IPAs
Sculpin IPA Ballast Point Brewing Company, CA (7% ABV) Lighter body helps bring out hop flavors like apricot, peach, mango, and lemon. (There are grapefruit- and habanero-forward varieties as well—both as delicious as they sound.)
Top 5 states, by size of brewing industry
These American versions of India pale ale no longer need to be super-alcoholic for sea voyages—so their big hops are used for flavor, not camouflage. —B.G.
Fresh Squeezed IPA Deschutes Brewery, OR (6.4% ABV) Despite the name, there’s no fruit, but plenty of Citra and Mosaic hops give this IPA its super-citrusy flavor profile.
$1 billion
60 Minute IPA Dogfish Head Brewery, DE (6% ABV) The innovative boiling process for this eminently drinkable East Coast IPA involves fresh hops being added 60 times over an hour, which imparts plenty of citrus, cedar, pine, orange, and grassy flavors.
California
New York
Pennsylvania Colorado
Sours
Wheats
Texas
Light and often fruity, wheat beers are refreshing but still flavorful, thanks to prodigious carbonation. Great even for non–beer lovers. —Megan Logan
Rooted in Belgian styles like lambics and gueuzes, these acidic, bacteria- and yeastenhanced beers have exploded in the States. —K. M. McFarland
Unfiltered Wheat Beer Boulevard Brewing Company, MO (4.4% ABV) This cloudy, straw-colored Midwestern standby is perfectly balanced: easydrinking citrus tempered by a tinge of hoppy bite.
Company, CA (7.5% ABV) Surprisingly potent and unapologetically hoppy—at 65 IBU (international bitterness units), it’s smack in IPA range—it’s not for beginners.
Raspberry Tart New Glarus Brewing Company, WI (4% approx. ABV) This Midwestern favorite brews its fair share of sours, but none like this berrypacked delight that goes down like a superfruit champagne—seriously, drink it from a flute if you can.
Oberon Ale Bell’s Brewery, Inc., MI (5.8% ABV) Mild hops and light malt make it a great tool for the hard work of relaxing— no wonder it’s a summer staple for Michiganders.
Allagash White Allagash Brewing Company, ME (5.0% ABV) A New England hat tip to the Belgian witbier style takes its light, spicy flavor from orange peel and coriander.
Duchesse de Bourgogne Brouwerij Verhaeghe, Belgium (6.2% ABV) This is the perfect starter to see if you have a palate for the style—on the sweet side but with the distinct vinegar scent and tartness common to any worthy sour.
AUG 2015
Number of breweries in the US
4,131 3,464
0
0 1873
Blonde, summer, Kölsch—there are lots of varieties of lighter ales, but all are perfect for the warmer months. —M.L.
Somersault Ale New Belgium Brewing, CO (5.2% ABV) Light and tangy citrus notes complement juicy peach and apricot flavors in this once-ina-harvest-moon summer seasonal.
A Little Sumpin’ Sumpin’ Ale Lagunitas Brewing
4,000
Dogpatch Sour Almanac Beer Company, CA (7.5% ABV) A little boozier than most sours, this Bay Area brew uses California cherries and the bacterium in San Francisco sourdough starter Lactobacillus sanfranciscensis.
Lighter Ales
2014
Krankshaft Metropolitan Brewing, IL (5.0% ABV) The most popular beer from the leader of Chicago’s new school—a light, lemony ale that’s easygoing enough for you to enjoy a few. Wünderbier Ninkasi Brewing Company, OR (4.4% ABV) Fermented at higher temperatures like an ale but finished cooler like a lager, this one is only around through August, so act fast.
