsner with just the right amount of hop bitterness to accompany a refreshing malt flavor. Reach for this beer after mowing the lawn or wasting the summer night away on the porch.
Tröegs Sunshine Pils – 4.5% ABV
The local fave. You know it. You love it. A beer that should be in your fridge, cooler and hand through out the summer.
TIP: Rub a lime around the rim and drop it into the glass to make Sunshine just that more refreshing.
BONUS
Iron Hill Mahalo Apollo- 6.9% ABV
The lemongrass, amarillo hops, honey and Grains of Paradise all add up to one extremely refreshing beer that packs a punch. European and American influences make this beer extremely unique with notes of coriander, fresh flowers and pepper.
Sadly not every beer is not available in a can, so that is why many local breweries have turned to employing crawlers to deliver the freshest beer possible.
Local breweries with crowlers:
- Tröegs Independent Brewing
- Al’s of Hampden/Pizza Boy
- Brewery at Hershey
- ZeroDay Brewing
- Snitz Creek Brewing Company in Palmyra
Whether sitting around the pool, digging your toes in the sand or just relaxing around the house on a hot day you can’t go wrong with any of these beers this summer. Cheers and enjoy!
