The 10 Best Summer Seasonal Beers of 2011

Warm weather changes drinking habits. Step into a bar in the dead of winter and you're ordering heavy stouts, hot toddies, and liquor that warms the insides. But in 90 degree weather you don't want something with the flavor and consistency of heavy cream. If the bartender passed you a breakfast stout after you asked for something clean and refreshing, you'd want to hit him.

What you want out of a summer beer is clean, dry, and refreshing. You want something lip-smacking and crisp. Because of this, summer seasonals tend to have lower ABVs and incorporate lots of citrus flavors.

These days, most breweries put out a summer beer, making it tough for the consumer to pick a classic every time. In putting this list together, we spoke to the accomplished drinkers at Bierkraft (191 Fifth Avenue) in Brooklyn. Shout out to Carl for packing a basket full of every summer seasonal they stocked. After drinking them all, this what we came up with: the 10 Best Summer Seasonal Beers of 2011.