No music but lots of beer

Nothing says “summer is here” like hot, sticky, 95 degree days in Chicago. Am I right or am I right? And nothing cools down your sweaty palms like a nice cold beer.

So yesterday I was drinking a 22 oz. bottle of Hop Juice (a powerful double IPA with an AVB of 9.9% and and IBU of 100.1 that is a hophead’s dream come true) from Two Brothers Brewing and thought that a repost was in order. I’ve revised the list a little, but presented below are my top five summer beers.

5. Straub Beer
Straub comes from beautiful St. Marys in the hills of west-central Pennsylvania. They don’t use any added sugars, salts, or preservatives. This is pure beer. Straub Beer is another American lager that is light in color and taste but oh so tasty. Whenever we go back to visit my wife’s family, we always bring a few cases of Straub back with us. Definitely a much better alternative to another PA brew, Yuengling. Straub just tastes like vacation to me.

4. Alpha King Pale Ale
This beer is a hop-lover’s dream come true and is one of my brother’s faves as well. This is a pale ale with a citrus aroma but is dominated by the hops flavors. Three Floyd’s brews a ton of great beers from their home in Munster, IN. I suggest sipping on an Alpha King while relaxing on your porch or deck and soaking up the sun.

3. Old Style
The best place for an Old Style is the ballpark. More specifically, the best place is Wrigley Field. Whether you prefer the bleacher seats or something more refined, a nice cold Old Style is perfect to wash down a few hot dogs or a bag of peanuts. This classic American lager goes down smooth and easy. This is evident by the vast number of people that stagger out of Wrigley after every Cubs home game. It might be that a copious amount of Old Style is the only way we Cubs fans can cope with the mess that this franchise is, oh yeah, it also goes down like water on hot day.

2. Fat Tire Amber Ale
Fat Tire is brewed by New Belgium Brewery in lovely Ft. Collins, CO. They are known almost as much for their innovative and eco-friendly brewing practices as they are for their beer. Fat Tire (as are the others) is spectacular year-round, but the nice hops/malt balance is perfect for hot summer days. It is way to easy to knock back a few of these after a day of hiking, biking, or doing nothing. And now that Fat Tire is finally available seemingly everywhere in Chicagoland, I am a very happy guy.

1. Bell’s Oberon
Ahhh…this is the true taste of summer. Oberon is only available from April until September, so get it while the getting is good. It is an American wheat ale that is a bit spicy with a fruity aroma that is perfect for hot summer days. Located in downtown Kalamazoo, MI, the Kalamzoo Brewing Company brews a number of my favorite beers, Oberon included. If you are ever in the neighborhood you should definitely stop by and visit their awesome beer garden. We have made a few trips to Kalamazoo just to stop at Bell’s, with another one planned for September. I almost bought a 5 liter mini-keg of Oberon yesterday. What was I thinking?

All that beer talk is making me thirsty. I could have named a bunch more, but this list will do just fine. Let me know what you like and remember to drink your local micro brews.