Summer Brew Camp

These refreshing and highly carbonated beers are heavy on banana and spicy clove-like flavors. This is a top-fermenting, unfiltered beer style that originated from southern Germany, particularly Bavaria, and is brewed with at least 50% wheat in the mash. Seek out the near-perfect |Ayinger Bräuweisse| to crush on the patio this summer.

These dark wheat beers display full rich malt flavors along with floral and estery qualities of pale weizens. Dark weizens are produced with or without secondary fermentation in the bottle, meaning that these beers will often have sediment. Don't be scared to mix this cloudy sediment into the beer, its adds tons of flavor and complexity. These are often perfect beers for pairing, try one with grilled sausages this summer!

These lemony beers are unfiltered and are defined by their electric sourness - a product of the addition of lactobacillus or lactic acid in the brewing process. Though they had faded in popularity outside of their native Bavaria, the style has now been embraced by the craft brew movement as a refreshingly tart, sessionable sour style. The exceptional Galactic Collision from August Schell is one funky Berliner Weisse to test drive this summer.

These beers are fermented with a non-European yeast strain, and although they may look similar to German weizens, they do not taste like them. Flavors span the gamut in this style from malty to hoppy. American Style Wheat Ales usually feature American hop varieties, ranging from low-to-high hop bitterness. Sixpoint Brewery's Sweet Action Wheat Ale is a knock-out brew in a slick package that is sure to impress your hop-loving summer guests.

These unfiltered beers are a style of flavored wheat beer, and derive much of their flavoring from bitter curaçao orange peel, coriander and other spices. This style is distinctly Belgian in origin and has seen resurgence in recent decades. It is now widely produced in the US as a summer seasonal. Try Upland Brewing's Wheat Ale at the beach or lake!