The 10 Best Summer Seasonal Beers of 2011

A small Pennsylvania brewery, Troegs makes a number of quality beers. Their regular summer release is the Sunshine Pils, a mild, crisp brew in the style of a European pilsner. Crisp is an adjective that will show up a lot in these write-ups; in warm weather, dry crispness is instantly refreshing. The Sunshine Pils delivers on that promise. Its 5.3% ABV is about average for summer seasonals, where you don't want to taste much alcohol. You only want to be able to drink a number of the course of an afternoon/evening. With a lightly hopped finish, Sunshine Pils could easily become your go-to this summer.

The super concise and unaffected name of Harpoon's summer seasonal is perfect in that it conveys totally what you'll be drinking: summer beer. This is a no frills, Kolsch-style ale that Harpoon has been brewing since 1999. The color is a bright yellow and the head is resilient. The hops make the finish dry, meaning the tastes really pop on your tongue, a sensation made all the more stronger because of the heavy carbonation. It's clean, refreshing, and with a 5% ABV, you could drink plenty.

If you don't like watermelon flavor, avoid this beer. Unlike some beers that advertise a fruit flavor but don't deliver, Hell or High Watermelon explodes across the palate. It's lightly carbonated with a near non-existent head, making for a smooth, flat character. All of this beer's power is derived from the novel watermelon flavor and aroma it packs. Though the ABV is low, under 5%, the sweetness probably disqualifies it from being a beer you'll drink all day, but for one or two sugary glasses, you can't go wrong. Hell or High Watermelon has all the goodness of a cold glass of Kool-Aid, but with alcohol and in an excellently illustrated can. Drink sweet but without any shame.

The central conceit of Peak is that their beers are certified organic. The market share of organic beers is still very small, but given the growing emphasis on ethics within the gourmet community, it wouldn't be surprising if this trend caught on.

Peak describers their Summer Session Ale as a marriage between a West Coast pale ale and a wheat beer. The pale ale flavor comes in the form of the hoppy finish, while the wheat beer qualities are plain in the citrusy aroma. By fusing these two sorts of beers, they've produced a very mellow, very drinkable summer ale, not as strong as your average pale ale or wheat beer. Peak's Summer Session Ale achieves a happy medium.

Southampton Publick House is a small New York brewer with a relatively new summer beer, the Keller Pils. Produced for the first time in 2010, the Keller Pils is darker than some of these other summer seasonals, but it doesn't indicate a stronger flavor. The Keller is mild, light and a bit tart, with practically no aftertaste. The tart quality has you returning for sip after sip of this well carbonated brew. If you're after a pilsner this summer, this is the one.

A take on a Belgian Wit bier, Partly Sunny is a winner. The coriander hits the palate first, making for a spicy, flavorful opening that is quickly evened out by the lemon and orange peel notes. If you're a Blue Moon drinker, step your game up and sip this instead.

Not as light as kolsch from Cologne, where the beer is traditionally made, the Karnival Kolsch has a creamy flavor that builds throughout the drinking experience. The color is golden wheat, topped with a frothy white head. This Great American Beer Festival medal winner is a great choice for anyone craving a kolsch style pint this summer.

Like many of Victory's beers, the Summer Love ale is hoppy, though here the results are not especially bitter. If you're new to hoppier beers, this would be a great introduction.

This golden-colored ale has a zesty citrus finish. The 5.2% ABV is slightly higher than these other seasonals, meaning you can get a little more thrown. Victory consistently puts out good beer; Summer Love is no exception.

This is the real outlier of summer seasonals. With Christmas baked goods levels of spice and an 8.85% ABV, the Little Sumpin Wild Ale is something of a counterintuitive summer seasonal. Which is precisely what makes it so good. When poured, it's easily the darkest beer on this list. The flavor is complex, sweet like bread, but with a undercurrent of grassy hops. The finish is surprisingly smooth given all that comes before it. It's not quite as refreshing as some of these other beers but the high ABV and interesting flavor notes make it a must drink.

Even in the glass, Anchor's all-malt Summer Beer sets itself apart from other wheat beers. The light bronze color is more transparent than traditional wheats, and the aroma contains none of the typical fruit notes that characterize many heavier wheats. It's very drinkable for the amount of flavor brought on by the malted wheat. And though the taste lingers, its subtle and wouldn't interfere with a meal if you were to pair it with a simple summer dinner. The 4.5% ABV ensures you can drink and drink without getting too smashed. A perfect beer, really.