This past weekend I decided to wander around Dallas drinking all the summery local beers I could find. There were a lot of them, and I became very drunk, awaking the next morning in a haze of hoppy memories and the remnants of a Quesarito in my lap. I felt shame. Then I got over it and wrote this.
Here are what I think are the five best locally brewed summer beers. You'll find generally low alcohol, smoothness and drinkability across the board. Try them all, pick your favorite and then relish in your own summer beer until fall comes. Just drink responsibly. You could wake up next to a receipt from Taco Bell. Or worse.
Deep Ellum Brewing Co.'s Blonde Ale (pictured above) DEBC's beers often skew toward aggressive hops and other bold flavors. They openly admit that they brew the beer that they like to drink, other beer drinkers be damned. But their Dallas Blonde bucks that trend, with a surprisingly drinkable American Blonde Ale whose hops lean towards floral, with noticeable citrusy flavors. As a bonus you can get this one in cans, making it a good choice for your outdoor summer drinking events.
Peticolas' Golden Opportunity If you find me under a shady tree with a growler by my side, I'll guarantee it's filled with Peticolas' Golden Opportunity. I think it's the bubbles that make this beer such a pleasure to drink, with a light, crisp effervescence that's missing from the rest of the beers on this list. It's like drinking summertime in a glass, or a red Solo cup, or whatever vessel you choose for outdoor drinking.
Community Beer Company's Belgian Witbier Capped in a snowy white head that looks like fluffy meringue, this witbier has a lot of citrus flavor, and the hazy, yeasty look of an unfiltered beer. If you've been drinking Blue Moon all summer with an orange slice, stop it. Opt for a lemon instead, and switch to this local version that's brewed just miles from the bar where you'll order it.
Four Corners Brewery's Local Buzz Too often, honey in the description of a beer denotes heavy, sweet, almost syrupy brews, but Local Buzz by Four Corners is anything but. Local honey is used in the brewing process, yet crisp and bitter flavors dominate for a surprisingly refreshing beer.
Lakewood Brewing's Zomer Pilsner Lakewood's Pilsner is so summery it's called summer, just in Dutch. The beer pours with a snow-white and cottony head and a pale golden color. It's a real thirst quencher -- the kind of beer you can find yourself putting away more than a few at a time without noticing it. Crank up the AC and crack open a Zomer Pilsner the next time the heat starts to get to you. You might wish fall would stay off a little longer.
