4 Flavorful Summer Beers to Beat the Heat

Summer is in full swing and for whatever reason, temperatures are sizzling across the nation. One of the most enjoyable ways to beat the heat is to grab a refreshing beer and spend some time relaxing at the beach, by the grill or in front of the pool. The majority of beer sold during these summer months will be from mega-breweries like Budweiser and Coors who tout their omnipresent concoctions as being high in "drinkability", meaning they are watered down and tasteless and therefore slide easily down your gullet, quickly bypassing your tastebuds. However, the specialty beer market has been growing rapidly in recent years signaling an increase in sophisticated tastebuds demanding more flavor bang for their buck. As a result, there are a great number of specialty summer brews that will keep people cool this summer. Below are four beers you should try this summer if you can't think past Bud, Coors, and MGD when you're in the beer aisle.

1. Honey Moon - This is the summer version of the increasingly popular Blue Moon. It is an incredibly light wheat beer that mixes the orange zest of the original Blue Moon with hints of honey. This beer offers "drinkability" while not forgetting to add flavor. Nevertheless, the flavor is not too overwhelming which makes this a good beer for those who are new to craft beer.

2. Goose Island Summertime - This is a creamy beer with fruity hints of apricot and peach. For those sophisticates who sip on peach bellini's over brunch this beer could serve as a ready replacement.

3. Sierra Nevada Summerfest - For people who are afraid to veer too far off into craft beer territory you can try this flavorful summer pilsner. It bears mild resemblance to Budweiser but it has hints of orange/lemon oil giving the beer a tastiness that you won't find in the mass-produced pilsners widely available across the country. I would recommend this summer brew for people who have never had anything but Coors Light, Michelob Golden, or Bud Select.

4. Firestone Walker Solace - When you're ready to get a little more adventurous this is the summer beer you will want to try. It is packed with wild and exotic flavors that'll make your tongue resentful for depriving it of flavor all these years. As you sip on a Firestone you'll be immersed in a world of caramelized banana and rum-roasted pineapple. If that weren't enough, the crisp hops elegantly toss the essence of guava and tangerine into the mix. I think I want one right now.